What color clothing identifies Aunts in the novel?

In the novel, Aunts are identified by brown clothing.

Aunts are Gilead’s female instructors and enforcers. At institutions such as the Rachel and Leah Center, they train and indoctrinate Handmaids, teaching them the regime’s religious justifications and punishing resistance. Their brown clothing distinguishes them from the red of Handmaids, the green of Marthas, and the blue associated with Commanders’ Wives.

The color system is more than a costume detail: it makes social rank visible at a glance. Gilead assigns women a role based on fertility, marriage, class, and obedience, then reinforces that role through uniforms and restricted movement.

Readers sometimes confuse brown with the clothing of Marthas or Econowives. Marthas wear green and perform domestic work, while Econowives wear multicolored garments reflecting their combined household duties. Aunts occupy a distinctive position because they lack the privileges of Wives but are granted authority over other women.