Can you wear black shoes with navy blazer?

Q: Is it OK to wear black shoes with navy?

As for shoes, you can ignore that old navy and black dont mix rule once and for all: Pairing your dress with black heels makes a flattering, sophisticated statement. You can also add sheer black tights, an evening-appropriate solution for those who dont want to bare their legs.

Q: Can you wear a blue blazer with black?

All shades of blue go well with black — so long as you dont look like you got dressed in the dark. This is really the trick — the closer the blue is to black, the more you have to wear it with intention.

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HOW TO WEAR BLACK WITH NAVY
Do black shoes go with navy jacket?
Is it OK to wear black shoes with navy?
When can you wear black shoes with a navy suit?
Can you wear a blue blazer with black?

BLACK would have to be the most popular fashion colour in the world. It’s WARDROBE 101 and there’s a reason why we wear so much of it.

Just like the LBD, black will always be the go-to colour when in doubt because it’s so easy and safe, is visually slimming and helps to boost confidence in appearance.

Black is serious, professional and conventional, but it can also represent the mysterious, sexy and sophisticated. It is a uniform of sorts and is guaranteed to get you out the door with no thought required.

But if you’re a 50+ woman, black on black can be overwhelming, and look dreary and bland. So be careful about resorting to an all-black wardrobe if you think it’s the key to carefree chic. It isn’t.

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Black’s absence of colour renders it neutral so it will go with nearly every colour of the rainbow. And most neutrals look great together; think black and white, white and beige, white and navy, navy and cream … you get the idea. These colours usually make up the foundation of our wardrobes, so it’s only natural that we’d wear them together.

However, there is one combination that is often overlooked — black and navy. The old sartorial rule that cautioned against wearing black and blue together (especially dark blue or navy) has no real merit.

Just like black, navy carries a sense of elegance and sophistication. It also conveys importance, confidence, power and authority as well as intelligence, stability and conservatism.

HOW TO WEAR BLACK WITH NAVY

Whether worn in a single garment or combined in a head-to-toe look, black and navy looks oh-so sophisticated and extremely chic together. A favourite combination of many European designers, it’s also dark without being gothic, and sleek without being too stuffy.

Navy has black in it, so the two are perfect companions. Whereas there are so many dyelots of navy, wearing navy with another navy (unless they are from the same dyelot) can make them tricky to match. So keep it simple and wear navy with black.

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So be a rulebreaker and look beyond the traditional … take a risk and leap into the great unknown. Every woman has black staples in her wardrobe — black coats, black jackets, black pants, black dress, black shirts, black knitwear and, of course, black accessories. But what every woman needs is to invest in a few key navy pieces as well.

Another reason to take a risk — as I’ve recently discovered — is when you get to a certain age black on black on black can be extremely harsh against the face, making you look tired and washed out. Navy actually lifts skin tone, especially those with grey hair!

Are you a fan of navy and black? Ready to give it a go this season? Would love to hear from you. Ever stylishly yours …

Q I've always been told that men should not wear brown shoes with a blue or a black suit, that you should wear only black shoes. Yet I see a lot of guys wearing brown shoes with them. Which is right?

A I give it a split decision. My first response is never wear brown shoes with a black suit. But the answer to whether brown shoes can go with a blue or gray suit depends on a few elements -- color rules, occasion and personality.

COLOR RULES: The usual rule is there are only three acceptable men's dress shoe colors: black, brown and a variation of brown called cordovan. Cordovan has a hint of red in it, but is not as red as burgundy.

A widely accepted element of dressing well is repeating colors in at least two items in your combination. Traditionally, black shoes go with clothes in the gray/black and in the blue color families; brown shoes go with clothes in the brown family.

These are your safest, most appropriate choices, guaranteed to be correct. This opens the door to why black, rather than navy, shoes go with clothes in the blue family. The honest answer comes under that strange category of some things are true just because they are and with no logical explanation. The answer veers from the usual color coordination rules: quite simply, no well-dressed man ever wears dress shoes in any shade of blue. (Apologies to Elvis.) Another possible reason may just be that navy blue is "nearly black." A common question is, "What color shoes do I wear with the weekend mix of navy blazer and khaki trousers?" Cordovan is the answer.

DRESSING FOR THE OCCASION: For all important events, it is more professional and more formal to wear black shoes with your navy or gray suits than any creative variation. The best business advice is never, ever, go to a job interview wearing anything other than a pair of black shoes with a navy or gray suit, and a white or very light blue shirt. No matter how much you may think of yourself as an inventive dresser, professional attire should be more of a consistent "uniform" rather than an expression of your personality. Getting the job and projecting that you are a team player are your immediate goals, not impressing the interviewer with your off-beat individuality.

Besides matching and repeating colors, shoe color choice is also about balancing the degree of elegance or formality of your combination with the event you are attending (which explains why brown shoes are much more commonly worn than black with casual weekend clothes).

THE PERSONALITY OF THE WEARER: If you see a guy who's not a particularly great dresser wearing brown shoes with a blue suit, most often it's because he does not know much about dressing and what goes with what. But, occasionally, you will see a truly knowledgeable, sharp dresser wearing highly polished brown dress shoes with a gray or blue suit.

For some reason, it is immediately apparent that he selected them on purpose. The man who knowingly pairs a brown shoe with a gray flannel or a navy suit displays his ability to use color with sophistication. The unexpected choice contrasts beautifully and looks great. Even so, keep in mind that this is more of a creative way of dressing, best reserved for the self-confident guy and the social event he is heading to.

The good news is if you are thinking this much about it, you probably are making wise choices. This is especially true if you follow my sage advice!

Please send your questions on men's dress and grooming to MALE CALL:

[email protected]

High Profile on 10/14/2018

Do black shoes go with navy jacket?

The best shoes to wear with a navy suit are black, navy or cognac: keep within these tones for a foolproof office look. The most understated option, black will always look sharp with a navy suit. This will always be the most straightforward choice, since you don't need to consider different shades.

Is it OK to wear black shoes with navy?

As for shoes, you can ignore that old "navy and black don't mix" rule once and for all: Pairing your dress with black heels makes a flattering, sophisticated statement. You can also add sheer black tights, an evening-appropriate solution for those who don't want to bare their legs.

When can you wear black shoes with a navy suit?

Black shoes paired with a navy suit provide a certain level of sophistication and formality that is not necessarily as apparent with brown shoes. This combo tends to be more appropriate for evening weddings and weddings that take place in the fall and winter in cooler climates.

Can you wear a blue blazer with black?

All shades of blue go well with black — so long as you don't look like you got dressed in the dark. This is really the trick — the closer the blue is to black, the more you have to wear it with intention.