Suits are the undisputed kings of men’s fashion. Whether it’s a career-defining business meeting or the best day of a man’s life (his wedding), suits are always the right choice. In fact, a suit is a perfect choice for any occasion that demands business-formal or semi-formal attire. However, not all suits are created equal, and navy blue suit combinations hold a special spot among the already top-tier suit ensembles.
What To Expect In This Article?
Navy Blue: A Bit of History
Navy blue is a very dark yet saturated shade of blue. This specific shade became popular as the official uniform color for the Great Britain Royal Navy officers. This color standard began in 1748; however, it was not called “navy blue” up until the 19th century. After its initial success, it became a popular choice for navies around the world.
Introduction of Navy Blue in Fashion
Soon after the adoption of this color by navies around the world, it also started to find its way into fashion. Many outfits and styles integrated this color as a permanent addition. However, nothing benefited from this new shade of blue more than the men’s suit. To say that navy blue revolutionized the retro style of men’s suits would be an understatement.
Up until navy blue, men’s formal dress code consisted of only greys and blacks. This shade of blue was a breath of fresh air. It looks professional without being absolutely dull and muted.
Ways to Wear A Navy Blue Suit
Navy blue suits might look like simple attire at first glance. After all, just how many great combinations can there be with just one primary suit color? Well, it turns out, a lot. There are literally hundreds of unique outfits possible with navy blue suits and winter coats. Let’s take a close look at a few of the best ones.
The Classic Navy Blue
Let’s start things off with the classic navy blue suit attire. All you need is a plain three-piece suit with a white shirt and a plain maroon tie. Completing the outfit is a pair of brown leather oxford shoes.
As far as style and raw class are concerned, this classic navy blue suit outfit is number one. It is simple enough that even completely off-the-rack clothes look immaculate.
Navy Blue For Wedding
Wedding day calls for special attire, and a three-piece navy blue suit is ready for the task. The plain white is perfect, but there are tons of further options for neck gear.
You can choose between traditional ties and bow ties. Both will look pristine at a wedding, so the final decision is completely up to your personal preference. As for the color of the tie, classic maroon or red are safe options, while pink and purple offer an unusual yet stylish vibe.
Blue and Black
Black is the most popular color in men’s fashion. No matter what style you’re emulating, there is always a black option, and navy blue suits are no different. All you need is a black plain shirt, and you’re already looking like a supermodel straight out of a fashion magazine.
Once you’ve mastered the shirt, it’s time to take things to the next level with a shiny black tie and a pair of black leather loafers. If you’d like to customize the outfit a bit, a colorful pocket square is a way to go.
Fancy Cocktail Attire
Now that the world is opening back up, cocktail parties are starting to come back. But, what’s the point of going to a cocktail party if you don’t wear the appropriate cocktail attire? Luckily, crafting a jaw-dropping cocktail ensemble is as simple as wearing a band collar white shirt underneath your navy blue suit. Just make sure to accessorize with a matching wristwatch.
Navy Blue Suit with A Pink Shirt
Most navy blue outfits fall in a familiar category of professional and sophisticated. However, that is not always the case. Sure, you cannot wear something completely wild like a bright yellow shirt and expect it to look good. But there is still plenty of room for playful outfits like a baby-pink shirt with a hot pink tie.
These colorful outfits are mostly reserved for parties and occasions like wedding functions. However, you can wear them to a professional environment if the color is subtle enough.
Ultimate Winter Attire
All things considered, suits are not a great option for layering. Something like a grey blazer works with everything from hooded sweatshirts to chinos. A navy blue suit, on the other hand, is far more limited. Your best shot at wearing a navy blue suit in winter is to layer it with a sweater underneath. The sweater would be replacing the vest.
As for what type of sweater will work the best, something along the lines of a green V-neck sweater is a solid choice. If all else fails, a cream-colored sweater is a fine option to fall back on.
How to Wear A Navy Blue Suit Jacket on Its Own?
