What Color Belt Goes With A Grey Suit? (Pics)

While grey is neutral enough to wear with practically any other color, knowing which belt colors work best is definitely worth knowing. 

So, here are some great belt colors you can wear with a grey suit: 

• Black
• Dark Brown
• Light Brown
• Oxblood
• Burgundy
• Navy

But how do you know which one would be best for you and your specific grey suit? 

After going through the main factors you need to consider before choosing, we’ll talk through those color combinations in more detail (with pictures to boot). 

How To Color Coordinate Belts With Grey Suits

Consider these factors before putting your suit together. 

1.  Always Match The Belt And Shoes

No matter what shade or style of grey suit you may be wearing, it’s important that the color of your belt matches the color of your shoes. 

While this tip will serve you well no matter what you’re wearing, it’s especially important when you’re wearing a suit or another typically dressy item. 

A poorly-matched belt and shoe combination is pretty obvious and rarely ever looks stylish. 

Coordinating the two items is a simple way to make it clear your outfit is well coordinated. 

So, if you’re wearing a grey suit with a black pair of dress shoes, wear a black belt. 

If you’re wearing a grey suit with an oxblood pair of dress shoes, wear an oxblood belt. 

Sounds too simple? 

Maybe it is. But it works. 

2. The Dress Code Matters

The more formal the setting you’re dressing for, the more likely it is that a black, dark brown, or oxblood belt would be most appropriate. 

Black would be the most formal, with dark brown and oxblood being slightly less dressy alternatives. 

If you’re worried there’s a risk of underdressing, it’s a good idea to go for a black belt with your grey suit. 

More casual options include burgundy, light brown, and navy blue belts. 

Of course, no matter what belt color you go for, wear a matching pair of shoes. 

It’s also worth considering the shade of your grey suit. After all, a “grey suit” could refer to a very dark grey suit (eg. charcoal), a very light grey suit, or anything in between. 

Dark grey suits tend to work better in more formal settings, while light grey suits aren’t quite as dressy but are still perfectly acceptable in business-professional and smart-casual settings. 

Another reason why black, dark brown, and oxblood would often be the better options in formal settings is that you’re likely to be wearing a dark grey suit for these occasions. 

Dark grey suits tend to look better when wearing a dark-colored belt with a matching pair of shoes. 

In contrast, light grey suits often look great when wearing a light-colored belt (eg. light brown, tan brown) with a matching pair of shoes. 

The exception here would be a burgundy belt which is dark but still looks great with a casual-looking light grey suit simply because it’s vibrant and fun. 

Let’s sum that up: 

• Formal – A dark grey suit with a black, dark brown, or oxblood belt
• Business-Professional – A medium grey or dark grey suit with a black, dark brown, or oxblood belt
• Smart-Casual – A light grey suit with a light brown, tan brown, or burgundy belt

6 Belt Colors You Can Wear With A Grey Suit

Here are those belt colors we listed earlier in a little more detail. 

You’ll quickly notice how some grey suit and belt combinations look more formal and traditional, while others look a little more vibrant and casual. 

In fact, we’ve listed them in order of formality – from most formal to least formal. 

Enjoy. 

Grey Suit With A Black Belt

A grey suit can easily be worn with a black belt. The combination works especially when wearing a pair of black dress shoes in a formal setting. 

Black is the most formal color. 

As mentioned earlier, if you were ever worried there was a risk of underdressing, a grey suit and black belt combination would be the safest way to go. 

While dark grey suits work especially well with black belts, you could easily wear a light or medium grey suit with a pair of black shoes if you wanted a little more contrast. 

Overall, it’s impossible to go wrong with this monochromatic color combo. Dark neutrals will always pair well and look effortlessly sophisticated. 

If you feel as though a grey suit and black belt combination is a little too uptight and traditional, however, consider a lighter or more vibrant belt color instead. 

Grey Suit With A Dark Brown Belt

A grey suit can be worn with a dark brown belt in formal, business-professional, and smart-casual settings. 

Once again, it’s important to wear a matching dark brown pair of shoes. The shades of brown don’t need to match exactly, but the closer they are, the better. 

