A blue suit is something you can play around with throughout the year.
But do you know how to wear one? And are you aware of what and where to wear different shades of blue and in what color combinations?
Worry not. We all have been there.
Read with attention, and you will know exactly how to rock a blue suit combo on all occasions.
Different Blue Suit Shades You Can Wear
Before I talk about the different blue suit shades, choosing the right shade for a specific dress code is essential.
First, always try going for more neutral or darker shades of blue. This is especially true for more formal events.
Some shades of blue such as the navy and the classic royal, go with almost everything.
I don’t mean to say you can’t wear other shades to some events. You just have to know which ones.
Navy Blue Suit
We are starting with the most popular shade – the navy blue suit.
The navy suit is a contemporary shade of blue which offers versatility and sophistication.
If you don’t want to overdo your suit collection, navy is a perfect choice.
It’s the perfect business suit color when matched with a white shirt and a dark red tie.
It is also a decent option for an optional black-tie event paired with a classic white tuxedo shirt.
Midnight Blue Suit
Midnight blue is quite similar to black, making it hard to differentiate between the two in low-light venues.
It’s a standard dark blue shade, primarily present on tuxedos for formal creative events.
For the rest of the attire, follow the general rule of thumb; the darker the suit, the darker the accessories.
For example, black dress shoes and dark ties pair best with a midnight blue suit.
In addition, best stick to a white dress shirt and a light pocket square when constructing the rest of the outfit.
Royal Blue Suit
A royal blue suit symbolizes uniqueness and confidence. It is for men who want to stand out from the crowd.
No other shade of blue reflects self-confidence at the same level as royal blue.
However, make sure you don’t overdo it with the accessories.
Keep them minimal with understated shoe and tie combinations such as black or dark brown.
Classic/True Blue Suit
Classic or true blue is for contemporary men who like to play along the boundary lines.
Wearing a classic blue suit reflects your out-of-the-box thinking. Pair it with brown or black oxfords to take it up a notch in semi-formal events.
It also works flawlessly with a pair of leather sneakers for casual settings.
But yes, if you were looking for the ultimate dress-up or dress-down color, I recommend classic blue.
Sky Blue Suit
The sky-blue suit is only recommended once you have confidently worn the classic blue or navy suit.
It falls in the middle of the blue shade spectrum and is a great way to turn the suit game up a notch for a prospective suit buyer.
Make sure you feel confident in your choice and have a good collection of accessories to go with it.
Matching ties and dress shoes are a must. However, you can also opt for casual shoes for more relaxed settings.
Baby Blue Suit
The lightest shade in the list, also known as the blueish-white suit, is associated with more casual settings.
The shade pops out in warmer seasons. This is great if you like to rock different suits throughout the week.
Baby blue suit is for men who resort to playful outfits regularly, be it at the beach, local watering hole, or the golf club.
Pair it with slacks, a nice button-up, a quality watch, no tie, and leather shoes.
Best Dress Shirt Colors for a Blue Suit
The blue suit is known for its versatility. It helps you look fine on numerous occasions.
But it also offers you the flexibility to pair it with a wide range of shirts.
While you have a long list of shirt colors to pair it with, some classic choices always look better.
Blue Suit & White Shirt
The white shirt is for anyone unsure what to wear with their blue suit simply because it is the safest option.
A blue suit with a classic white dress shirt is a simple combination that anyone can pull it off.
The crispiness and clean look of the white shirt go hand in hand with the cool blue tones of the suit.
The combination is perfect for formal settings, especially if you are in a navy blue suit paired with understated, classic accessories.
A bold tie can sharpen the look against the neutral shirt and suit combo.
You can pair the white shirt with a lighter shade of blue and more casual accessories for not-so-formal settings.
Blue Suit & Light Blue Shirt
The light blue shirt combined with a blue suit is a monochromatic must-have for your wardrobe because it looks elegant.
For a full one-color look, you can add a blue tie.
You can rock this look regularly, in more casual to semi-formal settings depending on the shade of blue suit.
It is an incredible shift from the classic white shirt while offering the same feel with a softer touch.
While you cannot achieve the same contrast as a white shirt, getting the right distinction between the shirt and suit shades helps create a clean look.
Blue Suit & Pink Shirt
Pink shirts have become quite popular today as more and more men have started to embrace them for their sophistication and style.
While pink shirts were previously only paired with grey suits, they now produce a strikingly sharp look when combined with a blue suit.
