What colors go with lavender?

Grey, navy, a deeper purple, sage green and pale yellow. Each one changes how soft or crisp lavender looks on you.

What to wear with lavender

lavender #BFA9DC
grey #808080

Lavender and grey

Neutral base Low contrast

Grey shares lavender's coolness and has no hue of its own, so it calms the purple without arguing with it. The two sit close in lightness, and the look comes out soft and misty, never sharp.

When to wear it: Office days and overcast months: a lavender shirt with a mid-grey suit, a lavender cashmere sweater over grey flannel, or a grey wool coat over a lavender dress. Silver jewelry or a steel watch suits the cool mood.

What to avoid: Warm, brownish greys pull lavender toward dingy. Keep the grey clean and cool, and add one darker piece, such as charcoal shoes, so the outfit does not fade into a single pale haze.

Suits: Light Summer Soft Summer Cool Summer

lavender #BFA9DC
navy blue #1F2A4D

Lavender and navy blue

Neutral base High contrast

Navy is a cool dark and lavender a cool light, so the temperatures agree and the gap in depth does all the work. Beside navy, lavender looks clearer and more deliberate than it does on its own.

When to wear it: Tailoring all year: a lavender shirt with a navy suit, a lavender knit with navy chinos, or navy wide-leg pants with a lavender blouse on a summer evening. It looks polished enough for interviews and weddings.

What to avoid: Navy and lavender stripes from collar to hem can look like a child's sailor suit. Let navy carry the larger pieces and keep lavender to the shirt, the blouse or one knit.

Suits: Soft Summer Cool Summer Cool Winter

lavender #BFA9DC
purple #6C3A92

Lavender and purple

Tonal: one color, light and dark Medium contrast

Lavender is a lightened purple, so pairing the two keeps one hue and plays only with depth. The darker shade anchors the outfit, and the paler one goes higher up, at the collar, where it reads fresh.

When to wear it: Evenings and the cooler months: a lavender blouse with a purple skirt, a purple coat over a lavender knit, or a lavender shirt under a deep purple suit for a party.

What to avoid: Purples drift warm or cool, and a reddish purple beside a bluish lavender reads as two colors that missed each other. Hold the two up together in daylight before you buy.

Suits: Cool Winter

lavender #BFA9DC
sage green #9CAF88

Lavender and sage green

Contrasting hues Low contrast

Sage is a soft, greyed green and lavender a soft, cool purple, so both have the same quiet saturation. They sit a third of the wheel apart but close in lightness, and together they look gentle and garden-like.

When to wear it: Spring and early summer: a sage linen skirt with a lavender tee, a lavender dress with a sage cardigan, or both colors in a floral print for a garden party or an outdoor wedding.

What to avoid: A bright, yellowish green in sage's place makes the pairing loud and childish. Keep both colors muted, and add a white or cream piece if the outfit starts looking washed out.

Suits: Light Summer Soft Summer Cool Summer

lavender #BFA9DC
light yellow #F8E79A

Lavender and light yellow

Opposites on the color wheel Low contrast

Yellow sits opposite purple on the color wheel, so even pale versions of the two make each other look livelier. Because both are light, the contrast comes from hue alone, and it stays cheerful instead of harsh.

When to wear it: Easter, spring brunches and summer weddings: a pale yellow dress with a lavender cardigan or wrap, a lavender shirt with a butter-yellow pocket square, or a printed scarf that carries both.

What to avoid: Equal amounts of two pastels can look like a nursery. Let one color lead and the other stay small, and skip strong golden yellows, which make lavender look grey.

Suits: Light Spring

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

Colors to keep away from lavender

- mustard yellow #D1A11C
Mustard is a deep, muted golden yellow and lavender a pale, cool purple, so they disagree on warmth, depth and clarity at once. Together the mustard looks dirty and the lavender chalky. For yellow with lavender, go much paler and cooler.
- red #C8102E
A strong red is darker and far more saturated than lavender, so it takes all the attention and leaves the lavender looking bleached. For a warmer partner, a soft dusty rose or a pale pink adds color without the tug-of-war.

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Lavender changes with the fabric more than most colors do. In cotton poplin, a fine knit or washed silk it looks fresh and calm; in shiny polyester the same shade can turn sugary. Whatever the cloth, it is a pale, cool purple with a little blue in it, light enough to sit almost anywhere in an outfit and colorful enough to read as a choice. As a shirt or a sweater it brightens light, soft or cool coloring. Warm, deep coloring often finds it chalky up top and does better with lavender pants or a skirt.

Grey and navy are where most people begin: they tone lavender down for work and make a lavender shirt or knit look grown-up. Sage green and pale yellow turn it into a spring and summer palette, and a deeper purple beside it gives you a one-color outfit with a real light and dark end.

FAQ

Is lavender the same as lilac or light purple?

Close enough to pair the same way. Lilac usually has a little more pink in it and lavender a little more blue, and shops sell both as light purple. What matters more is the lean: a bluish lavender is happiest with grey, navy and silver, while a pinker lilac also works with cream, soft rose and camel.

What shoes should you wear with a lavender dress?

Silver, light grey and soft taupe shoes keep the look airy, and white sneakers work for daytime. Navy or charcoal suede heels add weight without turning heavy. For evening, silver or pewter metallics suit lavender's coolness better than yellow gold. Black works, but it can make a pale dress look bottom-heavy.

Does lavender go with green?

Yes, when the green is soft or cool. Sage, mint and eucalyptus greens share lavender's quiet saturation and suit spring outfits and garden weddings. A deep forest green works as a dark contrast, such as a green coat over a lavender sweater. Olive and army greens are harder, because their warmth makes lavender look chalky.

Is lavender a cool color?

Mostly, yes. Lavender is a lightened purple with a blue lean, which is why it sits so easily beside grey, navy and silver. Pinker versions run a little warmer. Among the color seasons, Light Summer, Cool Summer and Soft Summer wear it most easily, along with Light Spring and Cool Winter.

What colors go with lavender for a wedding?

As a guest, a lavender dress with silver or soft grey accessories looks right for a daytime ceremony, and navy shoes and a navy clutch make it more formal. For a bridal party, lavender sits well beside sage, dusty rose and cream. At an evening wedding, add one darker piece, a wrap or a shoe, so the outfit has some depth.