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by Carol James August 19, 2020
Navy suits and blue dress pants are fixtures in men’s style. Ranging from light shades of baby blue to deep navy and available in a range of textures and patterns, odds are that you have several pairs of blue dress pants in your wardrobe. But what color socks should you wear with them? Whether you're wearing navy trousers or a full on blue suit, read on for tips on choosing the proper pair of socks.
The traditional menswear rule is to match your socks to your pants, meaning navy dress pants should be worn with navy dress socks. While this isn't a hard and fast rule, it does provide directional guidance and will ensure you always look appropriate.
As stated above, the blue in your dress pants and socks don't have to exactly match. The photo above illustrates how contrasting shades of blue can add interest to an outfit, particularly when accented with a tasteful pair of shoes.
As both are neutral dark colors, black dress socks with blue dress pants can be a great combination. To ensure a cohesive look, be sure to finish the ensemble with black shoes.
Depending on the shade of your blue suit, black dress socks can be a stark contrast against the trousers. The blue you choose is completely up to you; go for a lighter shade if you’d like something a little more casual, or perhaps a royal blue if you’re looking to really make a statement. Whatever you decide, coordinating black socks with blue dress pants is an almost fool-proof way to assemble a classy, stylish outfit.
Grey dress socks with navy suits are another option to add a tasteful contrast to your outfit. Whether your socks are a lighter shade of grey or a darker charcoal, odds are they'll look fantastic with blue pants.
While navy, black and grey are certainly the three most popular colors of sock to go with blue dress pants, by no means are they the only options.
Continue reading below for more ideas and style tips, including many questions we're frequently asked by customers.
Questions We'll Answer (click to jump) |
What color socks look good with blue pants? |
What color socks go with brown shoes and blue dress pants? |
What color socks go with black shoes and blue dress pants? |
The best thing about blue dress pants is their versatility; they can be dressed up for formal occasions and just as easily dressed down for casual wear. Some of our favorite combinations of socks, shoes and blue dress pants are shown below.
The rule of thumb in menswear is to match your socks with your dress pants, although they don’t have to exactly match. Instead of focusing on finding the identical color of socks as your pants, opt for sock colors that complement your blue dress pants. This will break up any monotony in your outfit while still creating a smooth, tasteful transition down to your shoes.
As illustrated in the graphic above, blue dress pants can be worn with a diverse range of sock colors. For a more traditional look, try navy, black or grey dress socks with your blue pants. To add a splash of color, orange, light blue and red dress socks will all look fantastic with blue dress pants.
First focus on coordinating your socks with your pants, which will then make your subsequent shoe choice much easier.
In general, light colored dress pants and light colored dress shoes are more casual while darker pants and darker shoes are more formal. With this in mind, light shades of brown shoes with blue dress pants can be paired with more colorful socks for a sharp casual look. Alternatively, wear darker shades of brown shoes with blue dress pants for a more professional look. When choosing accompanying socks, opt for more reserved shades of grey, navy and black.
For additional style tips for wearing your brown dress shoes, be sure to check out our article about what color socks to wear with brown shoes.
Black and blue pair exceptionally well together in menswear, making black shoes simple to combine with blue dress pants. For a more traditional combination, finish the look with black, grey or navy socks.
As shown in the graphic above, black dress socks will make a classic, conservative ensemble when combined with black shoes and blue dress pants. For more pop, try adding red socks as shown above.
Some of the sock colors you’ll want to avoid wearing with black shoes and blue dress pants are brown, orange and white. Pay particular attention when wearing patterned socks; you’ll typically want to avoid wearing them with patterned blue dress pants.
For more in-depth tips on styling your black dress shoes, be sure to read our article on what color socks to wear with black shoes.
We’ll go into a breakdown of specific colors below, but as a general rule of thumb, it is totally okay to choose at least one shade lighter or darker than your pants when coordinating your socks. This will add dimension and contrast to your outfit.
For a more in-depth guide on pairing blue dress pants with specific colors of socks, see below:
If you're looking for more sartorial advice, be sure to explore our Ultimate Guide to Socks for Suits.
Co-Founder, Boardroom Socks
Carol and her husband, Mike, started Boardroom Socks in 2010. She serves as our CFO and keeps all of us in line! Outside of the office, she enjoys reading, gardening, traveling and exercising.
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