Knowing what to wear to a wedding can be challenging. However, a navy suit is pretty much always a safe choice. Having said that, it’s important to do it the right way. So, how do you wear navy suits to weddings?
Navy suits are ideal for formal or semi-formal weddings. You should wear them with a white shirt and tie. Additionally, your shoes should be black or dark brown leather dress shoes such as Oxfords or Derbys. Matching your sock color with the rest of your suit is highly recommended.
While that’s the gist, there’s much more to explore.
With this in mind, let’s get to it.
6 Tips For Wearing A Navy Suit To A Wedding
As mentioned, when wearing a navy suit to a wedding, doing it the right way is critical. Here are some tips to help you pull it off.
1. Ensure It Fits Well
Making sure your suit fits well is one of the most important factors when wearing a navy suit to a wedding.
Like most outfits, ensuring your suit is well-fitted can elevate it to the next level of looking good.
While darker colors like navy are more forgiving than lighter colors, in terms of how visibly your suit fits (or doesn’t), it’s still crucial to make sure your navy suit fits correctly. This is especially true when attending a wedding.
Jacket length can be one of the more confusing aspects regarding suit fit. A jacket that is too long or too short can impact your proportions drastically.
A good way to check if your jacket fits is by standing with your arms straight down your sides. If the bottom of your jacket sits around your knuckles, it’s probably a good fit. Similarly, if your jacket slightly covers your rear, it’s likely it fits well.
Because it can be tough to figure out whether or not your suit fits well, taking it to a tailor is highly recommended. While it will add a little extra cost, it’s worth it for the perfect fit.
Getting a suit tailor-made is the best option; however, this isn’t for everybody as it can be costly and often takes much more time than buying one from a store.
2. Check The Dress Code
Checking the dress code of the wedding is a critical part of wearing a navy suit to a wedding, as it’s important to ensure that such attire is appropriate.
Wearing a navy suit to a wedding without double-checking the dress code with the event hosts could be detrimental to your appearance and leave a negative lasting impression on attendees.
If, for example, the wedding couple has specifically requested black or charcoal grey suits, navy would be inappropriate.
Additionally, black is a step up in formality from navy, so it’s crucial to assess the situation before going for a navy suit.
However, if you get the go-ahead for wearing a navy suit, it’s a fantastic, versatile, and sophisticated outfit.
Some wedding couples request “tuxedos or dark suits”. While it’s debatable as to whether navy blue would be appropriate here, most would argue that it’s dark enough to pull off.
The dark nature of the navy maintains a sense of formality while not going overboard. Furthermore, you’re unlikely to stand out or draw attention to yourself when wearing a navy suit – as long as the dress code allows for it.
It’s worth mentioning that you should never wear a navy suit to a black tie wedding. Doing so would be seen as disrespectful to the dress code and, therefore, the hosts.
A tuxedo would be required.
3. Consider A Colored Tie
Because navy is an incredibly versatile color, there is a lot of room for experimentation.
On top of this, if you’re able to wear a navy suit to the wedding, its dress code likely isn’t too strict. This presents the perfect opportunity to wear a colorful tie alongside your suit.
Going for a colorful tie can be daunting, as traditionally, a colorful tie wouldn’t be appropriate for a wedding. However, dress codes are becoming much more relaxed and open to experimentation.
As well as this, if you have any doubt whether wearing a colored tie would be acceptable, you can ask the hosts of the wedding for confirmation.
Red ties are commonly seen worn with navy suits, and for a good reason. They look fantastic with navy, adding a touch of flair to your outfit.
While most shades of red work well with a navy suit, wearing a dark red tie (eg. burgundy red) is the best option. Dark red ties uphold the darker nature of the outfit and contribute to formality while still providing a subtle contrast.
If you’d prefer a “cool” color as opposed to a “warm” color, try to keep it dark. Forest green or deep purple would both be reasonable options.
Alternatively, a navy tie – the same color as your suit – can look great, too – especially when paired with a white shirt.
