Navy Suit Color Combinations With Shirt and Tie

A navy suit is an excellent alternative to black. The color navy is a classic in its own right and suitable for various 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, not other shades of blue.

What Colors Go Well with a Navy Suit?

The navy suit is ideal for most occasions, including business meetings, weddings, interviews, or dinners in a fancy restaurant.

You can think of your navy suit as a blank canvas on which you can layer other colors. That’s why most shirt colors work exceptionally well with navy.

You’ll just be better off avoiding overly loud colors or designs. Instead, go for muted colors and small patterns.

Bombastic and vibrant ties can definitely level up the style stakes when matched with a navy suit.

It’s always a good idea to wear a pocket square that’s contrasting with your tie in color and patterns. For example, choose a pocket square with patterns if you’re wearing a solid tie.

In a hurry? Here’s a brief video guide to help you find the right shirt and tie colors for your navy suit:

The Texture

Fabrics and texture can make one navy suit look quite different from another.

A 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 a plain navy suit with no patterns.

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.

Choose the Navy Suit by Fit

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. So with your arms down at your sides, the end of the sleeves should stop at your wrist.

Also, both sides of the jacket should meet flawlessly, without any gap between them.

The pants should stay up without the need for a belt. And for the right pant length, the hem breaks should touch the top of your shoes.

Classic-Fit Navy Suits

Also known as the traditional fit, classic-fit navy suits provide comfort and are more relaxed to wear.

Just avoid anything too baggy, as this will make you look dated and untidy.

Best Choices

#1: Navy wool regular-fit suit by Suitsupply.
#1: Made-to-measure navy suit by Hockerty.
#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.

Slim-Fit Navy Suits

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.

Best Choices

#1: Wool slim-fit suit by Suitsupply.
#2: Navy stretch slim-fit suit by Calvin Klein.
#2: Italian wool navy suit by Tomasso Black.
#4: Pinstripe navy suit by Suitsupply.
#4: Slim-fit navy suit by Kenneth Cole.

Navy Suit and White Shirt Color Combinations

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.

Navy Tie

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.

Navy Suit and Pink Shirt Color Combinations

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 their skin or hair color. So it’s probably the most versatile shade of pink to go for.

Also, lighter 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 when you want to look festive. 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?

Navy Tie

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.

Navy Suit and Blue Shirt Color Combinations

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.

When pairing these colors, you’ll have to make sure these different shades of blue complement each other.

That makes a light blue shirt the best choice since it creates a contrast against the navy suit.

A sky-blue shirt is also 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.

Blue/Navy Tie

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.

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.

While it’ll work for most events, 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.

Mustard yellow ties also create a good contrast with a blue shirt.

Green Tie

You probably don’t want solid green against your blue shirt, so opt for a tie with stripes. Pick a darker or more 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.

Navy Suit and Striped/Patterned Shirt Color Combinations

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 striped shirt and striped tie 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 dotted tie.

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.

How to Match Your Shoes With Navy Suit

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 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.