Black pants do give you plenty of versatility when it comes to coordinating other items. However, it’s hard to deny that certain blazer colors tend to look better with them than others.
So, here’s a list of some great blazer colors you could wear with a pair of black pants:
- Blue
- Grey
- Navy
- White
- Brown
- Red
- Tan
That list will serve you well, but you’ll probably need more.
After going through a couple of factors to consider before choosing your combination, we’ll run through that list of colors in more detail (with pictures).
How To Color Coordinate Black Pants With Blazers
Consider both of these factors before putting your outfit together.
Remember, no matter what color you choose, an unmatched black pants and blazer combination would really only be suitable in smart-casual or business-casual settings.
Avoid wearing it in formal or business-professional settings – a 2-piece suit would usually be required here instead.
1. Neutrals Vs Non-Neutrals
When dressing for dressier settings (eg. business-casual events), consider wearing a neutral-colored blazer with black pants. In more casual settings, blazers in more vivid and vibrant colors could be worn instead.
Sure, they’re effortless to coordinate with black pants, as well as any other items you choose to wear with these two items.
But neutrals also typically have a more “formal” look to them.
The “true” neutrals you have at your disposal would be grey and navy blue blazers.
While a black blazer would be neutral, it’s generally best to avoid wearing black blazers with black pants, as it’ll appear as though you’re simply wearing a poorly-matched suit.
“Menswear neutrals” are colors that aren’t truly neutral but are often considered as such given how easy they are to coordinate with other colors.
Examples include khaki, olive green, and brown.
In more casual settings, consider wearing a more eye-catching and vibrant blazer color with your black pants.
But try to keep it muted to ensure it looks sophisticated and not too in-your-face.
Maroon, burgundy, sage green, and admiral blue are all good examples.
2. Contrast Makes A Difference
Wearing a light-colored blazer with black pants will lead to a striking, high-contrast combination that will draw more attention than a more subtle low-contrast alternative.
A low-contrast combo example would be black pants worn with a charcoal grey blazer. Both colors are relatively similar in brightness, leading to a more understated aesthetic.
On the other hand, wearing the same pair of black pants with a light grey blazer would lead to a head-turning high-contrast pairing.
Neither option is “correct” – both low-contrast and high-contrast combinations can look great.
However, if you were looking to dress up your combination to a dressier setting (eg. business-casual), it would usually be best to go for a low-contrast combination consisting of neutrals.
For example, black pants worn with a charcoal or navy blue blazer.
If you were dressing down a notch, feel free to go for a more striking/eye-catching high-contrast combination instead.
In addition, feel free to stray from neutrals a little (as per the previous tip).
For example, a beige or light brown blazer worn with black pants.
7 Blazer Colors You Can Wear With Black Pants
Here are those combinations in more detail. Notice how the neutrals tend to look dressier than the more casual-looking non-neutrals.
These color combinations would work no matter what style of black pants you choose to wear – whether they’re dress pants, chinos, or smart jeans.
Blue Blazer With Black Pants
A blue blazer can be worn with black pants in smart-casual settings, with lighter shades of blue looking more casual than medium or dark blue alternatives.
The lighter the shade of the blue blazer, the more casual it’ll generally look when worn with a pair of black pants.
Light shades such as cyan and aquamarine will look more casual than medium shades such as admiral or teal.
Note that we’re not including very dark shades such as navy or midnight blue here – these will typically look more formal and will be discussed later on in this list.
But a light/medium blue blazer can look great in smart-casual settings where there’s less of a risk of underdressing.
Ultimately, the black pants are neutral enough to coordinate with a blazer in any color of blue you can think of.
When wearing this combination, consider a light and neutral shirt color to keep things subtle.
The blue blazer will already come across as quite eye-catching, so you’ll want to choose a simple, neutral shirt color to prevent it from becoming too much.
So, consider a white, beige, cream, or light grey shirt.
Grey Blazer With Black Pants
A grey blazer can easily be worn with black pants to produce a monochrome, greyscale combination. Blazers in darker shades of grey are generally better suited to dressier settings.
Remember, a dark grey blazer worn with black pants would lead to a low-contrast and dressy combination consisting of dark neutrals.
It’s ideal for business-casual events and settings.
