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Home / Blog / Shoes / Boots

Black vs. Brown Boots: Which Color Is Best?

Published on December 17, 2017 by Brock McGoff · Boots May contain affiliate links (what's this?)

Both black boots and brown boots are both solid, versatile choices. But which color is best for you? Read on to find out…

Note: Huge thanks to Thursday Boot Co. for sponsoring this article! I wear Thursday Boots more than any other brand and can highly recommend them to you. Click here to shop their current collection.

So you’ve decided to buy a new pair of boots. Maybe you’re expanding your shoe collection, or maybe this will be your first pair of boots.

First of all, congratulations! I think you’re making a very smart decision, and I want to help you make the right purchase.

Of course, you’ll need to pick the right type of boot. If you’re not sure about white type of boot is the best choice for you, check out my post about the three best types of boots for men.

No matter which type of boot you settle on, you’ll also need to choose a color. While there are many different colors of boots, the two most common are black and brown.

Black vs brown boots

Both are excellent choices for almost anyone, including guys who are buying their first pair of boots. In fact, many men have both colors in their collection.

But if you could only chose one, which is the best color for you?

In my opinion, there is no universal “best” choice. It all comes down to your personal preferences and situation.

Think about your current wardrobe. Is it complete? Are you pretty happy with it? Or are you still working on it? Or maybe you’re a total beginner!

If you already have a solid wardrobe, look at the overall color palette. Is it full of blues, greens and earth tones like brown, cream and tan?

Brown work boots

If so, brown boots are going to be your best choice because they’ll work with most of your existing outfits.

On the other hand, if your wardrobe is full of black, white, navy and grey, you should go with black boots. They’ll work better with your somewhat monochromatic aesthetic.

Black Chelsea boots

If you’re more of a beginner who feels that your wardrobe doesn’t yet represent your personal style, try to identify your eventual style aesthetic.

Do you identify with the rugged, Americana, workwear look? I’m talking about blue selvedge denim, brown chinos, plaid flannel shirts, chunky earth tone sweaters, brown leather accessories…you get the point.

Rugged/Americana Prep Inspo

If so, go with brown boots.

Also, if you identify with the preppy look: Oxford button downs, chino shorts, boat shoes, knit belts, all over prints, washed out pastel tones and colorful NATO straps – brown boots are a great choice for you.

Inspiration

On the other hand, if you think you’re more of a rakish, minimal or streetwear kind of guy, you may want to consider black boots.

For example, if you love the modern look of slim black jeans, black leather jackets, solid grey or white t-shirts, plain white sneakers and minimalist accessories – black is definitely a better choice for you.

Minimal Street II

It’s not that you can’t wear brown boots with black jeans, but you’ll probably get more wear out of black boots if you have a wardrobe full of black, white and greyscale.

Personally, I’ve always preferred brown boots because my wardrobe has mostly been a mix of rugged and preppy.

But lately, I find myself thinking more about minimal, monochromatic and even streetwear aesthetics, so I’m excited to have added a pair of black leather Chelsea boots from Thursday Boot Co. to my collection.

At the end of the day, it’s just clothes, so go with your instincts, and don’t be afraid to try out both colors to see which one suits your style.

And remember, your preferences will likely change over time, and that’s definitely not a bad thing!

As you get older, switch jobs, start a family, move to a new city, etc., your style can (and should) evolve to represent and serve your current situation and personality.

Do you prefer black boots or brown boots? Leave a comment below!

Boots Chelsea boots, Men's Boots, sp, Thursday Boot Co, work boots

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About Brock McGoff

The Modest Man founder, Brock is an aspiring minimalist who enjoys working out, spending time with his family, discovering new brands and creating great content.

Background: Brock McGoff has a bachelor's degree in psychology and a professional background in digital marketing. He believes that men's fashion is just one facet of self-improvement, and he started The Modest Man to help regular guys feel more confident by improving their appearance.

An east coast native, Brock currently lives in Arizona with his wife and daughter. When he's not working, he spends time with family, training BJJ, reading/listening to books and podcasts, and unsuccessfully trying to decide which movie to stream.

Expertise: Brock has built a men's lifestyle YouTube channel with over 400k subscribers. He's also worked as the creative marketing manager in a men's apparel startup. Brock has been quoted in, mentioned by or featured in publications like Esquire, Huff Post, Men's Health, WWD and Forbes.

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    Got questions? Want to share your opinion? Comment below!

  1. Eric says

    October 24, 2019 at 10:49 am

    Unless I am wearing a suit or am going to a formal occasion it’s always brown for me, and never shiny. My only pair of black shiny footwear are my black oxford dress shoes, which I rarely wear nowadays. My go to footwear are either my brown oiled leather derby boots, dark tan oiled leather derby shoes and brown suede derby shoes.

    Reply
  2. Dan says

    September 17, 2019 at 3:49 pm

    For me, it depends on what in wearing

    Navy blue + brown
    Red + black

    I have black hair so I mainly wear black.
    Like to switch it up in the summer and wear white
    Opposed to brown or black .

    Some times just to be differnt I wear navy blue
    Boots ( Lugz ) in the fall .

    Reply
  3. Brad Cooper(Philly) says

    May 5, 2019 at 10:59 am

    Light brown semi distressed

    Reply
  4. Bert W says

    November 2, 2018 at 8:40 pm

    I want to like black, but always end up buying and wearing brown. Maybe I’ll have to get both and name myself try to wear the black ones.

    Reply
  5. Carlos says

    October 15, 2018 at 12:55 pm

    Hi! I have used cowboy boots for years and never thought about colour. But now (older) I want to purchase my first Chelsea boots and I have many doubts. I ussually wear jeans (dark or light blue and grey) with t-shirts (many colours) and sometimes shirts (white, blue, grey, maybe the same). Better black or brown boots? Thanks and regards from Spain!

    Reply
  6. Rafal says

    August 26, 2018 at 12:51 pm

    Black chelsea boots are perfect to bad boy look. Including black or dark blue denim white or gray t-shirt and black leather jacket.

    Reply
  7. GeGi says

    March 13, 2018 at 1:39 am

    I own brown, black 8″ tie-ups , Chelsea black and brown and tan leather chukka. Typically I wear black with dressier looks. But sometimes brown with a dressy look if any part of the outfit is brown. The Chelsea tan and grey almost always are casual or semi -casual.

    Reply
  8. Brian in Alberta says

    December 18, 2017 at 11:10 am

    As you say, it all come down to personal preference. But I consider black boots with blue denim a classic combo and this has essentially been my uniform for many years. Also I find black boots easier to maintain – especially if you like to keep them sharp. There are no issues with colour matching polish.

    Reply

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