Goodbye, All-Black Outfits—I’m Test-Driving a New Controversial Color Combination This Spring

I’m scouring Nordstrom for a surprisingly chic pairing that instantly makes outfits feel fresher.

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Ottolinger; Meryll Rogge; Versace; Coach Spring 2026
(Image credit: Ottolinger; Meryll Rogge; Versace; Coach)

My mom had a classic sense of style, but she held a strong, often-debated opinion about a specific color combination: black and brown should be worn together in any outfit. She incorporated this combination into her wardrobe throughout my childhood, and now, almost by osmosis, I’ve become equally obsessed with it.

I want to start by saying that my personal style baseline is wearing all black. Over the past year, I've experimented with other neutrals, like navy blue and slate gray, occasionally pairing slate gray with cherry red. So, it wasn't surprising that I would eventually try a black-and-brown combination. You can look to the Spring 2026 runways at Kallmeyer, Coach, and Versace for further proof of the trend.

woman wearing a brown jacket and black trousers

(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight)

As spring arrives in New York City, I'm moving away from dull, monochromatic outfits in favor of something a bit lighter. I'm excited to explore Nordstrom's new arrivals, which are filled with transitional pieces ideal for pairing with what you already have—or for creating an entirely new capsule wardrobe with ease.

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Ahead, I found every single piece worth investing in. Style them together or with the pieces you already have in your closet for an easy, simple spring outfit formula.

Julia Marzovilla
Julia Marzovilla
Fashion E-Commerce Editor

Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she reviews the latest launches from fashion and beauty brands, finds the best on-sale items around the internet, and interviews experts to find the best products in any category to share with her readers. She also creates shopping guides that span every vertical on the site as an expert in everything from the best laptop bags to the best laser hair removal devices.

In her near decade of experience, Julia has both written for several top outlets in the E-Commerce space and worked at major fashion labels. Prior to joining the Marie Claire team, she contributed similar shopping stories to sites such as Bustle, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, and worked as the Trending Fashion and News Writer STYLECASTER. You can find her across the internet at @JuliaMarzovilla. In real life, you can find her creating shopping guides for her friends, cooking or baking in her too-small kitchen, or buying tickets for the next time Harry Styles is in town.

Julia has a Bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in Journalism from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. She lives in New York City, her hometown.