Why rust is the must-have colour this autumn

It’s the most traditional seasonal colour, but why should you be buying burnt orange?

There are few colours so versatile as rust. At once sleek and rugged, smart and cosy, this deep, dark orange pairs with navy, white or black equally and will add a little autumnal interest to any outfit – from office to outerwear. Here are our top five tips for wearing rust this autumn.

There’s nothing so striking as an alternatively-coloured suit. And, whilst deep turquoises and rich reds seem reserved for formal suiting and evening wear, there are a handful of hues that you can splash onto your everyday suit and still make a statement; chief amongst them rust. With it’s burnt orange colour, it’ll still be boardroom-ready, but with an added impact. And, as it’s autumn, we’d go for a textured fabric – perhaps a twill or wool.

For the less adventurous amongst you, bold statement colours may seem a little scary. But, even if you’re dead set on continuing to wear your navy suit and brown shoes, you can still adopt rust in your accessories. A rust tie or pair of socks, or even a hat, can add a hint of subdued colour to your get up. Again, considering season and shade, we’d suggest the more textured the better, so think knitted ties and thick, woollen socks.

And we mean across the board. Be it a rugged, flannel lumberjack shirt, or a slick, thin cotton button-down you wear for work, rust is a perfect alternative to other darker hues such as racing green or navy. Ensure you match your suit accordingly if adopting the colour into your workwear, but introduce it into your casual wardrobe and it’ll never look out of place with a pair of jeans.

The best thing about autumn is the knitwear, and the new style opportunities and layering potential it brings. Rust, a traditionally cosy colour, rarely looks better than when woven into a jumper or cardigan, so grab this opportunity with both hands and wear rust in a chunky knit.

There are few materials so highly-contested as the often much-maligned corduroy. Depending on who you ask, this ridged fabric is either the height of fashion, making a triumphant return or it is so synonymous with old men that it should be avoided at all costs. Whatever you opinion, you can’t argue that it doesn’t look great in rust. So, if you swing the corduroy way, rust up.

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