Royal blue suit - 3 different ways to wear

I have written a lot about blue suits. Maybe because many of my suits are blue. And that is the easiest and most versatile color for men to wear. But in this post I take look at a bit different shade of blue. Here I give you three ways to wear the royal blue suit, which is particularly good choice for summer and early fall season.

You know, that in case you only have one blue suit in your wardrobe, make sure that it is dark in color. And make sure, it is timeless in style when it comes to pattern and details.

But after that first suit the selection and possibilities to choose from are endless. Royal blue is a good option if you are looking for variation to your wardrobe. In terms of summer suits this one is actually one my favorites.

Royal blue suit - how to combine

As I have mentioned multiple times, in terms of combining colors blue is probably the easiest choice you can make. And the darker the blue the easier combining will be. For formal and business wear the best colors to go with blue are basically

• black (only for shoes and leather accessories)
• brown
• other shades of blue

And of course white - for shirts. When choosing accessories bottle green, wine red and burnt orange are colors with you can discreetly bring a little contrast to otherwise restrained outfit.

Royal blue  refers to a shade that is a bit brighter shade of sky blue. In addition to royal blue you can find this shade called with terms such as azure, klein, iris, Majorelle, Oxford, sky or French blue. In my opinion it is actually one of the most versatile colors for a suit. The only occasion where it is not really appropriate is funerals and celebrations with a strict dress code. Otherwise you can dress it up and down depending on the situation. Whereas navy blue is quite sober option, royal blue provides a more vibrant alternative, particularly during the warmer months.

Wear it for casual business occasions

It is always also good to remember that darker shades are always more formal than lighter ones. For contrast and balancing the outfit it might be a good choice to go a little lighter shades with accessories when you wear darker suit. And alternatively go for a bit darker toned or patterned accessories in case the shade of your jacket or suit is on the lighter side of a color.

One way to soften the visual blow of royal blue suit is to opt for more muted shades in terms of shirt and accessories.

I personally like to wear this kind of suit for more casual business occasions. Or for parties. But if you wear a royal blue suit for business purposes it is good to keep the accessories discreet. For example a white shirt, dark blue tie and dark brown calf leather oxford shoes are totally appropriate for almost any business meeting. On the other hand - if you go for more casual but still dressed up look a striped shirt, patterned tie and suede loafers or double monks will do the trick.

Royal blue suit and white shirt with patterned tie

The royal blue suit here is from Suitsupply Madison-line. For me this fit is actually the only one from Suitsupply that fits. It is double-breasted with quite wide peak lapels, two patch pockets and slightly pleated natural shoulder construction. The fabric is beautiful wool-silk-mohair mix which basically makes it appropriate to wear the suit throughout the year. Even though it is at its best during spring and summer season. Due to the details - except the fabric that is quite dressy - the jacket can be used also as separate. But mostly I wear it as a suit, as I do with most of my suits.

The first option to pair the royal blue suit is quite a classic one actually. As you can see I chose the white DLA oxford shirt, patterned matte finished silk tie and white linen DLA pocket square. This attire I could basically wear for any of my meetings. It is dressed-up but still there is that kind of summer vibe which comes through the color of the suit and light textures of tie and pocket square.

Recently I have noticed that when I choose the pocket square in the morning, I more often than before go for the white linen square. And for this kind of attires, it definitely goes well. Even though it is the most formal square you can choose. But that actually just highlights the versatility of the white square in my opinion. As such it is formal, but in the end you can wear it with almost any kind of suit or a jacket.

Plain tie and striped shirt - go for muted shades

One way to soften the visual blow of royal blue suit is to opt for more muted shades in terms of shirt and accessories. For this second outfit I did it with bottle green grenadine tie and blue wool-silk pocket square. I also opted for a striped shirt, so actually you can see three different shades of blue in the outfit. This look is as good to wear for business meetings as the first one. But in my opinion it is still a bit more business casual oriented.

If you wear a classic navy blue suit with oxford shoes and plain tie, you can easily give the impression that you are the titan of the boardroom. But if you change into soft-shouldered suit jacket and suede brown loafers without wearing socks, you will get closer to the look that you are heading off for a glass of champagne rather than for a boardroom presentation. Just as I have done here. The transition from office to off duty can be hard, but with these little things you can make it a lot easier.

And in my opinion, every man should have a pair of suede loafers. A summer shoe does not get much more versatile than that.

Royal blue suit - a casual take with t-shirt

Sometimes white crispy t-shirt and nicely fitting blue suit is just what you need. Wearing a t-shirt with a suit can be tricky though. If you are about to go for the combination make sure the suit you are wearing is casual enough. A single-breasted suit made of cotton or linen would be the most optimal choice. But sometimes you can do it with a double-breasted suit as well.

When wearing a suit in casual way it means the suit needs to be lightweight and preferably unstructured. And choose natural shoulders with minimal padding. Patch pockets are also preferable. And if you don€™t go for cotton or linen in terms of material, pick a little lighter color for your suit. Royal blue actually works quite nicely for this purpose.

And as usual - if you go for a simple outfit and simple garments such as t-shirt and suit - remember to pay attention to the right fit. With the right fit you can make wonders.

It is also important to keep the whole outfit in balance. So if you decide to wear a t-shirt under your suit jacket be sure that you don€™t wear black oxfords or heavy boots as footwear. Suede loafers or even better - classic canvas sneakers are the right choice to complement your outfit for a nice and casual summer evening dinner.

Sum up - try royal blue

If you want something to liven up your rotation, in my opinion royal blue is a good option. And of course that does not need to be a full suit. You can first try a sport coat or trousers. Or just some accessories. The degree to which you want to embrace royal blue will naturally depend on your environment as well as your desire.

As an final advice, personally I think that if you are not sure how to incorporate the royal blue color into your wardrobe, don't start with trousers. Darker colored trousers are always harder to pair with light colored jackets than the other way round. But a royal blue blazer with white cotton slacks and denim shirt and suede loafers for example would make a perfect summer attire.

Original post 7/2015 - updated 7/2017.