Colors that go with Black for an outfit
Black · #1C1C1C
Black (#1C1C1C) — a near-black neutral — pairs best with muted red, terracotta & clay, green, and teal. Build the outfit around muted red, drawn from 8 historically-grounded combinations below.
An outfit wants one or two decisive partners — a neutral anchor and a single accent beats a full rainbow.
About black
Black is a near-black neutral — a nearly neutral, neutral colour that reads as deep and grounding. As a neutral tone it looks most resolved next to one accent with real hue, plus quiet tonal neighbours, and it needs lighter shades nearby for the value contrast the eye reads as finished. That balance is what makes it feel bold in an outfit.
- HEX
- #1C1C1C
- RGB
- 28, 28, 28
- HSL
- 0°, 0%, 11%
- CMYK
- 0, 0, 0, 89
Accessibility: put light text on black for AAA legibility (contrast 16.3:1 against off-white).
Why black pairs with muted red, terracotta & clay, green, and teal
Across the 8 historical combinations below, black sits most often beside muted red, terracotta & clay, green, and teal. That tracks with colour theory: a neutral, deep tone like this one wants one accent with real hue, plus quiet tonal neighbours so the scheme feels intentional rather than flat, and lighter partners supply the light-to-dark range the eye needs. An outfit wants one or two decisive partners — a neutral anchor and a single accent beats a full rainbow.
- muted red
- terracotta & clay
- green
- teal
Using black in an outfit
Build the outfit around muted red and terracotta & clay. Because black is deep and grounding, keep it to anchor pieces or a single feature area and let muted red carry the larger surfaces.
8 combinations with black, from the 1933 Dictionary
Eosine Pink & Burnt Sienna +2
Plate 242 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Burnt Sienna, Diamine Green, Black.
#111314 #f37f94 #ae5224 #1a7444
Vistoris Lake & Laelia Pink +2
Plate 337 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vistoris Lake, Laelia Pink, Violet Carmine, Black.
#111314 #6d4145 #ca92a8 #713b4c
Coral Red & Scarlet +2
Plate 332 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Coral Red, Scarlet, Deep Slate Olive, Dusky Green.
#253122 #f58e84 #cb2f43 #004f46
Pomegranite Purple & Cobalt Green +2
Plate 271 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Pomegranite Purple, Cobalt Green, Green Blue, Deep Slate Green.
#112f2c #b71f57 #96d1aa #099197
Raw Sienna & Pyrite Yellow +2
Plate 255 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Pyrite Yellow, Calamine BLue, Black.
#111314 #bb7125 #cab356 #78cdd0
Vinaceous Cinnamon & Orange +2
Plate 256 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Vinaceous Cinnamon, Orange, Dull Viridian Green, Black.
#111314 #eea78c #f37420 #009465
Eosine Pink & Seashell Pink +2
Plate 276 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Eosine Pink, Seashell Pink, Yellow Green, Black.
#111314 #f37f94 #fdd4bd #afd472
Raw Sienna & Lemon Yellow +2
Plate 298 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Raw Sienna, Lemon Yellow, Peach Red, Black.
#111314 #bb7125 #f8ed43 #f15a30
Black in other settings
Other colors
From the archive
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