Advice needed: Navy sport coat with Black pants

[Mahagonny Bill]

I was looking through my closet recently and realized that the only thing I have to go with my Navy sport coat is a pair of dark gray pants and a pair of black pants. To my thinking, this is wrong as the colors are too similar to complement, but too different to match. My wife however disagrees and says they look fine.

What do you think? Is this a combination to avoid or is this acceptable for a semi-casual night out?

 

[Bird's One View]

Dark gray pants are fine. Black pants are not.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Depends. Never know 'til you see the outfit. What many people describe as navy is very far from it. If the blue is more of a Royal blue, pretty much any shade of grey or black will look OK. I would go for something lighter, myself, but that's me.

bk

 

[Paisley]

You don't want to look at a combination and say, "That almost matches."

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

You don't want to look at a combination and say, "That almost matches."

That's what I thought and that it is exactly what I see with the black pants. They gray pants are not as bad, but since they are a dark charcoal and the jacket is dark navy I think the color is still too close. Looks like I need to go shopping

Thanks everyone!

 

[CharlesB]

Go with grey. Matching the black with that is bad news bears

 

[scotrace]

I was always told that putting blue with black makes you look like a walking bruise.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

But people do (much to my disgust!) insist upon wearing black shoes with blue suits!

bk

 

[Feraud]

Whenever I see Navy sport coats with gray pants I think of security guards. This seems to be a popular color combo with NYC security agents.

Let me suggest something light for the pants. How about cream or ivory in a linen or silk fabric?

 

[Flitcraft]

Gotta second Feraud's suggestion...

definitely avoid the "security guard" look...

 

[DrSpeed]

Or just chino's.

 

[Tango Yankee]

But people do (much to my disgust!) insist upon wearing black shoes with blue suits!

bk

For those of us with a USAF background that combination is a natural! At least, that's the color combination we wore whenever we were in blues. Dark blue trousers, light blue shirt, dark blue coat, black shoes/boots.

Perhaps it's due to that long association that I don't see anything wrong with the combination, other then it's one of those fashion "rules" that have been around for a long time.

Here's a photo, though it's of what we used to call the Combination 4 (short-sleeve blue shirt). I don't seem to have any color head-to-toe photos of myself in full service dress on my drive.

Though you cannot see them, the Lt is wearing black pumps with her blue skirt.

Regards,
Tom

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I was jesting, just a little. The jest is in response to the surprisingly vehement views some hold about brown shoes being worn with blue suits. [huh]

bk

 

[benstephens]

Yes all the scary rules, which seem to be passed down from generation to generation and dont seem to mean a lot.

Really, I think, as long as the brown is in tone with blue, ie, as dark, it looks fine. Black is just the done thing, and what most people were told.

Then we get the issue with Brown with grey, many people say no, when in fact, I think it is a great combination.

Ben

 

[Tango Yankee]

I was jesting, just a little. The jest is in response to the surprisingly vehement views some hold about brown shoes being worn with blue suits. [huh]

bk

Ah... thought you might have been one of those people. :eusa_doh: Sorry about that!

Again, perhaps it's because of my long-association of black shoes with dark blue trousers, but I find the brown shoes with dark blue to be an odd combination. I do wear cordovan with dark blue, though.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[CharlesB]

To sum up my thoughts, they are as such: Black and Blue for trousers and jacket together.......NO..BAD STYLE BAD!

 

[Lensmaster]

I wear black shoes with dark blue suits. Nobody ever told me to do that I just always thought it looked good. I wear mostly all blues and greys and in my opinion brown shoes look wrong with them. I think browns clash with grey/blue. I do like cardovan with those colors, but cardovan is a red based color.

 

[Edward]

But people do (much to my disgust!) insist upon wearing black shoes with blue suits!

bk

lol I do it all the time, though funnily enough since I've been hanging round in these parts I've been leaning in the direction of a good, rich cognac brown as a good combo with navy...

I spent seven years at Grammar school wearing a navy blazer with charcoal grey trousers, and that did work as a uniform (though for my own tastes, a lighter grey works better). Black doesn't look quite right with navy, though I agree with BK that it can ork with a brighter blue (or a brown, or a green, or a whole range of other colours.... don't throw those black trews away just yet!).

 

[Feraud]

Then we get the issue with Brown with grey, many people say no, when in fact, I think it is a great combination.

Ben

Yep. I do it often.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

It depends how dark the charcoal gray is - too dark and it's the same situation as black. I suspect that may be why you're asking. But getting a pair of gray flannel or khaki slacks might be worth the investment, and I believe Fred Meyer, Penney's & Macy's all have Dockers & similar on sale, and the men's sale at Nordstrom isn't too far off either.