Espresso Martini: The Rich-Looking Colour That's Already Everywhere

Consider this your official guide on how to wear chocolate-brown (aka the espresso-martini colour trend). Below, you'll find nine dark-brown outfit ideas and shopping picks.

dark brown outfit ideas shown in a collage of photos of women wearing chocolate brown clothing
(Image credit: @ingridedvinsen; @sobalera; @nlmarilyn; Launchmetrics Spotlight/@anna__laplaca; @christietyler)
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman's avatar
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Level with us for a second: Did your Spotify Wrapped include Sabrina Carpenter's breakout single "Espresso"? No shame; you're not alone, friends! Even if you're not the type of person to play pop music on repeat, the impact of this particular song has likely permeated your own life—or, at the very least, your social feed or shopping cart. We'd go so far as to argue that having so many people singing, "That's that me espresso," at the top of their lungs for the last year has single-handedly re-caffeinated one of the "dullest" colours: dark brown. If you've kept up with colour trends more than what's charting in music, it should be no surprise that this neutral hue has continued to dominate every aspect of the cultural zeitgeist—from the runway collections of Bottega Veneta, Ferragamo, and Saint Laurent to the clothing racks of our favourite influencers. One may wonder, what exactly makes dark brown such a delicious shade that the fashion crowd continuously eats it up? Well, put simply, it’s continued to evolve in collections over the past couple of years.

We’ve seen the dark-brown colour trend adapt from caramel to chocolate brown to its most recent iteration, "espresso martini"—i.e., the nickname we use to describe the version of this shade so dark that it closely resembles the iconic cocktail. One could argue that the more recent ultra-dark brown we’ve seen emerge is the most grown-up version of this colour trend to date, as it not only closely resembles black but can act as a shot of espresso for everyday staples. It’s no wonder, then, that we’ve quickly seen this colour show up everywhere. But even though this colour has become as mainstream as pop music, it’s understandable if you’re still unsure how to wear dark brown. Luckily, we’re working late to make it easier for you (sorry, last Carpenter pun).

Below, you'll find nine dark-brown outfit ideas, styling tips, and even shopping recommendations to make adopting this colour easier than trying to down an espresso martini.

9 Espresso Martini Outfits to Copy This Season:

1. Suit + Pointed Heels + Shoulder Bag

a dark brown outfit idea is shown in a photo of a woman standing outside against a marble white wall wearing brown eyeglasses, a brown blazer, brown trousers, brown pointed heels, and a black frame handbag

(Image credit: @ingridedvinsen)

Styling Notes: Nothing screams "I'm drinking an espresso martini at a swanky cocktail bar after a long day of work" quite like a suiting moment. But if you want to up the ante, go for a suit in the darkest shade of brown possible paired with matching pointed heels and a structured handbag.

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2. Faux Fur Coat + Trousers + Croc Loafers

dark brown outfit idea shown in a photo of a woman standing on the sidewalk in New York wearing brown glasses with a dark brown fur coat layered over a brown blazer and black boatneck blouse styled with brown trousers, brown ankle boots, and a brown leather tote bag

(Image credit: @christietyler)

Styling Notes: If you want your dark brown outfit to be even richer in flavour (or appearance), incorporate different shades or textures into the mix. You can make even the simplest chocolate brown suit feel more decadent by styling it with a fur coat and textured loafers.

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3. Blazer Dress + Sheer Tights + Slingback Heels

dark brown outfit idea shown in a photo of a woman standing inside an art gallery wearing earrings with a dark brown blazer dress, brown leather gloves, brown sheer tights, brown pointed pumps, and a brown shoulder bag

(Image credit: @kristincabat)

Styling Notes: While mixing in different colours and textures is a surefire way to spice up this "simple" shade, you can also go for something more risqué. Consider styling a dark brown blazer as a minidress for a night out. If you want to make the look a little more modest, add matching tights and sleek slingback heels.

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4. Jeans + Ballet Flats + Woven Tote

dark brown outfit idea shown in a photo of a woman standing on the sidewalk in Copenhagen wearing brown sunglasses, a brown nipped-waist blazer, brown jeans, brown Ganni ballet flats, and a brown woven hobo handbag

(Image credit: @maryljean)

Styling Notes: When you want to dress down your favourite dark brown blazer but still want to look as sophisticated as an espresso martini, enter the ensemble above. Styling your blazer with stonewashed brown denim, ballet flats, and a brown handbag is an effortless way to look sophisticated (sans effort).

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5. Top + Leather Midi Skirt + Mules

dark brown outfit idea shown in a photo of a woman standing inside a hotel lobby near a fireplace wearing a dark brown asymmetrical sweater with a dark brown leather midi skirt and brown pointed mules

(Image credit: @abimarvel)

Styling Notes: When you can't be bothered to put on pants, consider a posh leather skirt instead. You can make this dark brown separate transition from a day at the office to an early dinner reservation by pairing it with a matching knit top and pointed mules.

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6. Wool Coat + Jumper + Suede Accessories

dark brown outfit idea shown in a photo of a woman standing on the stairs in front of a brownstone in London wearing a dark brown baseball cap, long brown coat, a turtleneck sweater, straight-leg jeans, suede loafers, and a suede bowler bag

(Image credit: @nlmarilyn )

Styling Notes: Not into colored denim? No problem. You can still dress down your favourite dark brown separates by pairing them with straight-leg denim. We recommend pairing more formal pieces with your jeans, such as a dark brown tailored coat, matching turtleneck, and suede loafers.

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7. Oversized Knit + Barrel Trousers + Suede Clutch

dark brown outfit idea shown in a photo of a woman standing on the sidewalk in London wearing brown sunglasses with a brown asymmetrical sweater, brown barrel-leg trousers, white mules, and a brown suede clutch bag

(Image credit: @sobalera)

Styling Notes: Beyond jeans, the next best thing to pair with your brown separates is barrel-leg pants, especially if they're in the same shade. Opting for this voluminous pant shape—styled with a chunky oversized knit and a suede clutch bag—can make any all-brown outfit stand out.

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8. Suede Trench + Maxi Dress + Heels

dark brown outfit idea shown in a photo of a woman standing inside by a door wearing a light brown suede trench coat over a dark brown turtleneck maxi dress styled with gold earrings, a brown crocodile clutch bag, and brown pointed pumps

(Image credit: @cassdimicco)

Styling Notes: If you can't imagine pairing dark brown with other neutrals, try easing yourself into it by mixing shades of brown. Nothing looks more sophisticated than a tonal look, especially if you pair a suede trench coat with a dark brown maxi dress, gold earrings, a brown clutch, and brown slingback heels.

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9. Scarf Coat + Belt + Ballet Pumps

dark brown outfit idea shown in a photo of a woman standing on the sidewalk in New York wearing a black headband, brown sunglasses, silver earrings, a brown scarf coat, a brown belt, a black bowler bag, and brown pointed flats

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight; Pictured: @anna__laplaca)

Styling Notes: What's one more way to make dark brown feel even chicer? Opt for a statement coat as our editor Anna LaPlaca shows above. There's no better way to make your dark brown coat the central focus of your look than by wearing it as a dress. You can further emphasise it by adding fun accessories like a brown belt, kitten heels, and a bowler bag.

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Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Freelance Fashion Editor

Jasmine Fox-Suliaman is a freelance writer and editor living in New York City. What began as a pastime (blogging on Tumblr) transformed into a lifelong passion for unveiling the connection between fashion and culture on the internet and in real life. Over the last decade, she's melded her extensive edit and social background to various on-staff positions at Who What Wear, MyDomaine, and Byrdie. More recently, she’s become a freelance contributor to other publications including Vogue, Editorialist, and The Cut. Off the clock, you can find her clutching her cell phone as she's constantly scrolling through TikTok and The RealReal, in search of the next cool thing. 

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