Guides

Which tie goes with a blue suit?

The navy suit is the most worn suit of all. These tie colours work reliably with it — and these are best avoided.

Why blue takes so much

Navy is a dark, muted tone. It absorbs almost any colour without arguing with it. That is what makes the blue suit the most forgiving basis for choosing a tie.

The one real restriction: a tie in exactly the same blue looks as though you aimed and narrowly missed. Go clearly lighter, clearly darker, or to a different colour altogether.

The combinations that hold

Red and burgundy give the classic contrast — strong without being fashionable.

Grey and silver read restrained and formal, ideal when the shirt is already patterned.

Brown and bronze are the underrated choice: blue and brown sit opposite one another on the colour wheel and therefore complement each other unusually calmly.

Gold and yellow bring warmth into an otherwise cool outfit and work particularly well in spring.

What is difficult

Black with a blue suit looks hard, because both tones are dark but of different temperature. For funerals you would wear a dark suit rather than a blue one in any case.

Very pale pastels lose against the dark blue and quickly look washed out.