What Color Shoes to Wear with Brown Dresses- 12+ Outfit Faves!

Wondering what color shoes to wear with a brown dress outfit? Or are you asking yourself what are the colors that go with brown clothes in general? Well, shoe-tease.com has you covered!

From caramel, tan, chocolate, to brown-hued animal prints there are lots of variations of this earth tone dress. A simple brown dress or brown outfit can take you from the office to evening cocktails, and from summer to winter!

As neutral shades become more prominent, learning how to wear a brown dress with the right purse or shoes – even down to jewelry – is a must. Especially since your accessories can make or break your outfit!

You can create contrast with brown color dresses and accessories, or keep the outfit pairing more subdued. But don't worry, I'm going to show you how to accessorize a brown dress in all the best shades with the right extras.

I also wrote a post about shoes to match bronze dresses if you're curious about this shimmery, more festive version of a brown dress!

12 Color Shoes to Wear with Brown Dress Outfits

If you're shopping for brown dresses, I would recommend the following retailers: Zappos, Saks Fifth Avenue, MyTheresa & Reformation. All of these retailers offer a fab selection of different styles, fabrics & pricing points.

If you're looking for edgier or high fashion, Luisaviaroma, Revolve & Net-a-Porter have an extensive selection too!

1. Black Shoes with a Brown Dress

You can’t go wrong choosing black shoes with brown dresses. This combo should really go down as the #1 staple in any article about how to wear brown dresses!

I really don’t think I’ve found a black shoe that doesn’t go with a particular color dress as black! To add interest to your black shoes and brown dress combo, pick a textured or patent black flat, heel or boot. 

If your brown dress is particularly busy with detail, choose a non-shiny black shoe in suede or leather.

Purse color & jewelry tip: A matching black, metallic, white or beige purse will look great with your brown dress with black shoes. You can choose silver or gold jewelry with a little sparkle.  

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2. White Shoes with a Brown Dress

When I think of what color shoes to wear with a dark brown dress or even a lighter brown dress, white or off-white shoes come to mind. Especially for the Spring/Summer season. That's because white footwear offers a lovely contrast with brown color dresses!

White flats and sneakers give a more casual feel, while a white stiletto sandal or pointed-toe pump will lighten the look, whether for evening or day wear.

Want to wear white shoes and a brown dress in winter? Slip on a white leather ankle or knee boot or slide into an off-white sock bootie! A white patent leather shoe will add a touch of shine and interest to your look.

Purse color & jewelry tip: A black or gold purse would look great with this brown-dress-black-shoe combination. The latter is best for formal occasions. Diamond sparkle jewelry will work well.

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3. Beige Shoes with a Brown Dress

A brown dress with beige shoes is a combination made in neutrals heaven! If you match your skin tone with your beige heels, your legs will look longer, making this mix great for shorter or midi skirts.

That being said, beige shoes look fabulous on all skin tones and will be a great addition to your brown dress. I’m partial to strappy beige sandals myself, like any of the styles from Stuart Weitzman's Nudist Collection.

Purse color & jewelry tip: How to accessorize a brown dress with beige shoes is simple. White, beige or brown purses would look great, as would a pop of pink or yellow. Gold jewelry would look best with this outfit pairing.

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4. Gold Shoes with Brown Dress Outfits

Gold shoes won’t disappoint with either a brown dress. Gold is literally a color of shoes that goes with anything, including brown dress outfits!

I do prefer high shine metallics with a matte brown dress. Just make sure the two shades of brown and gold don’t clash for an optimal gold and brown mix.

Purse color & jewelry tip: I'd opt for beige, black or white when pairing your purse with gold shoes and a brown dress. Jewels will look best either in gold or black tones.

5. Brown Shoes with a Brown Dress

If you’re read any of my other shoe styling posts, you’ll know that I’m not a huge fan of matching my shoes to my dress. And usually, when I do recommend it, I ask that you match the shades. 

Not brown shoes with brown dresses, however! I like a good tan sandal with a brown dress or light brown dress with a darker brown ankle boot or pump. The contrast creates more interest in your overall look. 

Purse color & jewelry tip: You can keep purses neutral in tan, beige, white or black. Jewelry will look best in gold and if you can add sparkles, go for it!

6. Silver Shoes with a Brown Dress

Silver shoes never disappoint in an outfit and that includes brown dresses! It offers a cool non-color to a warm brown dress. Light silver shoes with a dark brown dress look especially fab.

Purse color & jewelry tip: How to accessorize a brown dress with silver shoes? Black or white purses with silver or pewter shoes will work best. Jewelry in black or silver is recommended.

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7. Animal Print Shoes with Brown Dress Outfits

If brown shoes or beige shoes can work with a brown dress, of course, snake or leopard print shoes can as well! I’m talking about the beigey-hued reptile prints and neutral cheetah prints here: tan/beige/black colored animal prints. 

Heck, even cow print in these shades will look fun! I’m one that believes leopard print is a neutral, so it's a color shoe that goes with everything!

Leopard print shoes look particularly fabulous with neutrals such as brown and in contrast, with bright colors like red and blue. Learn about what to wear with leopard print shoes in my dedicated post!