So, if you want to create a modern look, I would say go for a pink shirt under a blue suit.
You can wear it on numerous occasions, formal or semi-formal.
Especially when you are in the mood to look fashionable and smart, wanting to move away from the traditional formal look.
Make sure you stick to pastel hues and lighter shades of pink for this combination to work. It won’t clash with any shade of blue.
Blue Suit & Black Shirt
Black is special because it has no shades. But keep in mind black tends to look better on darker hair and darker complexions.
The black shirt looks great when paired with a mid-to-dark blue suit.
Going light blue with a black shirt is pretty bold and gives the impression that you are comfortable with your style.
Nevertheless, you can put on the right tie to make this bold look stand out.
Best Tie Colors for a Blue Suit
Another good thing about blue suits is that they go with a wide variety of tie colors.
Usually, I go for solid colors such as navy or black when it comes to ties.
But a solid to small-patterned red tie is my personal favorite for the blue suit.
However, you can make style statements with different tie colors.
Blue Suit & Red Tie
The red tie paired with a navy or midnight blue suit makes a powerful look.
This is the tie you need if you want to come off as bold and smart.
However, you should not wear it to business conferences or fully formal events.
A red tie with a blue suit works best for weddings or cocktail parties.
You can even wear a red tie with lighter shades of blue in casual settings.
Blue Suit & Burgundy/Maroon Tie
If any tie color could present a distinct and sophisticated line, no color could do it better than burgundy or maroon.
The deep colors were made for semi-formal settings. You could wear them to dinners, meetings, and even weddings.
Burgundy and maroon are not just sophisticated but also versatile.
However, given the colors’ depth, try to wear them with darker shades of blue such as navy or midnight.
As for the lighter shades, I personally won’t recommend burgundy or maroon.
Blue Suit & Navy Blue Tie
Navy blue tie is the classic choice. It is also the safest option with a blue suit.
However, keep in mind the color of your shirt and the contrast with the suit itself.
Other than that, a wide navy tie made of satin or silk, even rocking some polka dots, would turn the eyes.
You could also get your hands on a red striped thin woolen tie which works like a charm.
Blue Suit & Orange Tie
The orange tie falls on the brighter side.
However, you could also choose to stick to deeper shades of orange, like brown.
But this color sits well with lighter shades of blue such as sky blue and baby blue.
It is great for casual settings as it implies that you are open-minded, adventurous, and enthusiastic.
Again, you need an aberrant personality to pull this off with lots of confidence.
It can easily excite everyone at the workplace and make for a lasting first impression.
Blue Suit & Black Tie
Black is the safest color when it comes to suit-wearing.
If you are ever at a point where you can’t decide the color, choose black.
The black tie is classic and can never make you look not good, especially when rocked with a navy blue suit.
However, keep in mind that it might come a bit off if worn with lighter shades of blue.
For all the business and formal events, a black tie reflects the sophistication, class, and seriousness needed in the conference room.
Other Tie Colors & Styles
Brown, purple, yellow, grey, or patterned ties are also acceptable for blue suits.
But for all these tie colors and styles, one needs an aberrant character to carry them.
You cannot wear a popping yellow tie and not have a bold personality overflowing with enthusiasm to back it up.
Shoes that Match the Blue Suit
The occasion affects the type of shoes one must wear.
You could ruin the whole look of your blue suit if not paired with the right type of shoes.
The most popular options for a blue suit are oxford, monk straps, and double monk shoes.
Let’s see which are best for what occasion and in what color!
Blue Suit & Black Shoes
The classic black shoes combined with a black belt go hand in hand with the navy blue suit.
If you wish to keep things formal to the toe, I would say stick with oxford shoes.
Actually, the classic navy or midnight blue suit combined with a white shirt and a red or black tie immediately calls for a pair of classic black shoes.
However, you could choose loafers or something more easy-going for a casual look.
Maybe throw in a black shirt as well to keep boldness in the equation.
Black shoes also go well under fully casual blue suit combos when rocked with a crew neck shirt.
Blue Suit & Brown Shoes
When pairing a blue suit with brown shoes, always remember the general rule of thumb; the darker the shade of the suit, the darker the shoes, and vice versa.
Brown shoes, especially the lighter shades, fall on the low end of the formality spectrum.
As a result, you can consider them when dressing up for a more casual setting.
As for darker shades of blue such as navy or midnight blue, a premium pair of dark brown dress shoes can easily replace classic black.
