Pitti Uomo 2023: Why Brown Is The New Grey
@permanentstylelondon
With fast fashion on the way out (to an extent), there is an increasing need and desire to buy fewer items of higher quality. It's better, more economical long-term, sustainable, craft-preserving, and definitely more stylish.
Pitti Uomo is the regular mecca event for all who share this desire and passion for menswear, with the Fall season hitting Florence in January being the most recent gathering.
There's plenty of inspiration to go around when building your wardrobe.
In particular, I think brown has shone through this season as the clear winner for colour, replacing many people's common intuition that grey and black are your best bet.
Personally, I have to thank Simon Crompton at Permanent Style (pictured above) for convincing me in numerous articles why brown is so underrated. Let me echo those sentiments.
Why is brown a better colour for clothing?
Let me explain where I stand on Brown vs Grey.
What's wrong with grey?
While grey is a fantastic colour because it pairs with practically anything else, it does so primarily because of the lack of colour. That lack of colour offers less freedom to make an outfit that pops even just a little. You will often feel the need to go monochrome and switch up the textures in a noticeable way.
What's more, some consider grey suits to be obsolete nowadays, too corporate or dull.
I love grey, and there's nothing better than a pair of mid-grey flannels or a chunky cable cashmere turtleneck, but I probably won't buy a grey suit any time soon.
What about navy?
Brown offers a strength of colour that is easier to pair than navy.
Navy is a classic, timeless, and sophisticated colour for many things, but navy trousers or suits entirely are richer in colour than people assume and thus need more consideration. However, brown is equally strong but is a more muted and earthier colour, which makes it a little easier to pair any old item in your wardrobe, frankly.
Classic Flannel Brown Woven by Fox Brothers and Co. in the South West
Plus, navy is really its own unique shade of blue, whereas brown offers a range of shades that make monochromatic outfits more diverse. It is much easier to pair with complementary colours too, such as red and beige/cream.
Conclusion
I think brown remained underrated for so long because of hideous 1970s TV when the tones of every home or car interior featured the worst shades of browns and greens replicating the murkiest of waters.
Those days are gone. Brown in town? Brown wherever you like!
Here are some outfit inspirations I have picked out from Pitti Uomo Fall Season 2023:
