Matching Purple Shoes With Trousers Overview
Purple is one of the most under-utilized colors in menswear. A close cousin of blue, it looks good on various skin tones and hair colors.
Its history is that of near-royalty, as Roman Senators’ colors were purple and gold. Furthermore, Queen Elizabeth I would often wear purple and forbade her court from doing the same.
It takes well to being cut as a sport coat. Shirts and ties in various purple hues are abundant but often passed over for blue. It makes a great shoe color and is one of the primary colors used on this site.
You have to be choosy in how you wear purple shoes, though. Cool as you might be, you are not Prince. You can read a helpful article on how to wear purple clothes here.
NOTE: There are exceptions to every rule.
Use your good judgement, and feel free to leave us a comment if you have questions!
Read on for full explanations and reasoning of the above coordination suggestions. Or, click here to go see our Ultimate Shoe & Trouser Color Coordination Matrix showcasing how to match any color shoes with any color trousers.
How To Coordinate PurpleShoes With Different Trousers
Best Trouser Combinations
Light Grey
I love purple and light grey. It’s one of the most beautiful color combinations around, and it looks awesome with nearly any top you can imagine. As you begin to experiment with complementary colors like orange, outfit possibilities go through the roof. While we don’t recommend it for your average business setting, this killer color combo is great for anything else.
Except a funeral. Totally inappropriate at a funeral.
Grey
This color combination works with darker grey as well. You’ll be hard-pressed to find purple dress shoes worth owning, but for casual outfits, it’s awesome. Try casual grey chinos and some plum-coloredloafers.
Tan
Tan trousers and purple shoes will take your casual wear to another level. The pairing issurprisingly natural, and it works wonderfully with purple (duh), blue, orange, and red accessories.
Beige
Neutral as it is, beige looks beautiful with purple shoes. Try it with a navy blazer and a lavender button-down collar shirt for an easy, smart combination that you can wear to lunch with friends or even a mid-day date.
Jeans
Purple shoes and jeans will work in just about any casual context. Throw on some well-coordinated accessories, or keep the rest of the outfit simple and let the shoes steal the show.
White
Picture yourself in the Hamptons. You’re enjoying lobster and beer, overlooking the Long Island Sound on an August afternoon. You’re wearing white jeans, purple suede loafers, and a light blue button-down. Life is good, right? Never underestimate the power of white and purple.
Acceptable Trouser Matches
Navy
Typically we’d say this combination is a no-go, but look what Paul did with these loafers and midnight blue trousers. Sometimes rules must be bent to learn sartorialboundaries.
Olive
If you’re judicious about the shades of each color, this combination can work very well. Brighter olive trousers will be a bit much, but muted olive with deeper purple shoes will be fun if you keep the rest of the outfit basic.
Red
You get purple by combining red and blue, so red pants can actually be a huge hit with purple shoes. Just make sure the depthof each color are similar, and keep the top white, at least to start. Mixing more than two very bright, eye-catching colors is some expert-level work. In the wrong hands, it can look a little clownish, or even like an Easter outfit gone bad.
Blue
Again, blue and purple are cousins. This combination works best with lighter blue trousers and darker purple shoes. Otherwise the colors are too close and clash. Try powder blue and a plum color for instant success.
Black
It’s not the best combination in the world, but if the purple is that lavender color we saw in Paul’s outfit linked to above, this could work.
No-Go’s
Brown
Brown trousers and purple shoes will do no one any favors. We recommend literally anything else on this page to try before making this pairing.
Free Printable Download For Reference At Home
Feel free to download a one-page printout of these guides for your convenience so that you can use it at home!
What Next?
Now that you have read about the how to match purple shoes with trousers, check out some related guides below:
- Shoe & Trouser Coordination Homepage
- Top 10 Best Men’s Dress Shoes
- Most Comfortable Dress Shoes For Men
- Bespoke Unit Shoe Homepage
Purple Shoe & Color Coordination Guide
Reviewed by Quentin D., on .
"I appreciate the thought taken into this guide. There are few sites that have taken the time to go into the details of trouser coordination. Thanks for doing this!"
Rating: 5.0 ★★★★★
