Taupe is a grayish-brown color that sits somewhere between gray and beige, like the color of mushrooms or smooth river stones. The word comes from French, where it originally meant “mole,” the small furry animal that burrows underground.

Taupe appears constantly in the world around you, though you might not have known its name. Many school uniforms use taupe because it looks clean and professional. Interior designers love taupe for walls and furniture because it's neutral enough to work with almost any other color, yet warmer and more interesting than plain gray or white.

When someone describes something as taupe, they usually mean it has that soft, earthy, understated quality. A taupe jacket doesn't shout for attention the way a bright red one does. Fashion designers sometimes call taupe the “perfect neutral” because it complements both warm colors like orange and cool colors like blue. You might hear people describe carpet, paint, curtains, or even shoes as taupe when they want to convey that calm, sophisticated, brownish-gray tone.