However, make sure to pair a matching belt with the shoes.
Due to the low versatility of light blue suits, you can pair them with light brown monk straps or even derbies.
For more formal settings where you dress up in a darker shade of blue, a solid pair of dark brown oxfords add a touch of formality and modernity.
Other Accessories You Can Wear with Blue Suits
Suits aren’t just about wearing the right jacket, trousers, and shirt.
Accessories complement the whole look of the suit and are key supporting elements for a blue suit.
But you cannot use the same accessories for all shades of blue.
Darker shades call for understated and formal accessories, whereas you can experiment with lighter shades of blue.
Let’s see what you can do with the three most important accessories: belt, watch, and pocket square!
Formal Belt with the Same Color as Shoes
Before I tell you what kind of belt to wear, you must know how important it is to have the same color belt as the shoes.
If you wear black shoes, have a black belt and a brown belt with brown shoes.
Never mix the two because you will only make yourself look like a fool who does not know how to wear a suit.
Other than that, just make sure it has a decent buckle and strap that is not overwhelming the trousers.
Watch that Matches Your Outfit
A watch is a great way to heighten the bold, classy, and neat look that comes with a blue suit.
Try to wear one with a strap, preferably the same shade as the belt and shoes.
In other words, try not to pair a black watch strap with brown shoes and a belt.
As for the dial, the simpler it is, the better, especially for formal settings.
Some men prefer metal straps, which is totally doable. You just need something of higher quality to pull off the watch and not look cheap.
Pocket Square Can Make You Look Classy
If looking classy is your goal with a blue suit, you cannot reach your full potential without a pocket square.
It adds grace, elegance, and formality to the look. I mean, grooms can wear them as well as business owners.
Also, I would personally recommend them for weddings and other celebratory events due to the touch of luxury they add.
Just make sure you don’t overdo the patterns or abstract shapes on the pocket squares.
Keep them simple and dotted.
Best Blue Suit Color Combinations Depending on the Occasion
Given the versatility of the blue suit, you can make numerous combos for different occasions.
In fact, blue is one of the most desired suit colors in corporate and formal settings in the contemporary world.
Just remember that getting the right fit is paramount. You don’t want to embarrass yourself by wearing a suit that doesn’t fit you perfectly.
Formal Events
Although most formal black-tie events demand wearing a black suit or tuxedo, some allow a certain form of creativity.
The best combination for such a formal setting is the navy blue suit paired with a crisp white shirt for a sharp look.
You can wear a midnight blue tuxedo for fully formal settings.
Try to go for the darker shades because the lighter the shade, the more casual the outfit looks.
As a result, your best bets are midnight blue or navy shades.
Blue Suit for Weddings
Have you ever thought of ditching the black for a classy blue tuxedo for weddings?
Give it a thought because a dark blue tux ensemble really catches the eyes at the altar.
It’s even better if the groom is rocking the suit, especially in the royal blue shade.
I mean, who minds a bit of royalty on the big day? I’m sure you won’t!
The wedding look must have a royal blue suit jacket and trousers. Make sure they are the same color.
Wearing a waistcoat underneath the suit completes the groom’s look.
Depending on preference and how bold you wish to come off, you could either go black or red with the tie.
On the other hand, if you are simply going to attend a wedding, stick to darker shades, preferably paired with black shoes.
Semi-Formal Events
Semi-formal events are where you can actually play with different shades of blue.
I mean, it is up to your mood and the season. For warmer months, stick to lighter shades.
Moreover, you can choose a blue suit paired with a pink shirt and understated accessories for daytime events.
Sticking with brown shoes is recommended. Keep in mind the lighter the shade, the lighter the shoes.
As for winter events, especially during the night, try to stick with darker colors.
That means pairing a navy suit with dark brown or black shoes.
Blue Suit for Business Events
The business world has given the typical black a break with an opening welcome for blue suits.
Blue is, without a doubt, a great color for business conferences and meetings as well.
Just stick to darker shades such as navy blue because of the high formal appeal.
You could throw in a patterned shirt for a more sophisticated and accentuated look.
Skipping the tie is okay if you prefer other accessories.
Wearing the Blue Suit Casually
The best way to wear a blue suit casually is to separate the jacket and pants.
Maybe add a pair of trousers and a t-shirt with the blue suit jacket to rock a fully casual look.
Usually, start-up owners can go to workspaces and meetings to give off a relaxed look.
In this case, a pair of jeans is admissible as trousers are too formal.
