Lily James Wore the #1 Shoe Color That's Chicer Than Black

Lily James wears a popular fall shoe trend: brown boots

(Image credit: Backgrid)

published 19 September 2025

We all know someone who is a die-hard devotee of all-black clothing. One look at their closet and it's clear that they wouldn't trade their favorite color for anything. That said, there's one fall 2025 color trend even they would love: chocolate brown. The richly sumptuous hue is just as versatile and easy to wear as black, but feels fresher, trendier, and more luxurious for the new season. We've been waxing poetic about this hue since December 2024, when Pantone predicted that Mocha Mousse would be this year's biggest hit. Shoes in this color look thoroughly expensive, even if you didn't spend a lot of money.

Need some convincing? Look no further than Lily James's newest outfit. She was just photographed in New York City wearing chocolate brown from head to toe. That includes not only her dress and boots, but also her sunglasses, handbag, and manicure. Now that's commitment to a theme. James is in town promoting her new movie, Swiped, in which she plays Bumble founder and Tinder co-founder Whitney Wolfe Herd. Scroll down to see Lily James's newest outfit and shop similar boots in the same shade of Mocha Mousse.

On Lily James: Tod's bag

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Erin got her start as a Who What Wear intern in 2011—back when the site only published a single story per day. (We have since increased that number twentyfold.) She graduated magna cum laude from USC and lives in Los Angeles. In college, she also interned at Refinery29, where she was promoted to editorial assistant and then assistant editor. After nearly three years at R29, she came back to WWW in 2015, where she is now the Associate Director of Fashion News. From the Oscars to the Met Gala, she leads the site's entire red carpet coverage strategy. She specializes in celebrity and fashion news but also enjoys writing travel features and runway reports. She frequently contributes to WWW's social accounts and has a sizable following on her personal TikTok.