So far, we’ve only talked about a navy blue suit as a whole. However, the suit jacket itself is a treasure trove of exceptional style and fashion. Making it work takes a bit of time and effort, but it is totally worth it in the end.
Best Style to Pursue
Suit jackets can be worn in a number of ways with dozens of different styles in mind just like a leather jacket. That being said, the optimal style for navy blue suit jackets is definitely smart casual. This color is just perfect for blending in with the crowd while also looking sharp.
What to Wear
A Navy blue suit jacket works surprisingly well with a pair of blue jeans. Jeans, in general, are a safe match for suit jackets of all colors and designs. But, navy blue, in particular, is the perfect match for the fresh blue jeans. Combine this with plain V-necks, turtlenecks, button-ups, and flannels, and you’ve got yourself a fancy outfit that you can wear almost everywhere. Also, brown leather shoes are the best choice for footwear.
Symbolism and Navy Blue
The popularity of navy blue in men’s fashion is not just because it looks refined. The navy blue color is not just another shade of blue. Its saturation combined with the slight darkness gives it a very authoritative vibe. A person wearing navy blue looks like they mean business. It is also a great source of confidence for its wearer. This might sound illogical to some, but navy blue suits are capable of making people more confident in themselves and their appearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now have a pretty good idea of what navy blue suits are and how they fit into the larger men’s fashion. However, this is barely scratching the surface of what navy blue suits and navy blue clothing, in general, are capable of. There is still a lot more to learn about these pieces of elegant clothing.
These are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding navy blue suits and other stuff surrounding them.
Yes, and no. If we’re only focusing on the suit and the dress shoes, then yes, they work flawlessly. Things get a bit more complicated when we factor in the shirt and the tie. Some shirts like white and light blue are perfectly fine with brown, but others such as pink work better with black.
The color of the socks depends entirely on how you’re feeling that day. If you don’t want to spend any time or effort, then simple grey socks will do you fine. If you need something neat and tidy, subtle pin-striped socks are the way to go. Alternatively, you can also match your socks with your tie to get a “complete” look.
Colorful striped socks are only reserved for when you have plenty of time to find the right combination of socks, shirt, and tie.
Yes, you can. However, the rest of your outfit should also be equipped for nighttime. Unusual colors like pink are a no-no, while light-blue shirts are the correct way to go.
What color socks do you wear with a navy suit? The color of the socks depends entirely on how you’re feeling that day. If you don’t want to spend any time or effort, then simple grey socks will do you fine. If you need something neat and tidy, subtle pin-striped socks are the way to go. Alternatively, you can also match your socks with your tie to get a “complete” look.
Colorful striped socks are only reserved for when you have plenty of time to find the right combination of socks, shirt, and tie.
Can you wear a navy suit at night? Yes, you can. However, the rest of your outfit should also be equipped for nighttime. Unusual colors like pink are a no-no, while light-blue shirts are the correct way to go.
Can you wear a black tie with a navy suit?
Navy blue suits do look snazzy with a black tie on a white shirt. A better scenario to wear a black tie is with a black shirt and black shoe combo.
Yes, men over 50 can wear navy blue suits. In fact, there is no age limit when it comes to suits. Everyone from a 2-year-old to a 100-year-old can wear whatever suit they want.
Yes, you can wear a navy blue suit to your wedding. This is especially recommended if you have an evening wedding in either fall or winter.
Yes, it will. Navy blue, dark brown, black, and other dark colors have a “slimming effect” on your figure. This effect is even more pronounced at night.
Final Words
Suits are a special piece of clothing that every gentleman should own. However, navy blue suits are a cut above the rest. They are easy to style on a limited time budget but still look well put together, no matter what.
The best part about wearing a navy blue suit is how well it adapts to its surroundings. It looks lively at a party, professional at a business conference, and absolutely stylish on a fashion show runway. The only thing you have to keep in mind is to respect the suit. Craft outfits with some care, and they will never let you down.
