Historic Color Combos: Blue and Brown

Blue and Brown Clothing

Silk Gown, circa 1740

Riding Coat, circa 1760

Men’s Coat, circa 1785

Dinner Dress, circa 1820

Day Dress, circa 1843

American Silk Dress, circa 1845-50

Silk Dress, circa 1869-72

French Cotton Dress, circa 1882

Afternoon Dress, circa 1888

Blue and Brown Accessories

Purse, circa 1680

Men’s Gloves, circa 1690-1710

Shoes, 18th Century

Fashion Doll, circa 1755

Hat, circa 1760

Parasol, circa 1850

Hat, circa 1885-90

Agate Pendant, circa 1880

Brown and blue are an odd couple. They aren’t exactly complimentary colors (like, say orange and blue or red and green) or even analogous (similar, like red and orange), but they go together quite nicely if done right. Since brown is a mixture of red and green tempered with either yellow or blue, brown can take on many many different moods, either warm or cool. Brown can be anything from golden tan to dark umber. Paired with different shades of blue, a yellow-tempered brown could function as a jazzy, complimentary color or a blue-tempered brown could function as an neutral, analogous color…almost. The yin/yang effect of brown next to blue made the combo perfect for plaids and stripes. The color combination was very popular during the Victorian era, but you see very little of it before or after. From about 1815-1890, however, brown and blue were everywhere!