Pink Shirt and Brown Shoes Combo – A Style Guide

Written by Stephanie Patterson

Stephanie Patterson

Read about our editorial guidelines

How to Rock a Pink Shirt and Brown Shoes

Does a pink shirt really go with brown shoes?

Gone are the days when pink wasn’t considered a ‘manly’ color! Today, many of the world’s most stylish celebrities can be seen sporting a pink shirt with brown shoes. How you rock this look is really up to you,  but confidence really is key with it. Whether you choose a fuchsia, baby pink, or salmon pink shirt, it’s all about how you wear it. Pair your shirt with almost any suit color and a pair of brown shoes and you’re sure to attract plenty of attention. 

There’s nothing quite as attractive as a man who’s confident enough to wear pink. Want to find out more about which shades of pink are the best or which suit will complement your pink shirt and brown suit perfectly? Then keep reading.

Choosing the right shade of pink matters

Fuchsia, baby pink, blush pink, salmon pink – there are so many different shades of this beautiful color out there that it can seem a little confusing at first. Trying to choose a shade of pink to compliment your brown shoes? Here are a few helpful tips:

1. Choose the shade based on the occasion. An evening event or celebration calls for a brighter shade of pink such as fuchsia or salmon, while baby or blush pink probably works best for a day at the office or a date.
2. Look at your skin tone and hair color. Generally speaking, the darker your hair and skin tone, the bolder the shade of pink you can pull off. Dark-haired gents look great in fuchsia or salmon pink, while paler chaps might want to stick to baby pink for a less in-your-face style.
3. Match your shirt to your shoes. If your shoes are already bold – think burgundy brogues – then it’s best to choose a paler shirt, so the attention is on your shoes. If you’re wearing a tan pair of loafers, you could pair them with a fuchsia shirt – so your shirt will be turning heads!
4. Although most shades of pink complement most colors of suit, do think about what suit you’ll be wearing with your shirt. A navy suit looks great with a pale pink shirt or fuchsia for a bold statement. With a grey suit, salmon pink is a bold yet subtle choice that will make you stand out in a crowd for all the right reasons.

Here are just a few of the different shades to choose from:

• Fuchsia 
• Baby pink
• Blush pink
• Dusky pink
• Salmon pink

Whichever shade of pink you choose, make sure you feel comfortable in it. If you’re not confident in bold, bright colors, stick to softer shades and carry them off confidently. 

Consider a pink shirt with a contrasting color to add interest.

Of course, you could always go for a patterned pink shirt if you’re feeling really bold and the occasion is right!

What color suit goes best with brown shoes and a pink shirt?

The good news is that you can get away with almost any color suit with brown shoes and a pink shirt. Here are a few color combinations to get you started:

As you can see, with the many different shades of pink and brown out there, you can take your pick when it comes to choosing the right color suit. If you’ve already got a couple of go-to suits in your wardrobe, base your color choices for your shirt and shoes around this. Don’t forget that you can add interest to a light grey suit with brown shoes and a baby pink shirt with a patterned or colorful tie and other accessories.

What other pants go with brown shoes and a pink shirt?

Don’t think you have to stick to wearing a suit with your pink shirt and brown shoes. For a date, smart jeans or navy pants with a pink shirt are a great look. You could also wear black pants with brown shoes and a pale pink shirt if you’re going for a smart-casual look. You can choose to wear a jacket over the top on chillier days – for example, a smart suit jacket or blazer looks great with jeans, a pink shirt, and brown shoes. During the winter months, an overcoat is a great way to smarten up jeans and shirt combination, and you can pair this with a pair of brown Chelsea boots for a stylish look.

But how about this gorgeous all-pink ensemble below? With this outfit and a larger-than-life personality, the world is all yours!

Pink shirts go with other colors of shoes too – for example, blue pants with black shoesand a fuchsia pink shirt make a bold statement that’s perfect for a night out or even a wedding.

Get your shoe style right for any occasion

Another important thing to think about when putting together an outfit is the style of shoe you’ll be wearing. Not all shoes suit all occasions – we doubt you’d turn up to an important client meeting wearing sneakers – so it’s important to have a variety of different styles in your wardrobe so that you have the right pair to hand for almost any occasion. 

Our list will help you ensure you’re always appropriately suited and booted, whatever the occasion:

• Formal events
• A day at the office
• A date

Pink shirt and brown shoes for formal events 

Formal events could include a corporate dinner, a ball, or even an important client meeting outside the office. Weddings and funerals also fall into the category of formal events. When choosing brown shoes for a formal event, you should always opt for classic styles like brogues, derbies or Oxfords. This isn’t the time to play around with funky colors and styles – unless you’re attending a particularly creative event. Keep your shoes simple and choose a dark or light color to complement your suit such as tan or dark brown.

Pink shirt and brown shoes for a day at the office

The type of shoes you wear to the office largely depends on what you do. Working for a young, funky startup may mean sneakers are appropriate, while if you work for a corporate law firm, you might be better off sticking to a more formal, classic style. Taking a look at what your colleagues are wearing will generally give a good indication of what you can get away with. For more formal workplaces, choose brogues or oxfords, or Chelsea boots in winter. More casual offices are an excuse to wear sneakers, loafers or lace-up boots.

Pink shirt and brown shoes for a date

Play this one by ear. You’ll want to wear smarter shoes for a night at the opera or dinner at a nice restaurant, more casual shoes if you’re going to the movies or taking part in outdoor activities. As a general rule, always ensure you’re wearing something that you’re comfortable and confident in so you feel your best on your date. And make sure the style of shoes you choose matches your outfit. So sneakers with a suit are a big no-no, but sneakers with jeans and a band tee are probably fine if you’re going on a casual date. If you’re wearing a suit, shirt and tie, stick to more formal styles like lace-up brogues.

