Sure, we all love black—it's the easiest to wear, right? As it turns out, our lengthy research shows us that brown is just as versatile, plus it's a lot less predictable.

When paired with a variety of other hues, these tans, chestnuts and chocolates never fail to look sophisticated. So if you're set on standing out come autumn (yes, we're well aware it's the middle of summer but we love to plan), this palette makes a great replacement for your standard-issue sombre colours. It feels rich and luxurious—plus a bevvy of our favourite street style stars are spinning out excellent examples—what more could you ask for? And in lightweight fabrics you'll be summer-ready in an instant.

That said, brown is notoriously polarising. Many consider it to be an "ugly" colour. But hear us out and give it a chance. It feels renewed for this season in particular and there are plenty of ways you can look into wearing it. Intrigued as to which shades work best with this rich neutral? Scroll down to see, and shop the hues that pair beautifully with brown...