If you’re a suit wearer, you may already be aware of how popular a choice blue is when it comes to men’s suiting. As you’re shopping, you might notice that in suiting departments, there’s always a lot of blue options. This is because it’s considered a staple within menswear. But what’s the best way to pair blue suits with other wardrobe elements?
Some ground rules before we answer that question: the reason why blue is so popular in menswear is because it’s neutral. There are many options to be able to create different outfits at different points in time throughout the year. You could always opt to wear a blue suit with a crisp white dress shirt, or you could opt to wear a suit jacket with a pair of contrasting trousers and no tie. One area some gentlemen struggle with is selecting the right tie and shirt to wear with their blue suit. Now, you might be thinking: since the blue suit is neutral, couldn’t I simply wear any shirt or tie with it? The answer is no; unfortunately, not all shirt and tie combinations are created equal. Throughout the color blue, in terms of suiting, there’s a lot of different shades being made available.
Shades Of Blue
Midnight Blue (AKA Midnight Navy)
The midnight navy shade of blue is very deep and rich, and as such, it’s often mistaken for black. I find that this looks best with a crisp white dress shirt most of all. The midnight navy color is also something that is traditionally seen in evening wear.
Navy Blue
The navy suit option is a very classic choice, often used for people who are going to work, to church, or for just day-to-day functions. This looks best with a variety of shirt colors, including white, pastel blue, or even a pastel pink.
Medium Blue
The medium blue shade is a little bit more understated. This can certainly be dressed up, like the others that were mentioned, with a white dress shirt. You could also try a deep navy dress shirt; this will provide more of a casual look, but also help elevate the overall outfit. If your shirt color is more conservative (white again being the simplest example), a bolder accent piece like a purple tie would be a smart choice. This is going to add a little bit of life to your overall outfit and draw some attention, so when you’re speaking to someone, it just looks a bit more lively. For a stark and modern look, try a white shirt and a solid black necktie.
Tips On Color Matching
I’ve worked with some gentlemen in the past that sometimes would prefer to wear a full navy suit, a light blue dress shirt, and a solid navy tie; they consider this to look a little bit more clean and refined. Although the navy tie offers a nice contrast to the white or light blue dress shirt, this is actually not the best choice, as a navy tie will clash with the navy of the suit, looking nearly the same but not exactly so. To best counteract this, always choose a tie that offers some contrast to the suit. You could try a light pink, or even something in yellow or green. Lighter or pastel colors will offer you the opportunity to have contrast with the suit but not clash with the overall outfit.
Textures
Wool
The year-round wool material found in many suits serves as a great foundation to use when mixing in different textures of shirts and ties. In fall and winter, try wearing a wool-based tie against your navy suit; the tie itself being made of wool helps suggest some warmth. You could certainly choose warm colors like burgundy or mustard, or even cooler tones like something in an emerald green. These will all look quite smart in the spring and summer, as well.
Silk, Cotton, Or Linen
Another great option is silk-based ties, as well as ties made from linen (or even cotton) with your blue suits. Keeping the color palette colorful yet pastel will be seasonally appropriate, especially in the spring.
Shirt Colors
If you were to ask any man today what shirt he would pick to wear with a blue suit, most likely he would say white or light blue–and he wouldn’t be wrong! These are very popular choices. However, these two colors have remained the dominating force of what is purchased for many men who choose to wear a blue suit. Other options you could choose to wear for a little more liveliness are pink, ecru (which looks more like a cream or kind of a light pastel yellow), or even a light gray.
Patterns
Patterns help give a little more visual interest to your outfit. Some of these choices include a herringbone, a stripe, or even a Glen plaid. There are also many different pattern options made available in men’s suiting. It’s important to remember that when choosing to wear different patterns, you should vary the scale; each item in the outfit, say your shirt or your tie, should have a pattern of a different size.
Small patterns are great when you want to remain understated, but still maintain a little bit of visual interest. Medium sized patterns like a sharkskin or a Glen plaid offer a nice way to remain noticeable but still subtle. Large patterns like a broad windowpane or wide chalk stripe can sometimes be seen as more whimsical and very eye-catching, so wear them with care.
Footwear
Because blue is neutral, as we’ve mentioned before, you always have the option of wearing a variety of shades of brown with your blue suit–and of course, a classic black dress shoe will be fine, as well. When wearing a navy or midnight blue suit, one great option is the black cap-toed dress shoe. Chocolate, chestnut, or medium brown shoes would look great with a classic navy or a medium blue suit.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a multitude of options when it comes to blue suits; not only can the color of the suit itself vary greatly, but the other wardrobe elements can be equally diverse. Get a few blue suits into your wardrobe, and you’ll be well on your way to having a dapper look for most any occasion!