The monochromatic style creates a sophisticated look, with the dash of white from the shirt ensuring you’ve got some contrast.
This is a great option for weddings if you aren’t sure what colored tie to wear with your navy suit.
4. Avoid Patterns
When wearing a navy suit to a wedding, you should try to avoid patterns in your outfit. Such patterns include checks, stripes, and dots.
If a navy suit is appropriate, it’s likely the wedding’s dress code isn’t too formal or strict. However, this doesn’t mean you should get carried away.
Patterns can infer too much of an informal or casual nature. This isn’t appropriate in a setting like a wedding and should be avoided.
If you must wear a pattern, avoid stripes and checks on your suit and stick to a subtle pattern for your tie only.
5. Wear A White Shirt
There are many shirt colors and patterns on the market. This means that it can be tempting to go for something a bit different; a brightly-colored shirt or a patterned shirt.
It’s important to understand that, when wearing a navy suit to a wedding, you should stick to the classic white shirt – with no colors or patterns.
White shirts are simply the best option to wear alongside your navy suit and will keep your outfit looking crisp and not overly extravagant.
Like your suit, it’s crucial to ensure your shirt fits well. A shirt that’s too big will look baggy and out of proportion, while a shirt that’s too small will feel uncomfortable and restricting.
Ideally, your shirt should follow the contours of your body nicely and be a slimming fit without feeling restrictive.
6. Black Or Dark Brown Shoes Work Best
Shoes are as much a part of the outfit as anything else and should always be considered when deciding what to wear.
With a navy suit, the best shoes to wear are black leather dress shoes. Oxfords or Derbys are recommended.
They are very versatile and adhere to almost every dress code that’s at least semi-formal.
Having said that, dark brown leather can also look formal and gives you the benefit of adding a little bit of contrast to the outfit as a whole.
Ensuring your shoes fit well is essential for comfort, and making sure your shoes are cleaned and polished before the wedding is a must.
A common misconception is that your socks should match your shoes in formal settings. This is simply not the case. Your socks should match your pants as much as possible.
Therefore, when wearing a navy suit to a wedding, your socks should also be navy or a dark shade of blue at least.
Frequently Asked Questions
Having read these tips, you may have some further questions about wearing a navy suit to a wedding. As follows are some frequently asked questions regarding the topic.
Can You Wear A Navy Suit To A Black Tie Optional Wedding?
Wearing a navy suit to a black tie optional wedding is acceptable; however, a tuxedo is preferred. At a black tie optional wedding, you should minimize any patterns and colors, sticking to black shoes and a navy tie to accompany your navy suit.
Black tie optional can be a confusing and sometimes vague dress code. However, a navy suit can be worn to a black tie optional wedding, as long as some guidelines are adhered to.
You should avoid wearing any patterns, as black tie optional is a couple of steps up in formality from semi-formal and formal, and patterns are simply too informal to be appropriate.
Stick to traditional black shoes and a navy tie to match your suit, and you’re good to go.
Can You Wear A Navy Suit To A Formal Wedding?
Navy suits are entirely appropriate for formal weddings. Typically, formal means that a suit should be worn. Navy, being a more formal color, is definitely suitable for a wedding with a formal dress code.
At a formal wedding, navy suits are appropriate, but you should avoid wearing any patterns. Additionally, you should stick to a white shirt and black shoes.
As mentioned, you could go for either a dark red, forest green, deep purple, or navy tie to complete the look.
What Color Shoes Should You Wear With A Navy Suit To A Wedding?
Black shoes are the best shoe color choice to wear alongside a navy suit to a wedding. Dark brown shoes may also be acceptable for less formal weddings.
When wearing a navy suit to a wedding, the optimal shoe color is black. You should make sure your shoes are cleaned and polished before attending.
Conclusion
You are now equipped with all the knowledge you need to attend a wedding wearing a navy suit. It’s important to remember that you can ask the host if you are unsure about what apparel is appropriate.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
