Jacket Styling and Outfits
What Color Jacket Goes With Everything? Black, Olive, Navy or Brown
Black, olive, navy or brown? Style writers disagree on the jacket color that goes with everything. Compare all four and use a wardrobe check to choose yours.
No single jacket color goes with everything, and style writers don't agree on which comes closest. Busbee Style and Magic of Clothes pick black. Stylist Vanessa Valiente of V Style picks olive green. Outfit Narrative names olive, navy or brown for a casual jacket. The best choice is the color that matches what you already wear, and the check below shows how to find it.
For outfits with any jacket, see our jacket styling guide.
Key takeaways- Mostly denim and earth tones? Olive is V Style's pick, because it "pairs beautifully with all shades of blue jeans".- Mostly black and grey? Busbee Style calls black the color she wears most.- Brown with blue jeans is "the classic", says Real Men Real Style.- Navy is on Outfit Narrative's short list of versatile colors.
The four candidates at a glance
| Color | Who picks it | Works best with | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Busbee Style, Magic of Clothes | Dark indigo, black or grey jeans; neutral tops | Black on black can go flat |
| Olive | V Style; Outfit Narrative | All shades of blue jeans, muted black, earth tones | Bright white, royal blue, magenta |
| Navy | Outfit Narrative | Neutrals such as beige, white and blue | Little detail in our sources |
| Brown | Outfit Narrative; Real Men Real Style | Mid to dark blue or grey jeans | Light tan over black jeans |
Why the style sources disagree
Each source answers for a different wardrobe. V Style says the answer "depends entirely" on the color theme of your wardrobe, and then picks green as the general answer. Busbee Style picks black for most versatility but also tells readers to look at their whole wardrobe first.
They also disagree about black. Gentleman's Gazette suggests a brown, blue or green bomber and says to "tread carefully" with black. The Modest Man says that if you can wear a leather motorcycle jacket, you can wear a black bomber.
Our view: "goes with everything" really means "goes with everything you own". So count your clothes before you choose a color.
How to choose: the wardrobe check
This four-step check is our own method, built on V Style's and Busbee Style's advice to start from your wardrobe.
- Lay out what you wear most. Take your 10 to 15 most-worn tops and bottoms, not the whole closet.
- Sort them into three piles: denim and blues; black and grey; earth tones (browns, creams, greens).
- Find the biggest pile. That pile decides the jacket.
- Check the clash list. If you own many bright whites, royal blues or magentas, olive is the weaker choice according to V Style.
The candidates one by one
Black
Black suits a wardrobe that is mostly black, grey and denim. Real Men Real Style pairs a black jacket with dark indigo, black or grey jeans, and says all black works if you break it up with a grey tee or charcoal knit. Full outfits are in what to wear with a black jacket.
Olive and green
V Style's case for olive rests on denim: most people wear jeans, and olive goes with all shades of them. It lists grey, muted black, cream, browns, muted navy and brick red as good partners. Bright optic white, royal blue, emerald and magenta are on its "no" list. The shade matters too: sage for a light wardrobe, a darker green for a black-heavy one.
Green is also current. Ape to Gentleman says green bombers are having their first real spike in popularity since the mid-2010s. See how to style a bomber jacket for men.
Navy
Outfit Narrative lists navy with beige, olive, white and blue as neutrals that are easy to mix and match. It names navy among the most versatile colors for a casual waxed jacket. Our sources say less about navy jackets than about the other three, so treat it as a safe choice with less evidence behind it.
Brown
Brown is the warm option. Real Men Real Style calls a brown leather jacket with blue jeans "the classic", because brown and blue sit opposite each other on the color wheel. Grey jeans work too. Black jeans only work if the brown is dark. Who What Wear UK calls chocolate and chestnut brown "a refreshing alternative to black". Outfits are in what to wear with a brown jacket.
Picks by wardrobe type
If you ride and want a leather moto, read are moto jackets still in style before choosing the color.
| Your biggest pile | First pick | Second pick |
|---|---|---|
| Denim and blues | Olive | Brown |
| Black and grey | Black | Dark green |
| Earth tones | Olive or brown | Navy (our suggestion) |
| A real mix | Navy or olive | Black (our suggestion) |
Getting the exact shade
Once you know the color, the shade is the next problem: an olive or brown that is too light or too dark can miss the rest of your clothes. Leather Collection custom leather jackets are made to order and stitched by hand, and the store says colors can be matched to Pantone shades. Cuts include classic biker, modern fits, and flight and bomber styles.
FAQ
What jacket will go with everything?
None goes with literally everything. Olive (V Style) and black (Busbee Style) are the two most common picks in our sources. Choose by what fills most of your wardrobe.
What color jacket for an all-black outfit?
V Style suggests a darker green jacket if you wear a lot of black. A black jacket also works if you add a grey or charcoal layer so the outfit doesn't go flat, says Real Men Real Style.
What colors do brown jackets go with?
Blue is the classic partner, says Real Men Real Style, followed by grey. Use black only with a dark brown. Who What Wear UK also pairs brown with soft peach, dusty rose and butter yellow.
leatheride Editorial Team
leatheride articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.