What Color Trousers with that Blazer?

[Marc Chevalier]

My blazer is more royal blue than navy so I beg to be pardoned. [huh] It certainly doesn't look like a badly matched suit as the contrast is enough to work IMO.

Ah. You confused me when you said "navy" earlier.

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[cptjeff]

Ah. You confused me when you said "navy" earlier.

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I would certainly say there are lighter and darker shades of Navy. A dark navy is nearly indistinguishable from black, a lighter navy is still dark but more obviously blue.

For a quick example, look at the Yankees hats versus the Rays hats. Both navy, but different shades.

Any color or sub category of a color is going to encompass multiple shades unless you specify RGB values.


That said, unless that navy is a really light one and close to being called a royal, I don't think black trousers work.

 

[Tomasso]

Don't like it.
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it just doesn't work..

 

[davestlouis]

I personally would wear medium gray as the dressiest look, with tan or mushroom-colored wool pants as a slightly less dressy look, and cotton khakis for dressing down. That's about as adventurous as I get, although I have worn sort of olive-colored or sage green trousers with a blazer and it looked ok. I'd sooner die than wear black trousers, and I even try to stay away from really dark charcoal...

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Relax. De coloribus non est disputandum.


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[Tomasso]

Relax.
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I'm fine, that emoticon has been burning a hole in my HD and I just had to whip it out.

BTW, do blue jeans count as a Blue?

 

[Forgotten Man]

The coat in the photo I posted (depending on your monitor settings) is in fact a light gray. No real blue to it at all. The tie is a "Palm Beach" tie and has cream, light blue and gray in it.

Marc and I are both from the same school of thought; if you don't see it in Esquire circa 1930-49 it's not a good match. I recall a friend of mine walking up to Cicada with his wife one night, he was sporting a "sport" outfit made of a dark blue double breasted 40s coat with dark gray wool flannel trousers... It looked horrible! Dark gray with dark blue... TISK![bad]

To his defense his wife said: But he's very conservative when it comes to colors... I said that's no excuse for appearing as if the man was got dressed in the dark. If a true sport outfit appears too flamboyant, then don't wear it; just wear a whole suit!

Two darks never are ok... navy and dark gray, black, olive and brown *yucky* Trust the men who know.

 

[Chasseur]

I really like stone. But the two classics khaki and gray also work.

 

[avedwards]

Ah. You confused me when you said "navy" earlier.

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Well I'm never sure exactly which shade it is, I just know it works. It's lighter than my navy suit, and that suit is already a comparatively light navy (even in dim light it appears blue). I would never wear my navy suit jacket with black trousers. When it's the only jacket I have with me (due to luggage space) I make sure I only pair it with its own trousers or mid-grey ones.

 

[avedwards]

A summer look I like is beige/khaki trousers, beige military shirt (mine appears to be ex-army issue from some time in the last 50 years) and a navy or in my case royal blue blazer. I wear beige suede shoes, but I'm sure brown brogues or spectators would work. A tie can be worn to smarten it up, or equally well a cravat. A straw hat seems the most logical option, but because I'm stubborn I wear my grey fedora which doesn't clash too much; at least it goes with the blazer. And just to offend Marc, I'll add that I like to wear a white pocket square .

 

[Marc Chevalier]

A summer look I like is beige/khaki trousers, beige military shirt ... and a navy or in my case royal blue blazer. I wear beige suede shoes,...

And just to offend Marc, I'll add that I like to wear a white pocket square .

The white pocket square is fine. It's the 'beige-uniform-with-blue-blazer-incongruously-draped-over-it' ensemble that raises a brow. Why douse yourself with so much beige at once, unless you're going to war?


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[H.Johnson]

Edward

French navy!?

Dark / light navy? New concept to me.... navy is a shade of blue, shurely - not another colour with many shades.

 

[DapperDuck]

Two darks never are ok... navy and dark gray, black, olive and brown *yucky* Trust the men who know.

I agree.

It's the 'beige-uniform-with-blue-blazer-incongruously-draped-over-it' ensemble that raises a brow. Why douse yourself with so much beige at once, unless you're going to war?
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I have to agree. It's analogous to the blue shirt, blue jeans, and jean jacket ensemble. Save the khaki for the army. Light gray or stone with a blazer for me.

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Khaki:whip:

 

[avedwards]

The white pocket square is fine. It's the 'beige-uniform-with-blue-blazer-incongruously-draped-over-it' ensemble that raises a brow. Why douse yourself with so much beige at once, unless you're going to war?


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The look is based on Indy 2 when he puts a tweed jacket and bow tie over his usual khaki trousers and shirt to smarten up for dinner. However, I exchanged the tweed jacket for a blue blazer. I like the uniform look with a blazer-inconguously-draped-over-it. I sometimes switch the shirt for a light blue one as well, but I like beige and make use of when I can wear it (I just find it looks out of place in winter).

 

[HoundstoothLuke]

I'd favour a pair of white trousers in the summer, or grey in the winter. I personally feel that white helps to cut a certain dash, as well as looking rather elegant.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I like the uniform look with a blazer-inconguously-draped-over-it.

If it makes you happy, then keep on keepin' on. :eusa_clap


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[avedwards]

If it makes you happy, then keep on keepin' on. :eusa_clap .

Well in my opinion it may have that connotation, but it's not visually displeasing (I hope). I like it on the occaisions when I want to wear relatively smart clothes but dress them down, such as at a car boot sale or just walking about town in summer.

 

[filfoster]

Navy?

That looks great, and The lady looks very nice, as well!
I should've added "Cream" to the poll.

The picture shows light blue gray, not navy. I agree cream is a great trouser shade with either.

 

[Edward]

No. Some unacceptable solid colors:

-- dark olive green

-- any shade of blue

-- purple

-- black (avedwards, please note!)


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No photos to hand, unfortunately, but I'm very fond of combining a DB navy blazer with a pair of RAF dress trousers (No1?), which are a sort of grey-blue, a fairly light shade.

Oh, I'd try that! I'm thinking something like Sage.

Light enough so as it's just on the green side of tan, yes, I can see that working.

Navy blue trousers with a powder blue sportcoat? IMO, it just doesn't work.

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Worked for Elvis.

My blazer is more royal blue than navy so I beg to be pardoned. [huh] It certainly doesn't look like a badly matched suit as the contrast is enough to work IMO.

I remember Ben Elton sporting that combination back about 1990, though he wore it with a bright red t-shirt.

Marc and I are both from the same school of thought; if you don't see it in Esquire circa 1930-49 it's not a good match.

Those old Esquire fashion plates looked great, but they're not the be all and end all, imho. YMMV, of course.

Edward

French navy!?

New one on me..... I guess maybe they aren't so well disposed to calling it royal blue post 1789?? lol

 

[Forgotten Man]

Those old Esquire fashion plates looked great, but they're not the be all and end all, imho. YMMV, of course.

Ok, what is YMMV??? For goodness sakes man, type, don’t abbreviate!

Oh and the old Esquire fashion plates really are kind of the bible to dressing proper. So much fashion that comes out today is taken from those fashion plates... perverted to a nasty degree but, if one applies the technique and rules to dressing that are displayed in those pages, you'll never go wrong.