7 Tie Colors You Can Wear With A Navy Suit And Blue Shirt

When wearing a monochromatic suit and shirt combination it’s often a good idea to add a bit of contrast with your tie. 

So, here are some great tie colors you can wear with a navy suit and blue shirt: 

• Red
• Pink
• Green
• Yellow
• Burgundy
• Black
• Orange

As you can see, you’ve got plenty of options – in theory. 

Ultimately, there’s a good chance that some of those tie colors will be appropriate for the setting you’re dressing for, while others won’t be. 

Let’s go through them in more detail to help you choose the perfect one. 

7 Tie Colors you Can Wear With A Navy Suit And Blue Shirt

After reviewing these, you should have a good idea of what would work best for you. 

Red

A navy suit and blue shirt looks fantastic with a red tie, especially those in dark shades of red such as burgundy. The combination oozes professionalism, working well in a range of settings ranging from formal to smart-casual. 

Ultimately, it’s a timeless combination that’s bold without being extravagant or in your face. 

The red tie will add significant contrast to the navy suit and blue shirt combination. 

The “warm” undertones of the red tie will stand out against a backdrop of the “cool” undertones of the blue shirt and tie. 

Because of this, the combination could be considered “high-contrast”, but in a manner that’s relatively subtle and not too in-your-face. 

If you’re looking for a more formal, professional, or understated look, go for a dark and muted shade of red. Think maroon or burgundy. 

Crimson works well too. 

If, on the other hand, you were looking to make more of a statement, consider a lighter and brighter shade of red. This would work best for smart-casual events. 

Pink

A navy suit and blue shirt can be worn with a pink tie, with the combination looking especially good for celebratory smart-casual events. 

Pink ties don’t lend themselves to professional settings as well as red ties too. Because of this, avoid wearing the combination in business-professional workplaces. 

Having said that, a pink tie with a navy suit and blue shirt can look great in dressy formal settings, as well as smart-casual ones. 

Pink is another “warm” color – it’s vibrant, bold, and will lead to plenty of contrast with the “cool” navy suit and blue shirt you’re wearing it with. 

Dark shades of pink (eg. salmon) look great with navy blue, with the dark tones syncing well with each other. 

If you were looking for a more casual and upbeat aesthetic, go for a light pink tie (eg. dusty pink or blush pink). It’ll be eye-catching and attention-grabbing, but will ultimately also look more casual. 

Green

A green tie can easily be worn with a navy suit and blue shirt, with the cool undertones of the colors syncing phenomenally well. 

Blue and green go hand-in-hand to produce a relaxed and laid-back aesthetic. Mixing cool colors with other colors is much easier than mixing warm colors. 

It’s really hard to go wrong with this combination. 

When wearing it in formal or professional settings, consider a tie in a dark and muted shade of green such as forest, hunter, sage, or olive green. 

If you were dressing for a smart-casual setting, you could wear a more lively and in-your-face shade of green such as chartreuse or lime. 

It’s worth mentioning that the style of suit and shirt you choose is also important when it comes to the dress code.

For formal/professional settings, a navy worsted wool suit and blue dress shirt would be appropriate. 

On the other hand, a smart-casual setting gives you the freedom to wear more rugged and casual fabrics such as tweed or linen navy suits. 

In addition, you could go for a more casual shirt style such as an OCBD or linen shirt. 

Yellow

A yellow tie can be worn with a navy suit and blue shirt, especially in formal in smart-casual settings. Given how bold and vibrant the yellow tie is likely to look worn over a blue shirt, avoid the combination in business-professional settings. 

Yellow ties are said to symbolize power and authority, much like red ties. However, they have the added association of approachability and positivity. 

That may or may not be interesting to you, depending on how you feel about all that stuff. 

At the end of the day, a yellow tie will pop out against the backdrop of the navy suit and blue shirt. 

Yellow is a bold and warm color very distant from blue on the color wheel. It’s high-contrast and can be tough to make work in professional settings for this very reason. 

Having said that, if you were dressing for a formal, dressy social setting – it can often look great. 

Consider a muted shade of yellow if you want a more subtle look. 

Grey 

A grey tie can easily be worn with a navy suit and blue shirt. Given how neutral grey is, the tie will coordinate effortlessly. It’s a good option whenever you feel as though there may be a risk of underdressing. 

When in doubt, go for a neutral tie color.

Black is another option – we’ll be talking about it next. 

A tie in any shade of grey would work perfectly well with a navy suit and blue shirt. 

Having said that, go for a dark shade of grey such as charcoal if you want a more sophisticated and dressy aesthetic. 

Light grey ties will contrast the navy suit quite starkly and would be a better option in smart-casual settings. 

Black

A black tie would look great with a navy suit and a blue shirt. It’s dark, neutral, and perfect for formal or business-professional settings. 

Much like charcoal, a black tie would be a simple way to add a touch of sophistication and formality to any navy suit and blue shirt pairing. 

It’s also just as easy to coordinate. 

You really don’t have to give it much thought, simply because you know it’ll always work. 

Navy blue and black combine effortlessly with each other. 

You could round off this outfit with a grey pocket square in a puff or straight fold. The reason this works well is that you’re alluding to the black tie without mimicking it. 

Grey is close enough to black without being exactly the same. 

Remember, you want the tie and pocket square to coordinate without making them match. 

Orange

A navy suit and blue shirt can be worn with an orange tie in smart-casual settings. The color combination is high-contrast and attention-grabbing.

Blue and orange are opposite each other on the color wheel, as far away as two colors could get. 

In other words, they’re “complementary”. 

Complementary colors are high-contrast and eye-catching, but do coordinate well. 

Having said that, the combination is so in-your-face that it shouldn’t ever be worn in formal or professional settings. 

But in smart-casual settings where there isn’t much risk of underdressing and you’re looking to make more of a statement, it could be a great option. 

While you could go for a bright and bold shade of orange, a more subtle approach usually brings about the best outcome. 

Dark and muted shades such as burnt orange would usually be advisable. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to FAQs on this topic to finish things off in style. 

What Color Tie Should You Wear With A Navy Suit And Blue Shirt For A Wedding? 

When wearing a navy suit and blue shirt to a wedding, consider a pink, red, or green tie. The colors are vibrant and fun, making them ideal for a dressy yet celebratory occasion. 

While weddings are often “formal”, you’ve usually got the freedom to experiment with color a little. 

At the end of the day, it’s a day of celebration, and a bit of color is encouraged. 

You could go for a neutral color such as grey if you wanted to. However, it’s usually best to take the opportunity and add a splash of color. 

Can You Wear A Navy Suit And Blue Shirt With No Tie? 

A navy suit and blue shirt can easily be worn with no tie in smart-casual settings.

It’s relaxed and laid-back, while still looking pretty sharp. 

There are plenty of events and occasions where a suit would be welcome (or even required) but a tie isn’t always necessary. 

Conclusion 

As you can see, a navy suit and blue shirt combination gives you plenty of scope to experiment with your tie color. 

Stick to neutral or muted shades of non-neutral colors when wearing the suit and shirt combination to dressier settings. 

In more casual settings, consider lighter, brighter, and more vibrant colors. 

Enjoy.