No matter what style of shoes you’re wearing, always make sure they’re clean and well polished. Nothing spoils a look faster than a dirty, smudged pair of leather shoes. Even if you’re wearing sneakers, make sure they’re not caked in mud or have torn, frayed laces.

What kind of brown shoes to pair with a pink shirt?

Pink shirts are a great, edgy way to make a style statement and flaunt your confidence, but what kind of shoes do you wear with your amazing pink shirt? Try some of these on for size:

1. Brown wingtips
2. Brown double monks
3. Brown Chelsea boots
4. Brown chukka boots
5. Brown dress shoes

Brown wingtips

Of course, it depends on what color suit you’re wearing too. A navy blue suit with brown shoes and a pink shirt and a nice coat is a great winter look, while in summer a light grey suit and brown shoes, with a crisp pink shirt and sunglasses is a fresh, warm-weather style that will get you through even the sunniest days.

Brown double monks

You can pair almost any color of a suit with your brown shoes, but think about which shade of brown you’re working with. If you’re rocking tan shoes then the world is your style oyster – you can wear almost any color of the suit with tan shoes and a pink shirt. A great pair of double monks with green details will complement the pink shirt perfectly!

Sock style inspiration – which socks to pair with your pink shirt and brown shoes

Ah, the humble sock, an accessory which so many of us often get surprisingly wrong. Choosing the right dress socks can seem challenging – do you choose bold, fun socks, patterned socks, plain socks or no-show socks. Or would no socks be more appropriate? 

Let’s just say this up front: we don’t really advocate wearing no socks with your suit. Even on the hottest day, it isn’t really a good look, and to be honest, your feet will get sweaty. Nobody wants that! You can still stay cool and look great provided you rock the right socks with your suit. It goes without saying that they should be clean, matching and without any holes. And please, don’t wear white sports socks with a suit. Just don’t.

So what should you consider when thinking about what color socks to wear with a blue shit and brown shoes, or a grey suit and brown shoes?

• Where will you be wearing these socks? For a date, colorful, patterned socks might give a hint to your personality. For an important client meeting at the office, plain or lightly patterned (think stripes) dark-colored dress socks are your best bet.
• Do you want to blend in or stand out? Bright yellow socks with an egg and bacon print paired with your navy suit are going to have everybody talking – but you might get away with it depending on the occasion! If you want to add color to your outfit but still blend in, burgundy or pink socks are a great choice to wear with your brown shoes and a pink shirt.

Remember – packing a spare pair of socks is a great idea. If you’re hitting the gym before work, you’ll almost certainly need some sports socks, and you don’t want to be wearing those once you arrive at the office. If you’re going on a date after work, changing your socks is a great way to stay fresh, and if you’re switching to another outfit, you’ll almost certainly want a spare pair of socks to ensure that they match whatever you’re planning on wearing.

Funny socks with brown shoes and a pink shirt – the ultimate combo

A man can never have too many pairs of socks, and these days it’s all about quality and style. With Soxy socks, you can express your style but also ensure your feet are comfortable and cool. From no-show socks to funny patternedsocks, Soxy has a range of styles to choose from. We’ve got some fun facts about the brand too:

1. Our socks are fully knit, which means they’re stitched thread by thread with a 220 needle (rather than being machine pressed). This allows for complex, funky patterns.
2. They’re made in a family-owned factory in beautiful Seoul, South Korea.
3. Soxy has delivered over 1 million pairs of socks to over 40 different countries.
4. Unlike some cheaper brands, your Soxy socks won’t shrink! This is because they’re pre-washed, dried and ironed, so further shrinking is eliminated by 95%!
5. If you’re fed up with your socks falling down while you’re going about your day, this is the brand you need. Soxy socks are expertly engineered to ensure perfect elasticity, so nobody will be telling you to ‘pull your socks up’!
6. The socks are incredibly soft and also durable thanks to their 75% combed cotton, 20% polyester and 5% spandex construction.
7. The socks have a hand-linked seam, so they’re formed by linking the two sock sides together, fusing the toe and base.

To be matchy matchy with your pink shirt, why not sport a pair of pink socks too? If you do this, you are guaranteed to turn some heads and be voted “best dressed” by pretty much everyone around you.

We love these funky blue and purple donut novelty socks and think they’d look great with a pink shirt and brown shoes combo – or with a navy suit and brown shoes. We’re sure Homer Simpson would agree! Just don’t blame us if you suddenly have a hankering for donuts at lunch time.

These astronomy mens dress socks aren’t just out of this world, they’re totally out of this galaxy! For the perfect way to brighten up your suit or shirt and jeans combination, these pink and blue space themed socks are it. 

These bacon and egg socks socks in a pink colorway are the perfect complement to your pink shirt. We love the funky, fun pattern of these socks and think they’d be a great addition to a date night outfit or brunch with friends – everybody wants to be the one sporting the coolest socks, after all!

Prefer your socks more on the subtle side but still want them to match your pink shirt? Whether you’re rocking a fuchsia shirt, navy suit and brown shoes, or a pair of jeans and brown sneakers, these pink zig zag socks add a summery vibe to your outfit.

Want more pink shirt and brown shoes inspiration? Follow these instagram accounts

How do you rock a pink shirt and brown shoe combo? Tag us on Instagram and show off your style!