What color tie goes with a white shirt and navy suit?

One of the most important aspects of wearing a suit is the tie that you wear with it. Navy is one of the most popular suit colors, and it can be worn for formal or less formal events. And although people typically think of neutrals as black, brown, and gray, navy can also be a neutral color. That being said, what color tie can go with a navy suit?

You can wear pretty much any other color tie with a navy suit. But some of the most popular tie colors to wear with a navy suit include:

  • Green
  • Blue
  • Purple
  • Red
  • Yellow
  • Gray
  • Black
  • Patterned

Although any of these tie colors work well with a navy suit, a key consideration when choosing a tie to wear with a navy suit is the color of the shirt you’re wearing. In this article, we’ll look at why each tie color pairs well with a navy suit and what color shirt works with them. Finally, I’ll share other things to consider when choosing a tie.

What color tie goes with a white shirt and navy suit?
What color tie goes with a white shirt and navy suit?

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What Color Tie Goes with a Navy Suit?

Since navy is considered by many to be a neutral color, that means that pretty much any tie can look good with it. This theory is true, especially if you’re just wearing a white shirt underneath the suit. Since white is also a neutral color, any tie can match it and look good.

However, when you’re not wearing a white shirt underneath your navy suit, things can get tricky. You have to choose the tie color more carefully to coordinate it with your shirt and make sure it stands out while still looking good.

One general rule to follow is that you want the color of your tie to generally be darker than your shirt. Here’s a list of the best tie colors to wear with a navy suit and what color shirts you can wear them with.

Green

Green is a popular tie color to wear with a navy shirt, but it’s one that you have to be careful with if you’re not wearing a white shirt. Green and blue are next to each other on the color wheel, which is why they pair well together.

You want to pair a navy blue suit and green tie with a blue shirt. Just make sure that the tie is a shade darker than the color of your shirt, meaning a dark green tie with a lighter blue shirt. Avoid wearing dark blue shirts with a navy suit and green tie. You can also pair a light green shirt with a darker green tie and a navy suit.

Blue

What color tie goes with a white shirt and navy suit?
What color tie goes with a white shirt and navy suit?

Another popular tie color to wear with a navy suit is blue. You may wonder why you would wear a blue tie with a blue suit, but this combo can look really good if you choose the right shirt color. And when wearing a blue tie, you have a lot more shirt options.

For starters, you can wear a dark blue tie and navy suit with a shirt in a lighter shade of blue. Or, you can go a little bolder and pair a blue tie with a shirt in a contrasting color, such as yellow or pink. If you don’t want to go that bold, wearing a white or light gray shirt with a blue tie and navy suit is always a safe choice.

Purple

Wearing a purple tie with a navy suit is a classy choice. Dark purple is the best shade of purple that looks good with a navy suit. This color can look great when paired with a light blue or gray shirt.

Or, you can wear a darker purple tie with a light purple shirt and a navy suit. If you want to wear a tie in a lighter shade of purple, try pairing it with a white or light gray shirt and a navy suit. This will help your tie stand out.

Red

Wearing a red tie in any shade with a navy suit can work well in almost every instance. When wearing a white or gray shirt under your navy suit, choose darker shades of red, such as wine or crimson.

Ties in medium or dark shades of red are also really good, with a light blue shirt and navy suit. Or, you can wear a light red or pink suit with a navy suit and a red tie. Just remember that the tie should be at least a shade darker than the color of the shirt.

Yellow

Pairing a yellow tie with a navy suit can give a bold and unexpected look, but yellow can also be tricky to pair with the right shirt. This is because yellow is generally lighter than other colors, so you want to choose a shirt in a light color to go with the tie and suit.

Again, a white shirt is a safe choice to wear with a yellow tie and a navy suit. You can pair pretty much any shade of yellow with a white shirt. Otherwise, you want to wear a basic light blue or gray shirt when wearing a yellow tie with a navy suit.

Gray

Wearing a gray tie with a navy suit can give you a look that is very formal. In this instance, white or cream is the most popular color shirt to wear with a gray tie and a navy suit. This allows you to wear a tie in any shade of gray along with your navy suit.

However, if you don’t want to wear a white shirt with a tie that is a darker shade of gray, you can wear it with a light gray shirt. In this case, just make sure that there is enough in the two shades of gray so that your tie can stand out and be seen against your shirt and suit.

Black

A black tie is another color that you can wear with a navy suit for a super formal look. In this case, pairing a navy suit with a black tie looks best when worn with a plain white shirt. If this look seems too formal to you, but you still want to go with a black tie, try a tie made from an interesting fabric or with an interesting texture to elevate the look while keeping it less formal.