Purse color & jewelry tip: How to accessorize a brown dress with animal print shoes is easy if your animal print shoes are in tone with the dress. You can keep your purses in neutral tones such as tan, beige, white or black.

Jewelry will look best in a warm tone such as gold with warmer leopard prints, silver will look nice with cooler hued animal print shoes.

8. Clear Shoes with a Brown Dress

Clear shoes and heels are the IT shoes of the moment. And they will literally go with anything, including a neutral or printed brown dress.

You can opt for sparkly and bejeweled lucite heeled shoes with clear straps if your dress is simple. Keep your clear heels minimal with a lace or busy dress that has a pattern.

Purse color & jewelry tip: So many options to accessorize your brown dress with clear heels! You can match your purse with the base color – white, beige, black – of your clear shoes, or chose a pop of color like yellow.

Choose silver jewelry with this combo, or gold if your shoes have some beige or gold tones in them, to complete your brown dress outfit.

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Colorful Shoes to Wear with Brown Dresses

9. Yellow Shoes with a Brown Dress

If gold shoes go with a brown dress, then you know that yellow shoes will style well too! One of my favorite, more casual color shoes to wear with a brown dress (especially for summer!) – is yellow.

Specifically, a mellow yellow with a brown outfit. Even a bright, sunny yellow could nicely contrast with brown color dresses. It really depends on the shade of your brown dress! If there's some yellow pattern or detailing in your brown outfit, match that yellow to your shoes.

Purse color & jewelry tip: I'd opt for a neutral purse with this combo: beige, white, black. Since the dress and shoe hues are warm, choose fine gold jewelry, or chunky matte black jewels if your look is casual.

10. Green Shoes with Brown Dress Outfits

If you're looking for brightly colored shoes to wear with a brown dress, green is so much fun! Apple green specifically as featured in my post about green shoes outfits is a great green color to pair with any brown outfit – no matter which shade of brown you’re wearing.

Want to wear green shoes but are unsure about adding too much color? You can always opt for a deeper emerald hue or hunter green for a more subtle contrast. Honestly, bright green is so much better!

Purse color & jewelry tip: Add even more fun to your look with MORE color in your purse choice! A sunny yellow, or bright pink handbag will look great.

You can also play with neutrals such as beige, tan, white or black. I'm more inclined to choose silver jewelry for bright colors combos and brown dresses.

11. Blue Shoes with Brown Dresses

If brown is a good color shoes for blue dresses, then why not wear a bright pair of royal blue shoes with dark brown and lighter brown?

I believe even a powder pink shoe would look especially good with an espresso brown dress! If your dress has blue detailing, match that blue to your shoes.

Purse color & jewelry tip: How to accessorize a brown dress with bright shoes such as blue is simple. If you want to play, add some contrasting color such as bright yellow, pink or gold to your cobalt blue shoes.

If your shoes are baby pink, contrast your purse in light pink, mellow yellow, black or white. Jewelry would look best silver, with an option of some sparkle, for this brown dress outfit combo.

12. Red Shoes with Brown Dresses

The trick to wearing red shoes here is to contrast with brown. Bright red color shoes with dark brown dresses are the best combo. If your dress is any lighter, more caramel shade of brown, I would opt out of wearing red shoes!

Purse color & jewelry tip: Since red already offers a contrast with brown color dresses, you can keep your accessories neutral. Black, white, grey or a tan purse would look subtle here.

But you can create a bit of drama with a light blue purse too! Delicate silver or gold jewelry could work well, as would pewter or black jewels.

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13. Pink Shoes with a Brown Dress Outfit

There are so many shades of brown dresses as well as pink shoes, so it’s hard for me to make a blanket statement of what goes best with what! 

I do love certain pink shoes with brown dresses. But how to wear a brown dress with the right pink shoes is important.

For a classic brown and dark brown dress – like an espresso color – a bubble gum or baby pink would look fun.

For an orangy-er brown, such as caramel, I would steer clear or pink shoes and opt for beige shoes instead. Avoid hot pink shoes with most shades of brown dresses – as the mix could be too overpowering.

Purse color & jewelry tip: Since pink already offers a contrast with brown color dresses, keep your accessories neutral. Black, white, grey or tan purse would look best here. Fine silver jewelry would really pop.

Final Thoughts on What Color Shoes to Wear with a Brown Dress

I hope my post has helped clarify what color shoes to wear with a brown dress, from light brown to dark brown shades. I also hope I've answered any questions about how to accessorize a brown dress with the right purse color and jewelry.

How to style shoes with brown dresses might seem daunting, but as you can see, light to medium-dark or any variation of the hue is not as difficult to style as you might expect.

You can opt for shoes and accessories that offer a stark contrast with brown color dresses. Like yellow, pink, white or silver. Or conversely, you can choose a more neutral pairing of shoes with brown dresses, such as beige, brown, nude, or black.

Of course – as I always mention – fashion is subjective. If you have a penchant on how to wear a brown dress with certain color combinations – and have the personality to match – you can definitely think outside the box!

For more dress outfit ideas, take a look at all the shoe and dress styling posts, here. Feel free to ask any questions about shoe colors that go with brown clothes and dresses in the comments section, below.

xo ShoeTease