What Color to Were With a Navy Blue Suit
A navy suit is an excellent alternative to black. The color navy is a classic in its own right and suitable for a wide variety of occasions.
That said, a lot of men are a little unsure about which color shirt, tie, and shoes to wear with their navy suit.
This helpful guide is here to help. Remember that we're talking specifically about navy here, not any other shades of blue.
Contents
- 1 What Colors Go Well with a Navy Suit?
- 1.1 The Texture
- 1.2 Pattern or Plain?
- 2 Choose the Navy Suit by Fit
- 2.1 Classic-Fit Navy Suits
- 2.2 Slim-Fit Navy Suits
- 3 Navy Suit and White Shirt Color Combinations
- 3.1 Red Tie
- 3.2 Orange Tie
- 3.3 Grey Tie
- 3.4 Black Tie
- 3.5 Brown Tie
- 3.6 Navy Tie
- 4 Navy Suit and Pink Shirt Color Combinations
- 4.1 Navy Tie
- 4.2 Red Tie
- 4.3 Pink Tie
- 4.4 Striped Ties
- 5 Navy Suit and Blue Shirt Color Combinations
- 5.1 Blue/Navy Tie
- 5.2 Black Tie
- 5.3 Red Tie
- 5.4 Orange Tie
- 5.5 Green Tie
- 6 Navy Suit and Striped/Patterned Shirt Color Combinations
- 7 How to Match Your Shoes With Navy Suit
- 8 Wrapping It Up
The navy suit is ideal for most occasions, including business meetings, weddings, interviews, or even dinners in a fancy restaurant.
You can think of your navy suit as a blank canvas on which to layer other colors. Most color shirts work well with the shade, except for black and navy.
You'll also be better off avoiding overly loud colors or designs such as orange or red. However, bombastic and vibrant ties can definitely level up the style stakes when matched with a navy suit.
Speaking of ties and pocket squares, try to match the pocket square with color in a patterned tie. For example, if you're wearing a solid tie, choose a different shade of pocket square.
The Texture
Unlike a blue suit, which can range from denim to sky blue, there is only one shade of navy. But texture can make one navy suit look quite different from another suit of the same color.
A textured, matt fabric is more classic and understated. On the other hand, a suit in a slightly shiny material makes for a modern impact.
Be careful of shiny fabrics, though, as they can sometimes look cheap.
Pattern or Plain?
When choosing your first navy suit, I recommend you go for plain with no pattern. A fine, subtle pinstripe is okay but stay away from heavily patterned suits until you gain confidence.
Shop The Look
And beware of wearing a patterned suit with different patterned items, such as a striped tie or a checkered shirt.
As always, the main thing to bear in mind when choosing a suit is the fit. A great fit will help create a sleek and stylish look and ensure you are always on-trend.
A good tip is to make sure the shoulder seam runs along the top of your shoulder, not lower down your arm. With your arms down at your sides, the end of the sleeves should stop at your wrist.
The pants should stay up without the need for a belt. When you sit down, the waistband should not cut into you. In terms of length, the hem of the pants should touch the top of your shoes.
Also known as the traditional fit, classic-fit suits provide comfort and are more comfortable to wear. In other words, a classic navy suit will give you a formal and corporate look.
Navy is a neutral color, making it a good choice for a wedding suit, work, formal events, and even a date night. Just avoid anything too baggy as this will make you look dated and untidy.
Best Choices
#1: Made-to-measure navy suit by Hockerty.
#2: Modern-fit navy suit by Tommy Hilfiger.
#3: Three-piece modern-fit navy suit by Salvatore Exte.
#4: Modern two-piece navy suit by Tomasso Black.
#5: Classic-fit navy suit by Chaps.
The slim-fit suit is tailored closer to the body. It features a modern finish and a sharp look; the navy slim fit suit projects a clean and powerful silhouette.
A good slim-fit suit, when fitted correctly, will always provide comfort and ease of movement. It is appropriate for almost every occasion, including interviews, formal events, and date nights.
Best Choices
#1: Navy stretch slim-fit suit by Calvin Klein.
#2: Italian wool navy suit by Tomasso Black.
#3: Slim-fit navy suit by Calvin Klein.
#4: Slim-fit navy suit by Kenneth Cole.
#5: Stretch slim-fit navy suit by Vince Camuto.
