The (Most Stylish & Absolute) Best Men’s Pants Colors

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Knowing how to choose the right color pants to complement the rest of your wardrobe is a key component to looking sharp.

A lot of guys make the mistake of neglecting color altogether, meaning that even when they nail the fit, style  and cut of their pants, they still end up looking less-than-optimal overall.

Blue men's pants

That’s because figuring out which colors work the best can be surprisingly (and annoyingly) challenging.

Guys don’t usually talk about fashion or style with their buddies, so when you’re looking for information as specific as the most stylish men’s pants colors, it can be hard to know where to turn.

That’s where this post comes in.

Below I’ve rounded up the most stylish men’s pants colors that guys need to know about, and grouped them into three categories:

  • The must-have colors that every guy should have in his wardrobe;
  • The good-to-have colors that can help you stand out from the crowd, and;
  • The fashion-forward colors for guys who don’t just want to stand out, but make a statement

The Most Stylish Men’s Pants Colors

Look Sharp & Stand Out with The Ultimate Men’s Pants Color Guide

Must-Have Pants Colors

Let’s Start with The Absolute Best Colors for Men’s Pants

Navy Blue Pants

Kenneth Cole navy pants
Kenneth Cole Slim Fit dress pants in Blue 01

Navy may just be the most classic menswear color of all time.

Far from limited to pants, almost every piece of menswear looks good in navy, including suits, sweaters, topcoats and pea coats.

One of the main reasons that navy pants are so essential is because they’re so versatile:

They not only look good on any man (regardless of size, shape or skin color), but they also pair well with (almost) any other color.

That’s huge, because it means that no matter what you’re wearing above your waist, you can feel confident that throwing on a pair of navy pants will help you look sharp from the belt down.


Light Blue Pants

Silver Jeans
Silver Jeans in Light Wash Indigo

Light blue is a color that a lot of guys don’t think of for pants, which is a shame, because – like navy and other shades of blue – it works well on just about everyone.

But unlike navy, light blue gives off a significantly more relaxed and laid back vibe, making it perfect for the summer months, or warmer climates where it’s hot all year round.

If you do want to try experimenting with light blue pants, I suggest starting with light blue jeans.

Because they’re more casual and relaxed, light blue jeans are a little easier to pull off, and a little more forgiving if you make a mistake and pair them with something that’s not quite right.


Brown Pants

Amazon Essentials brown pants
Amazon Essentials Men’s Slim-Fit Pants

Brown pants are a must-have because most guys have a lot of blue in their wardrobes, particularly in the form of shirts, sweaters and jackets.

And no color pairs better with blue than brown.

As I blathered on wrote about in my post about the blue suit and brown shoes combo, combining blue and brown is one of the most masculine and stylish color combinations for guys, which makes brown pants an absolute must.


Beige/Khaki Pants

Mott & Bow
Mott & Bow Slim Mercer Twill Pants

Another absolute must, every guy needs a good pair of khakis.

One important thing to remember about beige is that it tends to be considered a less formal color.

That means that any pants in the beige/khaki color family will give off a considerably more casual vibe.

But let’s be honest: most of us spend the majority of our time in casual environments.

So the right pair of khakis can easily become the pants you pull out of your closet most often.


Grey Pants

True Classic
True Classic Comfort Chino Pants in Carbon

Colors don’t get more versatile than grey, which is why it’s so essential to pretty much every piece of a man’s wardrobe, pants included.

What I love about grey pants is that they’re understated and classic, pair well with literally every other color, and allow other pieces of your wardrobe to pop.

Throw on a navy shawl collar sweater, a pair of grey chinos and some stylish brown dress shoes, and you can go damn near anywhere feeling confident that you’ll be the most stylish man in the room.


White Pants

Bonobos Travel Jeans
Bonobos Travel Jeans

I’ll be the first to admit that white pants are a little trickier to pull off than the colors listed above, but that doesn’t make them any less essential.

White pants are both more versatile and more stylish than a lot of guys give them credit for.

And figuring out where/how to wear white pants is relatively easy.

As you might imagine, white pants are perfect to wear in the summer, when you’re more likely to wear both lighter clothes and lighter colors.

As a rule of thumb, in a situation where you might normally wear khaki pants, try swapping them out for white pants instead. It’s a simple swap, but one that will help you stand out.


