Olive Is the New Black for an Outstanding Look

Olive is often associated with camouflage and the Army. In many cultures, it was historically reserved for men and boys’ blazer, shirts, sweaters and pants as well as hunting clothes. In the Alpine regions, men’s janker and short coats often come in this loden-hue.

This neutral perennially pops up in women’s fashion for safari-inspired clothes. This post provides you with multiple easy olive outfit ideas and with prints in this low-key color in the focus. See that this color is as versatile style as black or any other neutral. In other words, olive is the new black.

Contents

Olive: An Often Overlooked Neutral
What Colors Go well with Olive?
- Pair Olive with Gray and/or Black
- Olive and Burgundy Looks
- Try Olive with Blush for an Unexpected all Neutrals Look
- Try Pairing It with Other Neutrals
- Can You Wear Olive with Jeans Blue?
Can You Wear Olive with Animal Print?
How to Style Olive with Floral Print
Olive Outfit Ideas with Camo Print
Plaid Wool Blazer Outfit Idea
What to Wear with an Olive Jacket
How to Add Olive to Your Wardrobe
Stylish Monday Blogger Party: Olive Is the New Black

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post.

Olive: An Often Overlooked Neutral

Olive is as versatile like black, denim, gray, brown, camel or navy.

Surprisingly, this color is so underused by ladies who love to wear great all neutral-colors outfits and by those who like to ground their look with a neutral. It works well with many other neutrals as well as in wearing bold color combinations.

What Colors Go Well with Olive?

Create non-boring outfits with neutrals and olive. Pair this neutral with

Other neutrals like denim, navy, white, black and even gray,
Bright, bold statement/fashion colors like pink, yellow, purple, true red, orange, or
Go lady-like with blush, baby pink, light blue.

Pair Olive with Gray and/or Black

stylist in skirt, black top, olive jacket, pumps — Great Northwest utility jacket, Sienna skirt, Moda International top, Modalu Pippa bag, Ray Ban sunglasses, and pearls.

older woman in long green blazer — Oliveo chinos, 3.1 Philip Lim tote, Madonna True or Dare floral pumps, Spy Girl fashion blogger scarf, and Vince leather top.

Olive and Burgundy Looks

This neutral color combination works in all seasons.

black leather joggers and nato-green outerwear with burgundy top — Burgundy V-neck cashmere sweater, Vince leather joggers, Aldo pony hair leopard print pumps, Hermes collier de chien bangle, and necklace c/o Almo Jewellery.

Pair marsala (a pastel version of burgundy) with olive plus black and white for a pretty colorful weekend style.

fashion over 40 woman in joggers and coat — Shein satin joggers and coat, college Tee, and Winkwood sunglasses.

Try Olive with Blush for an Unexpected all Neutrals Look

High Latitude Style blogger in olive shirt and mesh skirt — Linen button-down shirt, layered mesh-skirt c/o Lookbook Store, thin brown skinny knotted belt, necklace, Jaeger tote and Etienne Aigner wedge sandals for a cool summer day work outfit in a casual work environment.

style blogger in tulle skirt over 40 — Olivero button-down with statement belt, Via Spiga sling back pumps, Hermes collier de chien bangle, Ray Ban sunglasses, shoulder tote c/o Robert Matthew and double-layer mesh-skirt c/o Lookbook Store.

Try It with Beige

Try this shade of green with beige.

fashion blogger in beige pants, brown-greenish shirt and sunglasses — Oliveo linen button-down shirt and pants, Festina watch, Hermes collier de chien bangle, Anne Klein snake-print sling backs, Ray Ban aviator sunglasses, and LV bucket bag.

Can You Wear Olive with Jeans Blue?

BBQ outfit idea with all neutral colors — London Jean boyfriend jeans with BP espadrilles, Landsend sweater, Ray Ban sunglasses, and Coach bag.

Can You Wear Olive with Animal Print?

See how to wear animal print with this green-brownish color.

olive with leopard print outfit — Leopard print: Jeanne Pierre striped sweater, Forever 21 skirt, GNW tight, Steve Madden fall lace-up sandals, and Camel bag.

Alaska Street style mature woman in mesh skirt — Leopard print: Notations top, Calvin Klein pumps, BCBG belt, and skirt c/o Lookbook Store.

fashion book author with long blazer and animal print — Zebra print: GNW cardigan, Orvis pants, Kieselstein Cord belt and buckle, Shein long blazer, and best girl friend bracelet c/o Chico’s.

Military-inspired short outerwear with mesh skirt — Snake print: Jaeger tote, aviator sunglasses, silver necklace, LeatherCoatsEtc cap, and mesh skirt c/o Lookbook Store.

Olive with Floral Print

The next outfit idea features a nearly monochromatic look with a white accent. The look gets its interest from the camouflage colors of the Hawaiian floral print.

Nicole of High Latitude Style modeling a Covered Perfectly boat-neck top with midi skirt all neutrals weekend look — Boat-neck 3/4 sleeve top c/o Covered Perfectly, self-made opal belt, DIY necklace, DIY skirt, DIY bangle, Hermes collier de chien bangle, Very Fine Dancesport sandals and Winkwood sunglasses.

yellow pastel floral skirt with blush pointy toe sling backs, Chanel bag styled with olivegreen — Chanel bag, floral print summer skirt, H-buckle belt, Via Spiga sling backs.

blazer with floral print top — Notations floral cardigan, London Jeans leather pants, 3.1 Philip Lim bag and patent leather studs c/o ENAMOUR.

style blogger in chinos, olive instead of black jacket printed top turquoise fall sandals, tan satches — Great Northwest utility jacket, Oliveo linen pants, Nicole fall sandals, Longchamp bag, Ray Ban sunglasses, Vintage Silk floral print top, and statement belt.