If you're unsure of what goes with what, you can never go wrong with a crisply ironed, pristine white shirt and a navy suit.
Fairly formal accessories work well with this combination, such as a leather belt and Oxford shoes in brown or black. This look is immediately effortlessly stylish.
Of course, you'll still have to decide on a tie, and this is the part where you get to experiment a little and express your personality.
Best Choices
#1: White dress shirt by Hockerty.
#2: Slim fit white shirt by Amazon Essentials.
#3: Regular fit white shirt by Van Hausen.
#4: Slim fit shirt in white color by Kenneth Cole.
#5: Slim fit white shirt by Calvin Klein.
Here's a list of ties that work well with a navy suit and white shirt:
Red Tie
A timeless classic, you can't go wrong with a red tie. It's not exactly a bold color combo, though. So if you want something a bit more daring, then try other colors.
Orange Tie
What? Really? Yes, orange is a great summer alternative to boring old red. You'll exude confidence without looking crazy because the rest of your outfit is classic and understated.
Grey Tie
While quite conservative, grey remains forever stylish. In addition, navy and grey play well together and could be the most versatile color match in menswear.
Just watch out for contrasts that are too strong between the shades. For example, if your suit is dark navy, avoid a very pale grey tie. Veer for charcoal shades, instead.
If you want to go a bit lighter, pick a light grey tie with charcoal grey patterns, but keep your suit and shirt plain.
Black Tie
It may sound surprising, but you can wear your navy suit to black-tie events too. Simply combine it with a classic black bow tie and a white dinner shirt.
And just like that, you have yourself an outfit that's appropriate for any kind of formal occasion.
Accessorize the look with understated cuff links and black braces instead of wearing a belt. Finish it off with a white pocket square.
And yes, you can wear an ordinary black tie with a navy suit and a white shirt as your wedding attire, for work, or other formal events, too.
Brown Tie
Navy works surprisingly well with brown. Indeed, there might be more interesting color options for ties than brown.
But if you absolutely love the shade, be sure to wear brown shoes of a similar hue with navy socks to perfect the combo.
If you want to look seriously stylish, pick out a navy tie in the same shade as your suit, and take it up a notch by getting one with narrow diagonal white stripes to tone in with your white shirt.
Alternatively, a navy tie with a simple, small pattern can look good for daywear, too.
A pink shirt is a softer color to wear than white and is less formal.
Pale pink is a color that's flattering for everyone, no matter the skin or hair color. So it's probably the most versatile shade of pink to go for.
Also, the paler pink shades are a comfortable and elegant pairing for a navy without clashing.
Pink with navy creates a modern look that is entirely appropriate for occasions where you want to look smart. It's not too stuffy and never too classic.
Best Choices
#1: Classic-fit pink shirt w/ metal cufflink by J.Ver
#2: Pink slim-fit shirt by Calvin Klein
#3: Tailored-fit light-pink shirt by Buttoned Down
#4: Pink classic-fit shirt by Kenneth Cole Unlisted
But which color tie goes best with the look?
It is an expected option, but at least you won't go wrong. For a bit of contrast, pick a navy tie with some texture or one that has a small print on it.
Go a shade lighter or darker than the suit, not exactly the same navy.
Red Tie
A little more adventurous than a navy tie, red will never let you down. Look for a solid dark red shade like Oxblood or maroon to add interest here.
Pair this color combination with black Oxford or Derby shoes, and you're perfect!
Pink Tie
If you're going with a pink tie, then choose a darker shade of pink. It shares a warm element with a pink shirt and works surprisingly well.
Match with dark brown Oxford shoes or boots and a plain brown leather belt.
Striped Ties
Your navy suit allows you to be bold and choose a striped or even a patterned tie. The key is to make sure that the background color of the tie is also navy.
Dots or plaid can also help create a fresh, playful impression.
While there's nothing amiss with a crisp white shirt, there may be times when you want to look smart casual or smart with something a bit different.
A sky-blue shirt is a great choice here, and it combines well with several different tie options.
Best Choices
#1: Slim-fit blue-striped white shirt by Calvin Klein.
#2: Slim-fit blue shirt by Kenneth Cole.
#3: Slim-fit blue shirt by Tommy Hilfiger.
#4: Classic-fit blue shirt by Buttoned Down.
