Burgundy Trousers for Women: 6 Outfits From Desk to Dinner

Burgundy trousers for women are trousers in a deep red with brown and purple undertones, named after the wine of the Burgundy region of France, and the shade sits beside claret, oxblood and wine red on the colour chart. Cut straight, wide and flared, they work as a neutral with more warmth than navy, and our burgundy outfits guide shows the colours that sit best beside them. ME+EM has a new claret trouser, blazer and skirt arriving on Coveti.

This guide explains the burgundy family of shades, the trouser shapes worth knowing, how to judge a good pair, the published facts behind the new ME+EM tailoring and six outfits that take burgundy trousers from the desk to dinner.

Burgundy, claret and oxblood: the shades and the shapes

Burgundy. The broad name for a dark red with a purple edge. It reads richest in wool and velvet, where the surface softens the colour.

Claret. A slightly brighter, redder version, named after the British word for red Bordeaux. The new ME+EM tailoring is in Claret Red.

Oxblood and Barolo. Browner and deeper, these shades sit closest to chocolate. ME+EM uses Barolo Red for its velvet blazer.

The shapes. A straight-leg trouser is the most versatile and suits an office; our straight-leg trousers for women guide covers the cut. A wide leg brings more drama, as our wide-leg trousers guide explains, and a kick flare lengthens the leg over a heeled boot. Velvet trousers in burgundy are the evening version, covered in our guide to velvet trousers for women.

What makes a good pair of burgundy trousers

The shade in daylight. Burgundy shifts under artificial light. Check the colour by a window so you know which way it leans, redder, browner, more purple, before you build outfits around it.

A cloth with drape. A wool blend holds a crease and falls cleanly from the hip. A touch of elastane helps it recover after a day of sitting.

A pressed crease. A crease down the front of the leg makes a coloured trouser look tailored instead of casual, and it lengthens the line.

Flat pockets. Pockets set forward on the leg keep the hip smooth, which matters more in a strong colour that draws the eye.

A matching jacket. A blazer in the same cloth gives you a suit, a separate and a skirt suit from one shade.

The new ME+EM claret tailoring

ME+EM is a British brand founded in London in 2009 by Clare Hornby, and the ME+EM collection on Coveti is known for tailoring built to move from day to evening. The three new claret pieces share one Portuguese wool-blend tailoring fabric of 50% Lenzing Ecovero viscose, 48% wool and 2% elastane, which the house describes as soft in hand with a subtle textured finish. All three are made in Portugal, come in UK sizes 4 to 18 and are dry clean only.

The trouser. The ME+EM Straight Man Pant in Claret Red has a mid rise, a tailored fit, a straight leg and full length, with a centre-front zip and hook-and-bar. Creases are pressed down the front and back of the leg, and the pockets are placed towards the front of the leg so they lie flat. It is lined in 100% viscose, with 100% recycled polyester pocket linings.

The blazer. The ME+EM Sharp Contour Blazer in Claret Red has a sharp, slightly extended shoulder, a contoured fit and a subtle border edging the lapels. Darted seams at the waist sculpt the shape while leaving room for layers. It has a centre-front button opening, functional pockets, cuff buttons and hidden internal elastic that keeps pushed-up sleeves in place. The body lining is 100% viscose and the sleeve lining 100% polyester. Our burgundy blazers edit has more.

The skirt. The ME+EM Wrap Midi Skirt in Claret Red wraps at the front and closes with three buttons at the waist, with a centre-front zip, functional pockets and belt loops. It is lined in 100% recycled polyester.

The velvet blazer. The ME+EM Velvet Sharp Shoulder Blazer in Barolo Red is cut from Italian cotton velvet of 70% cotton, 28% viscose and 2% elastane, with a sharp shoulder, a slim fit, a single-breasted front and patch pockets. It is made in Turkiye, comes in UK sizes 4 to 18 and is lined in 100% recycled polyester.

6 burgundy trouser outfits, from desk to dinner

1. The claret suit. The Straight Man Pant with the Sharp Contour Blazer makes a full suit in one shade. Add a white shirt for work and a black knit for evening. Our women’s pant suits guide has more suits.

2. The skirt suit. Keep the blazer and swap the trouser for the wrap midi skirt, with a knee boot. Our wrap skirts guide covers the shape.

3. Tonal knit. The ME+EM Barely There Rib Top in Claret Red with the trouser gives a clean column of colour. A camel coat finishes it.

4. Velvet and wool. The Barolo Red velvet blazer over the claret trouser mixes two textures in two close reds. Our velvet blazers guide shows other pairings.

5. Weekend. The ME+EM Luxe Bomber Jacket in Claret Red over a grey marl sweatshirt and the trouser, with white trainers, keeps burgundy relaxed.

6. Dinner and parties. The ME+EM Crop Kick Flare Trouser in Claret Red with a black silk top and a heeled boot is a ready answer for the season. Our Christmas party outfits and cocktail attire for women guides have more.

Colours that work with burgundy. Navy, camel, cream, grey and black all sit well beside it, and pink and chocolate brown make bolder tonal pairings.

Comparison matrix: ME+EM burgundy tailoring

Burgundy trousers around the world

UK. Burgundy trousers is searched around 3,600 times a month on average, rising to about 8,100 in November. Burgundy trousers women adds around 2,400. In Britain burgundy is a winter office colour, and the claret suit fits that brief.

US. Americans say pants: burgundy pants women averages around 1,600 searches a month, and burgundy trousers about 590. A burgundy trouser with a camel coat is a strong answer for a cold Northeast commute.

EU. In France and Italy the colour is usually called bordeaux. A claret straight-leg trouser with a navy knit suits the restrained tailoring of Paris and Milan.

GCC. In the UAE burgundy trousers draws about 50 searches a month. A full-length straight leg with the matching blazer gives coverage for evenings in Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.

Frequently asked questions

What colour is burgundy?

A deep red with brown and purple undertones, named after the wine of Burgundy. Claret is slightly redder and oxblood slightly browner.

What colours go with burgundy trousers?

Navy, camel, cream, grey and black are the easy matches. Pink and chocolate brown make bolder tonal outfits.

What top goes with burgundy trousers?

A white shirt for work, a fine knit in cream and grey for the weekend and a black silk top for evening. A rib top in the same shade gives a column of colour.

Are burgundy trousers suitable for the office?

Yes. A straight-leg cut with a pressed crease, like the ME+EM Straight Man Pant, reads as tailoring. Add the matching blazer for a suit.

What shoes go with burgundy trousers?

Black and dark brown loafers, ankle boots and pointed flats all work. Tan suede and white trainers keep it relaxed.

How do the ME+EM claret pieces fit?

The trouser has a mid rise and a tailored fit, the blazer a contoured fit with a sharp shoulder. The house does not publish a fit note for these pieces; all come in UK sizes 4 to 18.

Can you wear burgundy trousers to a Christmas party?

Yes. A burgundy kick flare with a black silk top and a heel is a polished alternative to a dress, as our Christmas party outfits edit shows.

How we measured: fabrics, linings, fastenings, fit details, sizes, care and country of manufacture come from the four ME+EM product pages; we did not re-measure the garments, and nothing in the matrix is estimated. Search volumes are Google Ads monthly averages from DataForSEO, November 2026. Read our editorial policy.