Coffee, chocolate, chestnut and amber – what’s not to love about the rich incarnations of delicious brown!

Just like spectacle-wearing scientists tracking historic events, it’s always necessary to turn back the clock and experience your subject’s evolution – and in our case, it’s the colour brown. Our first stop is the bohemian 1970’s where brown flared trousers in trendy corduroy, Annie-Hall-inspired chinos and retro prints ranging from chocolate to rust became the signature of a trendsetting era.

The 1980’s saw brown take on a bit more structure with the baby boomers wearing power suits sporting pinstripes and shoulder pads in a muted version of our spotlight shade. Borrowing from the boys became standard practice from the 1990’s onwards and this major fashion movement introduced brown denim, fitted brown blazers, light brown trench coats, manly chinos and dapper brown boots all beautifully tweaked for a modern feminine statement.

Brown’s notable influence on the fashion industry certified it as a basic colour in any women’s wardrobe, and because of its adaptable nature you’ll find that it will effortlessly blend with your style – a coffee brown satin blouse for the romantic dresser, a caramel brown tweed blazer for a traditional style and light brown chinos for the trend-follower.

Join our brilliance of brown journey as we showcase six real women beautifully styled in all shades of brown.

SAMANTHA HOWARD, 26
Advertising Executive
A masterful combination of the best of brown beautifully topped off by Samantha’s luscious red locks with the subtly similar lip colour giving her abundant look even more depth and warmth. If you have a soft, fair skin tone with red hair, you can wear all shades of brown, from the softest taupe to the richest, darkest chocolate brown.

EWE HAWKINS, 51
Dentist
One of brown’s many style skills is that it manages to warm-up any look and ewe’s combination of natural makeup, honey-toned hair and taupe brown shade is a delightful ray of sunshine. One of the secrets to looking years younger is wearing fabrics that have sheen and texture that bring radiance to your skin tone.

KIM DE FREITAS, 30
Executive Secretary
Swept up by a provocative brown shade, Kim shows how this usually winter-like colour takes on a glamorous personality fit for any fancy occasion. Women with deeper skin tones and dark brown to black hair look best in deep shades of browns, such as rust, terracotta and chocolate. Avoid all pale shades; they will only make you look tired.

YOLANDE STEYN, 29
Marketing Manager
The twinkle in Yolande’s eye comes from the sparkly embellishments that so beautifully play-up the femininity of this gentle almond-brown colour. Women with soft skin tones and light to golden blonde hair best suit the lighter shades of brown. Opt for taupe, biscuit and stone. The dark, very rich shades of brown are too dark for your fair skin.

NICOLENE DORFLING, 27
Student
Brown shouldn’t always be structured, fitted and traditional. Take your cue from Nicolene and wear this exciting shade with metallic accents like bronze or gold to play-up its shiny potential. Women with golden skin tones and brown to auburn hair should wear medium shades of brown, such as caramel, tobacco and nutmeg.

CECILIA MABUYA, 24
Fashion Assistant
Be inspired by the power of a strong burst of brown. Cecelia shows us how this bold shade becomes light and manageable in a soft fabric like fluid chiffon. Dark skin tones can wear any shade, although the brighter, richer shades work best for them.