What colors go with blue?

White and khaki keep a mid blue classic, light blue keeps it calm, and coral or light pink give it warmth or softness.

What to wear with blue

blue #2F5FA7
white #FFFFFF

Blue and white

Neutral base High contrast

White shows mid blue at its clearest. The strong light-dark contrast makes the blue look more vivid and the white crisper, the quickest way to take blue from corporate to fresh.

When to wear it: A blue shirt with white jeans in summer, a white tee under a blue cardigan, a blue dress with white sneakers, a blue-and-white striped shirt for a day at the beach. It suits garden parties and casual Fridays too.

What to avoid: Pure white by the face can look stark on soft, muted coloring, which gets a gentler version of this pairing from ivory. In heavy winter wool, bright white can also look too summery beside blue, and sheer white over blue turns cloudy where the two overlap.

Suits: Bright Spring Deep Winter Bright Winter

blue #2F5FA7
khaki #C3B091

Blue and khaki

Neutral base Medium contrast

Khaki is a muted, sandy beige that leans toward orange, the opposite of blue, so it warms the outfit without competing with the blue. The medium contrast keeps the look relaxed, which is why this pairing became a fixture of business-casual dressing.

When to wear it: A blue oxford shirt with khaki chinos and brown loafers for smart-casual days, travel and client lunches. In summer, switch to a blue linen shirt and khaki shorts; in fall, a blue crewneck over the same chinos.

What to avoid: A khaki that is too grey looks drab next to a clear blue. Brown shoes and a brown belt suit the pair; black looks heavy against sandy khaki.

Suits: Light Spring Bright Spring Soft Summer

blue #2F5FA7
light blue #A8C8E8

Blue and light blue

Tonal: one color, light and dark Medium contrast

Light blue is mid blue with white mixed in, so the pair is one hue in two depths. The result looks calm and orderly, and with the lighter shade worn higher up, the outfit never feels too dark.

When to wear it: A light blue shirt under a blue blazer or suit, a blue skirt with a pale blue knit, blue chinos with a light blue polo. It works for spring office days and for weddings where the dress code asks for color but not loud color.

What to avoid: Blues from different families look off together, for example one leaning green and the other leaning violet. Check both fabrics side by side in daylight, and keep any third blue clearly darker, such as navy pants.

Suits: Bright Winter Cool Summer Cool Winter

blue #2F5FA7
coral #F7785A

Blue and coral

Opposites on the color wheel Medium contrast

Coral is a warm pink-orange, close to the opposite of blue, so each makes the other look more vivid. The pairing has the energy of summer: one cool color, one warm, both clear.

When to wear it: A coral top with blue shorts or a blue skirt, a blue linen shirt with a coral pocket square, or a coral sundress with a blue cotton cardigan. Best from late spring to summer, at barbecues, on vacation and by the sea.

What to avoid: Equal amounts of both look loud and sporty, so keep coral to one piece and let blue carry the rest. With soft, muted coloring, a peach in coral's place is easier to wear near the face.

Suits: Light Spring Bright Spring

blue #2F5FA7
light pink #F8CAD5

Blue and light pink

Contrasting hues High contrast

Pink and blue sit about a third of the wheel apart and meet here as two cool colors. A pale pink gives mid blue a soft light-dark contrast, so the pair looks gentle and polished, never bold.

When to wear it: A light pink shirt with a blue suit, a blue dress with a pale pink cardigan, a light pink tie on a blue shirt. It suits spring weddings, christenings, office days and Easter brunch.

What to avoid: A pink with too much yellow in it, such as salmon, pulls against the cool blue. Keep the pink clean and cool, and skip a third pastel, which tips the look toward a nursery.

Suits: Light Spring Deep Winter Cool Summer

Which of these flatter you depends on your color season. Find my season →

Colors to keep away from blue

- royal blue #2A4BBF
Royal blue is brighter and a touch more violet than this mid blue. Worn together they look like a near-miss, and the stronger blue makes the other look washed out. Pick one saturated blue per outfit and pair it with a clearly lighter or darker one.
- purple #6C3A92
Purple is the neighbor of blue and close to it in depth here, so the two run into each other with little contrast. By the face the mix can look bruised. A pale lavender keeps the neighborly link and adds the light-dark step a deep purple lacks.

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Mid blue changes its mood with the fabric: relaxed in washed cotton and chambray, dressy in fine wool or silk, pure summer in linen. The shade on this page is the blue of a work shirt or a sundress, clearly blue, darker than sky blue, much lighter than navy and quieter than cobalt; navy and royal blue have pages of their own. It is cool, and at this middle depth it carries enough saturation to count as a real color while staying easy to wear at work.

Worn close to your face it often makes the whites of the eyes look brighter, and it sits in the palettes of most cool seasons and of the light and bright springs. Because it is neither dark nor light, it takes partners from both ends of the scale: white and khaki keep it classic, light blue builds a calm tonal look, and coral or a pale pink adds warmth or softness.

FAQ

What color pants go with a blue shirt?

Khaki, grey, navy, white and dark denim all work. Khaki keeps it relaxed, grey and navy make it office-ready, and white jeans turn it into a summer outfit. Brown or burgundy pants suit fall. Skip pants in a blue very close to the shirt, which reads as an accident, not a choice.

Do blue and green go together?

Yes. As neighbors on the color wheel they share a cool calm. Emerald and dark green look rich with mid blue, mint is fresh in summer, and teal sits so close that it needs a difference in depth to look intended. Olive is harder, because its yellowish, muted tone makes a clear blue look harsh.

What is the complementary color of blue?

Orange. On the painter's color wheel blue sits opposite orange, which is why blue looks so strong with coral, rust, peach and tan, all versions of orange at different depths and strengths. In clothes the softer versions are easier than a pure, bright orange, which can look like a team uniform.

Can you wear two different blues together?

Yes, as long as they differ clearly in depth. Mid blue with navy or with light blue looks planned, while two saturated blues of similar depth, such as this blue beside royal blue or cobalt, look like a near-miss. Denim counts as a blue too: a mid blue shirt with dark-wash jeans is already a two-blue outfit, and it works for exactly this reason.

Does blue go with brown?

Very well. Brown is a darkened orange, the opposite of blue, so brown leather shoes, belts and bags are the classic finish for blue chinos or a blue suit. Mid and dark browns are easiest, and tan suits summer. Very cool blues can look harsh beside a golden brown, so pair a cooler blue with a brown that has some red or grey in it.