Patterned

Although “patterned” isn’t necessarily a tie color, it’s still helpful to know how to pair a patterned tie with a navy suit. The good news is that any type of patterned tie can work with a navy suit and shirt of any color. But, the look works best if the tie’s pattern has navy blue in it as well as the color of whatever shirt you’re wearing as well.

Keep in mind that in some cases, patterned ties can be less formal, depending on the pattern. But if you don’t want to stick to one specific color for your tie, wearing a patterned tie with colors mimicking the colors of your suit and shirt can help to “tie” the look together. This is especially true if you’re wearing a shirt color that may not normally work with a navy suit and a tie in a solid color.

Should a Tie Be Darker than Your Suit?

What color tie goes with a white shirt and navy suit?
What color tie goes with a white shirt and navy suit?

Wearing a tie that is a darker color than your suit is not a rule that must be followed. Generally, it’s only recommended that a tie be darker than a suit if you’re going to a formal event. In the case of a navy suit, that would mean wearing a tie that is dark blue, dark gray, or black.

However, it is recommended in most cases that the tie be darker than the shirt you’re wearing with the suit (unless you’re wearing a black shirt). This is so that the tie stands out against the shirt. But, the tie doesn’t necessarily have to be darker than the suit.

That being said, formal events still call for darker-colored ties regardless of what color shirt you’re wearing with your suit. For less formal events, it’s usually acceptable to wear a brighter-colored tie. Bright-colored ties are commonly seen at weddings and holiday celebrations. Even if we didn’t color a specific color tie in this article, any color tie can look good with a navy suit as long as you wear the right color shirt.

How Do You Match a Tie with a Suit and Shirt?

Now that you know what color ties you can wear with a navy suit, how can you best match your tie to your suit and shirt? As a general rule, you would choose the suit first. Then, find a shirt that you want to wear with the suit. Finally, find a tie that goes with both the shirt and the suit.

Patterned Ties and Shirts

If your tie has a pattern, that’s okay as long as the tie doesn’t mimic the pattern of the shirt. For example, if your shirt has stripes, you can still wear a striped tie. Just make sure that the two striped patterns are different in their scope and proportions.

Or, you can choose a tie with a different pattern than your shirt has as long as the tie pattern has similar colors to that of the shirt and suit. Ties of any pattern can work with a solid-colored shirt. Likewise, if your shirt has a pattern, you can wear a solid-colored tie.

Tie Materials

Ties can be made from many fabrics, including silk, cotton, linen, and wool. Silk ties are generally the most formal, while cotton and linen ties are good for warmer months and wool ties are good for cooler months.

But different tie materials also have different textures to them. If you want to add more visual interest to your shirt, suit, and tie combo without wearing patterns or bright colors, choose a tie with a texture different from that of your shirt and suit.

Tie Proportions

Finally, something else to consider is the proportions of the tie, particularly the tie length. In general, the tip of your tie should hit the top of your belt buckle when standing up straight. The type of knot you tie can affect the tie’s length, so take this into consideration when choosing a tie.

Most standard ties come in a length of 57 inches, but there may be ties in the big and tall section of a store that may be slightly longer or shorter. Keep in mind that some ties are pre-tied, so in that case, the standard length is around 20 inches, while a big and tall pre-tied tie can be 22 inches or more in length.

Ties also come in different widths and some are more narrow than the standard tie. But, the width of your tie doesn’t matter as much as the length. The width of a tie is more a matter of personal preference. So, focus on finding the right color and length of the tie first.

Conclusion

Navy is a common suit color, and navy is even considered to be a neutral color by many people. You can wear pretty much any color tie with a navy suit, but some colors are more popular than others. You also want to coordinate your tie with the color of your shirt. Hopefully, this guide gave you some ideas for choosing the right tie and shirt combo for your navy soon.

What colour tie should I wear with a navy suit?

A navy suit can be worn with many different tie colors. This makes it easy to match the color of your tie with your shirt. The most popular choices are blue, green, and purple, but red or pink ties can also work well with a navy suit.

What color tie is best for white shirt?

White Shirts Since a white shirt provides basically a blank canvas, you can wear just about any color tie. That said, if you want to keep a conservative look, stick to reds, blues, and dark greens.

Can I wear white shirt with navy suit?

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.

What color tie to wear with navy suit and light blue shirt?

You can go with a black tie, or a tie the same color as your suit. Those are your two choices. Adding any extra colors will only distract from the look. But pair this up with some black shoes and you'll be looking sleek and dapper.