A light grey blazer would produce a completely different aesthetic when worn with black pants.
Yes, it would still consist of neutrals, but the combo would be high-contrast and way more attention-grabbing than a dark grey blazer combo would.
Navy Blazer With Black Pants
Navy blazers look great worn with black pants and would be suitable for both business-casual and smart-casual settings.
As you can see, a navy blue blazer looks very different from a blazer in a lighter shade of blue when wearing black pants.
It’s a lot more subtle and dressy, simply because it’s a dark neutral.
While navy is technically a very dark shade of blue and so shouldn’t be called a true neutral, it’s so dark, muted, and easy to coordinate that it’s often considered as such.
If you were looking to keep things dressy and formal, go for a light and neutral shirt color such as white, cream, or light grey.
If you wanted to add a pop of color while still coming across as “professional”, soft pastels such as light blue or light pink would usually be fine.
On the other hand, if you were dressing down your navy blazer and black pants outfit, consider a dark and neutral shirt (eg. charcoal or black) or an even more vivid one (eg. maroon).
At the end of the day, the navy blazer and black pants combination is neutral enough for you to wear any shirt color you want.
It really depends on how much you’re looking to dress up or dress down.
White Blazer With Black Pants
A white blazer can be worn with black pants in casual or smart-casual settings but should be avoided in business-casual environments. It’s a striking combination that’s very high in contrast.
Pairing white and black is very easy to do but does produce an eye-catching result given the difference between the two neutral colors.
Consider it when looking to make more of a statement and there’s minimal risk of underdressing.
Given how bold the combination is likely to come across, it’s usually best to stick to simple and neutral/near-neutral shirt colors.
You could go for a white or black shirt if you wanted it to flow into either the blazer or the pants.
Alternatively, consider a shirt in a cream tone/shade of brown such as beige, off-white, tan, or light taupe.
Brown Blazer With Black Pants
Brown blazers can be worn with black pants in smart-casual or business-casual settings, with darker shades of brown being more appropriate where there’s a risk of underdressing.
Ignore any advice that tells you brown and black don’t coordinate – it’s categorically untrue.
The two colors often look fantastic together.
Brown is a “menswear neutral” in that it isn’t technically neutral (having noticeably warm undertones) but is often considered as such.
It’s super easy to combine with other colors.
A light brown blazer worn with black pants would lead to a casual-looking high-contrast combination.
When dressing business-casual, a dark brown blazer would usually be a better option.
Brown blazers look great during the winter and fall months, especially when they’re constructed from rough and rugged fabrics/weaves such as tweed or herringbone.
Red Blazer With Black Pants
Black pants can be worn with red blazers in smart-casual settings, but avoid the combination in dressier business-casual ones. In general, blazers in dark and muted shades of red such as burgundy or maroon will usually look better when wearing black pants.
While you could wear a blazer in a brighter and bolder shade of red (eg. scarlet), it would usually come across as too attention-grabbing and bold.
If you were looking to make more of a statement – sure, it could work.
But if you wanted to maintain an air of sophistication while still incorporating some color into your outfit, a dark/muted shade of red would be a whole lot better.
When wearing a more vivid blazer color, it’s even more important to go for a simple and neutral shirt color. If possible, stick to white or cream tones.
Let the red blazer be the “pop” of color in your outfit, with your other items taking a backseat as a neutral foundation.
Tan Blazer With Black Pants
Tan blazers look great when worn with black pants in smart-casual settings. The combination would usually be too eye-catching and high in contrast to be worn in business-casual settings.
Tan is a light/medium shade of brown. It’s a menswear neutral and is very easy to combine with other colors.
Given how neutral the black pants are, they’ll coordinate effortlessly.
Tan blazers, much like camel or khaki ones, have an undeniably sleek and sophisticated look to them.
While the contrast between the black pants and the tan blazer will be noticeable, tan is dark enough for the contrast to still remain subtle.
Overall, tan blazers are surprisingly versatile.
Conclusion
Black pants can be worn with a variety of different blazer colors ranging from dark neutrals (grey, navy) to non-neutrals (maroon, sage).
You’ll never be short of options, but it’s important to consider the dress code when making your decision.
For business-casual settings, dark and neutral blazer colors would usually look best when wearing black pants.
Enjoy.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