Black Pants

Old Navy
Old Navy Ultimate Built-In Flex Chino Pants

Last on the list of must-have men’s pants colors is the color that you (probably) already have in your wardrobe.

A lot of guys own black pants, but only because they came with the black suit they bought.

And while there’s a time and place for black dress pants, I prefer to use black in more casual pants, like chinos or jeans.

Channel your inner Justin Theroux and throw on a pair of jet black pants, a fitted crisp white tee, a pair of aviators and some kick-ass black boots, and you’ll feel strong, cool and masculine as hell.


Good-to-Have Pants Colors

Intermediate Colors to Consider Adding to Your Wardrobe

Burgundy Pants

Burgundy Pants
Amazon Essentials Classic-Fit Pants

What makes burgundy so great is that it oozes sophistication, without feeling too stuffy.

(It is the color of fine wine, after all.)

Pair burgundy pants with a navy blue sweater and a grey shirt for a look that’s simultaneously sophisticated and casual.


Forest Green Pants

Match green pants
Match Slim Tapered Pants

Colors don’t get much more masculine than forest green.

But because of it’s dark hue, this shade of green also has a certain refinement.

Forest green pants feel more elevated than other, lighter shades of green (one of which is included below), so while this look is definitely casual, it feels a little more “dressed up” than if the pants were a lighter shade.


Dark Purple Pants

Dockers
Dockers Go Slim Khakis

Dark purple is different from burgundy because it has less red in it and more blue, putting it somewhere in between navy and burgundy on the color spectrum.

And like those two colors, it’s dark, masculine and versatile, while still being unique.

There are very few rooms in the world where you can find more than one man wearing dark purple pants.

So if you want to stand out without being too loud about it, dark purple is perfect.


Army Green Pants

Army green pants
Bonobos Stretch Chinos

A lighter shade than forest green, army green (also often called olive green) is more muted.

It evokes the color of military uniforms (hence the name), making it an easy way to add some masculine energy to whatever else you’re wearing.

This color always makes me think of Band of Brothers and the classic World War II army uniform, which was both bad-ass and stylish as hell.


Fashion-Forward Pants Colors

Advanced Colors For the Bold

Yellow Pants

Yellow pants
TEGIAS Slim-Fit Jean

Few colors stand out as much as yellow, and few are more fun.

Pair it with dark colors like navy or black, or go the other way and pair yellow pants with a crisp white shirt.

Just don’t pair it with a yellow jacket (especially if you’re tall)…

…yellow can be fun, but going full Big Bird is never a good look.


Red Pants

Match red pants
Match Men’s Athletic Fit Casual Pants

A second ago I said that few colors stand out as much as yellow, but this might be one of them.

Red pants make a statement no matter what else you’re wearing.

Your best bet is to keep the other pieces in your outfit muted (like the light blue denim shirt pictured here) and let the red speak for itself.


Pink Pants

Pink pants
Match Casual Straight Trouser

A lot of guys shy away from pink, for reasons that are understandable, but misplaced.

When done right, pink can be a powerful color.

What’s the key to doing it right?

Simple: avoid neon. Instead, opt for a shade that’s more muted, like a soft pastel color, which feels more relaxed and laid back.


The Summary

What are the best men’s pants colors?

The best, must-have men’s pants colors are navy blue, light blue, brown, beige/khaki, grey, white and black.

The good-to-have-but-not-totally-necessary colors are burgundy, forest green, dark purple, army green, yellow, red and pink.


More Color and Men’s Style Advice from Irreverent Gent:
More Men’s Pants Colors Advice from Around the Web:

About Dave Bowden

Dave Bowden

Founder, Irreverent Gent
Author, Man in Command and Stop Doubting, Start Dating
Writer, Really Wordy Author Bios

Dave Bowden is a style blogger, menswear expert and best-selling author (in Canada—but still!) whose advice on how to look good and live well has been featured in New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Men's Health and more.

When not obsessing over style and self-improvement, he can usually be found spending time with his wonderful wife and two amazing sons, indulging in a hoppy craft beer, or sobbing over the woeful state of Toronto's sports teams.

Check out Dave's Style Story to find out how a chance encounter with his friend's step-dad taught him the value of looking good and living well (don't worry—it's less creepy than it sounds!), or email him at [email protected] if you want to get in touch.

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