Advice needed: Navy sport coat with Black pants

[tonypaj]

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.

I would not go to Rome or Milan if I were you. You'd find some serious clash...

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

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.

I have been avoiding tan khakis for years. With my red hair and complexion I tend to prefer darker colors. However, I can see now that my wardrobe is incomplete without at least one pair. I have never liked the fit of Dockers which always seem to be cut like jeans, so I will probably look for another brand.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a vintage styled khaki that come in larger sizes?

 

[KObalto]

I have been avoiding tan khakis for years. With my red hair and complexion I tend to prefer darker colors. However, I can see now that my wardrobe is incomplete without at least one pair. I have never liked the fit of Dockers which always seem to be cut like jeans, so I will probably look for another brand.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a vintage styled khaki that come in larger sizes?

Patterned after the WWII originals, Bill's are valued by many: http://www.billskhakis.com/

 

[EvantheDiplomat]

Don't Change the Trousers, Change the Blazer

When I was a Navy man, oh by the way, an Air Force Uniform is NOT dark blue but I digress, most officers wore the blue blazer/khaki trouser combo for civilian coat and tie events.

Never one to just follow the crowd - insert snide remark about joining the Navy here - I had my tailor in Hong Kong whip up a classy green blazer. It was a nice wool/silk blend with the color just between forest green and loden green. A nice set of buttons that looked like old Spanish silver coins and I was ready to go. Added benefit, the color works with black, grey and even tan trousers.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

The thought of green with red hair's even worse than tan...as my red-headed friends put it, green with red hair makes you look like a leprechaun, and you get comments about someone out for your Lucky Charms and such.

 

[Mahagonny Bill]

The thought of green with red hair's even worse than tan...as my red-headed friends put it, green with red hair makes you look like a leprechaun, and you get comments about someone out for your Lucky Charms and such.

That's very true. I can get by with dark brownish green or light olive gray (as shown in my avatar), but bright kelly or fern green is a no go. Besides, in this case I already have the blazer so I just need the pants. Right now I'm looking at a pair of Bill's button fly khakis as an option.

EvantheDiplomat's jacket sounds really nice though, it just won't work in my particular case.

 

[Edward]

The other option in khakis would be to go for a WW2 officer's khaki repro, a la those sold by WPG. I'm planning myself to pick up some British service trews in khaki drill, as worn in North Africa... I love wool trousers, but it's also great to have some washable cotton items readily available for those 'everything needs dry cleaning!' emergencies.

 

[jgilbert]

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.

I think Jonathan Higgins OH My God!

 

[Matt Deckard]

The secuity guards look like security guards in whatever they wear. Put it together right and you look like you own the building and made the guards dress like you (but they never get the look right).

Brown shoes work with everything except formal-wear, especially if you don't want to look like security.

Black shoes are the ones that don't quite work when you are on the town in that tan or linen suit.

Brown shoes work fine with a grey, navy, white, green, maroon or anything colored suit.

As for the combos.. As said before, black and navy never work combined as jacket and trousers.

Navy works with grey and grey works with nearly everything.

I say get a grey sport coat.

For the Navy jacket I suggest
Cream trousers
Brown trousers
grey trousers
khaki trousers
baby blue trousers
/\
Solids only
Accept for plaid

Black is too close in range to navy and always looks like you were trying to put together a suit but didn't have he right pants.

Many won't think that... they'd just see a guy with a navy jacket and black pants, but those in the know would see it as a miss match.

 

[Paisley]

Marc C. started a thread on how oxblood shoes go with practically everything. I bought a pair--and sure enough, they go with all my work clothes, which are all in men's suiting colors.

 

[Tango Yankee]

oh by the way, an Air Force Uniform is NOT dark blue

Oh? Then what would you call it? Air Force Blue? Certainly not Navy blue! :eusa_doh:

The shirts are light blue, the trousers and blouse dark blue... I just went to the closet and checked, just in case I'd somehow forgotten what color uniform I'd worn for 25 years... yup, it's a dark blue. It's not a near-black blue, but it's definitely a dark blue!

Aim High,

Tom