This is the simplest option, and it's a bonafide classic. Choose a blue that's darker than the shirt. Navy is the most obvious choice. Experiment with texture here to add a little interest.
Alternatively, try polka dots on your navy tie. Black Oxford shoes, Derbies, or brown Chelsea boots – all complete the look.
Black Tie
Although my advice would be to go for vibrant colors, like red or maroon, a black tie can be paired with a navy suit and blue shirt. It's a little conservative, but it's one of the most classic choices for suits.
Even though both of the colors are dark, they still create a powerful & stylish contrast. Besides a solid black, other smooth options are striped or textured ties, like Macclesfield or Foulard.
Red Tie
A red tie goes better with navy than with any other color suit. It creates a "power-dressed" look. Think Donald Trump, if you must (hey, it's just for reference, no politics here).
Just remember that if you want the look to exude confidence, you need a proper red. Alternatively, if you want to tone it down a notch, go for a brownish-red or burgundy.
Classic Oxford shoes in brown or black add the perfect finishing touch.
Orange Tie
For the bold! An orange tie creates a very eye-catching contrast against a light blue shirt and navy jacket. That will work for most events; the only rule is to be sensitive to the occasion.
This suit and tie combo are certainly not for work or business use. It's best suited to a less formal affair like a daytime wedding. Not quite orange, mustard yellow creates a good contrast with a blue shirt too.
Green Tie
You probably don't want solid green against your blue shirt, so opt for a tie with stripes. Pick a darker or matt shade of green, too.
Choose a stripe where one of the lines is the same blue as the shirt, the other is green, and the other is perhaps navy. Brown Chelsea boots are a good option for this interesting combo.
If you're looking to make a statement, pair your navy suit with a striped or printed shirt. Look at stripes, gingham, dots, or checks.
The key here is to make sure that the colors don't clash with your suit. An easy way to avoid this is to choose a shirt with white as a foundation color.
Never wear a striped suit, striped shirt, and a striped tie together. You can, however, wear a plain navy suit with a striped shirt and striped tie. They'll play nicely together if the stripes are of a different scale.
For example, you can wear a shirt with very narrow stripes and a tie with thick stripes. Stripes and dots go well together, too, so try a striped shirt with a spotted tie.
A white shirt with blue stripes is an excellent choice with your navy suit. A white shirt with pink stripes is also a good option, but it's a little less classic.
Best Choices
#1: Regular-fit blue shirt with a white collar by J.Ver.
#2: Regular-fit blue-striped shirt by Van Heusen.
#3: Regular-fit blue-striped shirt by Alimens & Gentle.
#4: Slim-fit pink gingham shirt by Tommy Hilfiger.
#5: Tailored-fit white-stripe pink shirt by Buttoned Down.
Since navy is one of the most versatile shades on the color wheel, it's hard to mismatch your shoes with a navy suit. You can match it with black, brown, or even burgundy shoes.
If I have to choose one, black is always my top choice for dress shoes to match with this suit color. That's because black dress shoes add an additional level of formality to the navy suit.
However, if the suit has a lighter texture, brown dress shoes are a better choice. It makes your ensemble more playful and vibrant.
In terms of style, go for Oxfords, brogues, or even loafers. Shoes with a rounded toe generally work better than pointy ones.
Wrapping It Up
The navy suit is one of the most versatile modes of dress wear in your wardrobe. Provided you've gone for good quality, it will give you many years of excellent service.
Start the look with classic white and sky-blue shirts, then branch out later to unlock your creative potential.
A picture speaks a thousand words. So look up photos of these color combinations online and see how they work on real people.
Remember that creating a look is not just about color but also about other style elements. Button your jacket for formal events.
Wear invisible socks with white sneakers and no tie for a casual summer look. "The wider the tie, the more formal the event" is a rule of thumb you can use here too.
There are so many options open to you when you have a navy suit in your wardrobe. You'll have a fitting look for pretty much any occasion.
Author: Alexander Stoicoff
Hi, I'm Alex, and I've studied and specialized in styling in Rome. Through my writing, I want to help men dress well and learn the purpose and significance of suits and other formal attire. My final goal is to make men more confident in their wardrobe choice and life in general.
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Source: https://www.suitsexpert.com/blog/navy-suit-color-combinations/