What colours go with maroon?

Maroon or burgundy?

The two names are used loosely. Strictly, maroon leans brown and burgundy leans purple, like the wine it is named after. The difference matters when you pair them: brownish maroon is happiest with warm colours such as gold, mustard, olive and cream, while purplish burgundy also takes cool partners such as grey, navy, silver and blush. If you are matching two pieces, compare them in daylight, because the two shades can look alike under indoor light and clash outside.

Partners by mood

Quiet, for every day. Cream, beige, oatmeal and light grey soften maroon and make it wearable at work or on errands. A maroon kurta over cream trousers is hard to get wrong.

Tonal. Blush, dusty rose and deeper wine belong to the same family. Wear the lightest nearest the face and the darkest below, and vary the texture so the outfit does not look flat. See monochrome and tonal three-piece suits.

Contrast, for dressier days. Gold is the traditional partner. Mustard, olive and emerald are warm and more modern; teal and navy are cooler and smart. Keep to one contrast colour and let maroon cover the larger area.

With black. Dramatic and suited to evenings. Add a metallic or a light scarf so the two darks do not merge.

A three-piece palette to copy

One kameez, two pairs of trousers and two dupattas give an everyday suit and a dressy one.

• Kameez: maroon, plain or with tone-on-tone detail.
• Trousers: ivory or cream for daytime; matching maroon for a more formal, column effect.
• Dupatta: dusty rose for a soft look; antique gold or mustard for a festive one.
• Finishing touches: gold jewellery, and tan or metallic shoes.

From everyday to dressy

For the everyday version, wear the ivory trousers and the rose dupatta. For Eid or a dinner, change to the matching trousers and the gold dupatta, and ask about embroidery at the neckline in a thread that echoes the dupatta. Embroidery is offered at delicate, detailed and statement levels on outfits we stitch, and what is possible on your fabric is confirmed in the quote; the custom embroidery page explains the options.

A maroon dress is one strong block of colour, so its partners move to the edges: shoes, bag, scarf, a layer. Tan, nude and gold lighten it and black sharpens it. A cream or camel cardigan makes it daytime, while a navy or olive jacket is less expected and works well in autumn. For a hijab, ivory, blush, beige and soft grey are easy, and mustard or olive add warmth. Two of our designs come in maroon: the button-front shirt dress and the chiffon tiered maxi dress.

Getting the shade right when you order

Deep reds are hard to photograph and vary from screen to screen. Send a daylight photo of the shade you want with your quote request, and say whether you mean a brownish maroon or a purplish burgundy. If you are supplying your own fabric and it is a strong red, a quick colour-fastness test before stitching is sensible, especially if you plan to wear it with cream or ivory. Expect a small difference in shade between a photo and the cloth.