Olive Outfit Ideas with Camo Print

Camouflage is a neutral and therefore easy to style.

style book author in camo top, tulle skirt, striped bag, belt and mules Suede with gemstone buckle belt, Hermes collier de chien bangle, Coach bag, amethyst earrings, Chartier just un clou, Bandolino mules, and tulle skirt c/o Lookbook Store.

mature woman in lace pencil skirt with utility jacket — eShakti lace pencil skirt, Jaeger tote, Ray Ban sunglasses, T-shirt c/o Onno, wooden watch c/o Jord and Musse & Cloud strappy sandals.

midlife woman in posh street chic in pink with camo cargoes — Pink Landsend cashmere sweater, London Jean camouflage cargos, Ivanka Trump cap toe pumps, Gucci G belt, Hermes collier de chien bangle, jade bangle.

posh chic midlife woman in green frock with red skirt — G-III suede skirt, Moda International sweater, GNW tight, SAK bag, Nine West booties, and Joyita scarf c/o Uno Alla Volta.

style blogger in olive outerwear with white jeans — London Jeans white boyfriends, statement belt, GNW Luxe V-neck sweater, Nine West booties, leather pearl necklace c/o Wendy Mignot, and wood watch c/o Jord.

over 50 years old woman in long leather skirt — Keep Calm Let the Meteorologist Handle It T-shirt, Oliveo leather skirt, Steve Madden fall sandals, and green wood watch c/o Jord.

Plaid Wool Blazer Outfit Idea

over 50 years old in mesh-skirt with Irish blazer — Orvis Irish blazer, Yves St. Laurent bag, GNW tight, Söfft shearling booties, GNW Luxe sweater, statement belt, and mesh skirt c/o Lookbook Store.

What to Wear with an Olive Jacket?

Don’t forget to style your outerwear. Outerwear is an outfit too; and it might be a tricky one when parts of the “indoor look” namely may become part of the outfit. However, there are 5 easy tips to style outerwear that every stylish woman should know to overcome the jacket as outerwear challenge. See how you can style an olive jacket in the photos below.

mature women wearing a military inspired shirt dress with suede frock — LV bucket bag, shirt dress, Great Northwest suede frock and LeatherCoatsEtc bucket hat.

stylist in sheath with safari jacket — Sheath c/o Lookbook Store, GNW safari jacket, Nine West booties and Coach bag.

50+ woman wearing a LWD with an olive coat — Alexander Wang LWD, Great Northwest coat, Michael Kors sandals, Longchamp bag and LeatherCoatsEtc.

midlife woman with floral skirt and suede utility jacket — Great Northwest suede coat, pastel floral skirt, Oliveo linen shirt, 3.1 Philip Lim bag, and Ivanka Trump pumps.

mature woman in rose print dress with long blazer — Self-made rose print dress, Shein long blazer, Kieselstein Cord belt, ethnic buckle, Celine bag, Manolo Blahnik booties, and green wood watch c/o Jord.

advanced style woman in casual look — Oliveo Chinos, Ralph Lauren silver pumps, statement belt, hand painted scarf, Jord sandalwood watch, striped Coach bag, T-shirt c/o Onno, and bomber c/o Shein.

How to Add Olive to Your Wardrobe

Here some easy tricks to add this neutral to your wardrobe:

Instead of pairing the common crisp white button-down shirt with black dress pants for the office, mix things up with olive pants; you stick out of the crowd without looking over the top.
Get a military-inspired shirt dress or trench coat.
Instead of the usual black umbrella get one in this green hue.
Get a pair of pants or a T-shirt with an original camo-print for the weekend.
Try a camouflage or olive utility jackets.

Stylish Monday Blogger Party: Olive Is the New Black

olive is the new black post banner showing the bloggers of Stylish Monday — Robin LaMonte of Rooms Revamped, Julie Augustyn of Fashion, Trends and Friends, Michele Clark of @seechles, Nina Bandoni of Sharing a Journey, Nancy Baten of Nancy’s Fashion Style, Jessica Jannenga of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, Hilda Smith of Over the Hilda, Emma Peach of The Style Splash, Cynthia Scurry of The Middle Sister Style Blog, Andrea Schwartz of Pearls and Pantsuits, Suzanne Bell of Ask Suzanne Bell and I.

Photos of me: G. Kramm

This Post Has 5 Comments

mireilleftm

Lots of olive looks! Some of my favorite pieces in my closet are olive and I am looking forward to cooler weather to wear more of them!
overthehilda

OMG such a detailed and informative post on olive green. I will share it on my FB page. You really have covered every option. I am seriously in awe.
--Grace Liang

Such a great color! I’ve always loved incorporating olive green into my wardrobe!
donnadoesdresses

So many different outfit choices, Nicole!! It’s true that this colour can be worn in so many ways and look amazing!! Definitely a colour to put more thought into!! Thank you for sharing!
Donna 🧚🏻‍♀️❤️🙏
asksuzannebellSuzanne

Wow Nicole! What a fabulous post! I like you LOVE olive green and wear it all the time as a neutral with just about everything. You’ve really covered all the combos – love this post and all of the different variations on how to wear this very versatile color this season!
xx
Suzanne