Dark brown makes for an excellent alternative to black. It’s also considered appropriate in formal and business-professional settings while adding enough contrast to the grey suit to be noticeable. 

A dark brown belt and shoe pairing will have a more laid-back aesthetic to it than a black one would. 

No matter how dark a pair of brown shoes is, the subtle warm undertones of the brown will still be felt and add a nice sense of contrast to the neutral-colored suit. 

So, if you want to dress up without looking too “professional” or traditional, consider wearing a dark brown belt with your grey suit instead of a black one. 

Grey Suit With An Oxblood Belt  

An oxblood belt can be worn with a grey suit in various settings ranging from formal to smart-casual. 

In terms of formality, however, an oxblood belt would be considered less dressy than a black or dark brown belt. 

Oxblood is a very dark shade of red, but with noticeable dark brown hues. 

It’s similar to burgundy, but the dark brown hue makes it look a little more subtle and formal. 

Oxblood should be considered a more exciting alternative to dark brown. 

It’s still suitable in (most) formal settings, but will definitely be more eye-catching than black or dark brown would be. 

It shouldn’t be worn in very formal settings where a black pair of shoes would be a much safer option. 

But in most other settings, they’re often considered dressy enough for the part. 

Grey Suit With A Light Brown Belt 

A grey suit can be worn with a light brown belt in business-professional and smart-casual settings. The contrast between the belt and the suit would always be eye-catching. 

It’s a particularly good option when wearing a suit in a light shade of grey. For example, a tan or caramel brown belt and shoe combo with a light grey suit. 

Having said that, you could wear a dark grey suit with a light brown belt (and pair of shoes) if you really wanted a high-contrast combination. 

The more contrast you’ve got, however, the less subtle and more attention-grabbing the suit and belt combination will come across. 

However, as long as you’ve coordinated your belt and shoes, it’ll work. 

Grey Suit With A Burgundy Belt  

A grey suit can be worn with a burgundy belt in smart-casual settings. The combination is one of the more casual options you could go for. 

A burgundy belt is a great item to have in your wardrobe, but it does need to be worn in the right settings. 

Much like oxblood, burgundy is a very dark shade of red. 

However, it has a strong purple hue, unlike the dark brown hue of oxblood. 

This makes burgundy very eye-catching. While burgundy belts and shoes are popular when wearing suits, they should really only be worn in smart-casual settings. 

These are events or occasions where there isn’t much of a risk of underdressing. 

You may be wearing a light grey suit instead of a dark grey/charcoal one. 

In addition, the style of the grey suit you’re wearing may be more casual. It may be made of a casual suit fabric such as tweed, linen, or flannel. 

In general, the less shiny and more wrinkly/rugged a suit fabric is, the more casual it’ll look. 

Overall, if you feel as though the setting you’re dressing for and the style of the grey suit you’re wearing is smart-casual, there’s a good chance that a burgundy belt would work well. 

Grey Suit With A Navy Blue Belt

A navy blue belt can be worn with a grey suit if you’re wearing a navy blue pair of shoes in a smart-casual setting.  

This is the least traditional and most casual option on this list. 

While navy is a relatively dressy color, it’s a pretty uncommon one when it comes to dress shoes. 

Uncommon colors will always look more casual than common ones, simply because they’re more eye-catching and stand out. 

Navy blue and grey, however, do work incredibly well together. Ultimately, navy is so dark and muted that it is often considered neutral in the world of men’s style. 

So, if you do want to make more of a statement and you feel as though the setting is casual enough to allow for it, consider wearing your grey suit with a navy blue belt. 

Conclusion 

A grey suit can be worn with a variety of different belt colors, but it’s important to choose the right one for the setting you’re dressing for. In more formal settings, go for a black, dark brown, or oxblood belt. 

If you were dressing for a more “smart-casual” event, consider a lighter or more vibrant belt color such as light brown (eg. tan), burgundy, or navy.

Whatever you do, be sure to match the belt to the shoes. Not doing so will lead to a few awkward and disapproving stares. 

Enjoy.