Suit: Indochino Essential Navy | Shirt: Target Merona Ultimate Dress Shirt in “Railroad”
Most of us default to a couple of different suit and shirt options. One of which is pairing a light blue shirt with a favorite grey suit. It’s just easy, and it looks professional, sharp, etc.
Flip that grey/blue combination around and you end up with something slightly less dressed-up and professional, but just as sharp. Obvious right? But not many of us have tried it. Give it a shot. A medium grey shirt under a deep navy suit looks like you’re headed somewhere worth dressing up for, but that destination is anything but stiff. This combo also gives you one more way to wear a favorite investment piece in your wardrobe, your navy suit, when maybe otherwise you wouldn’t..
Seems obvious enough, but most stick with their white or blue shirts.
Black shoes are just fine (even though some swear you can’t wear black & navy together) and burgundy will also work. This’d be a time to leave those walnut Strands in your closet.
For the shirt, it’s hard to go wrong with the Target Merona in “Railroad” (first featured here). It could certainly fit slimmer, but it’s workable. And it has a bit of chambray/worsted like texture to the color. Helps make it stand out against a solid navy.
As far ties? Maybe not the best idea. You could certainly try a darker charcoal to give it a monochromatic look. But this seems like one of those outfits that wurkin stiffs and going tie-less was made for. Wear a pair of interesting shoes, a favorite watch, and a slim dress belt, and you’ll have enough accessorizing going on to skip the tie.
Two thumbs up for trying something new.
Good way to dress down a suit, although double check that gray doesn’t look bad with your skin tone. Looks terrible on mine, but for others YMMV. I’d also say wear lace-less shoes if you’re going with black, maybe a pair of monks.
Laceless is certainly a way to keep it sleek and less dressy at the same time. Good call for those that own black slip-ons.
You look like you could use a tie Joe
Why no on the walnut strands? I rather like those with navy so I was just curious.
Like a plaid bow tie? No thank you 🙂
It’s less about the suit and more about the shirt. They look awesome with a navy suit of course, but I’m not real sure they’ll look good with a medium grey shirt.
Yessir… http://dappered.com/2012/07/the-new-sub-200-monk-strap-champ/
That is some very odd wrinkling in the close-up shot. Is that due to the workin stiffs?
Maybe, and/or moving about. Meanwhile, I think it’s good to remember that 99% of people wouldn’t notice something like that. I honestly think the pouring over of static images of men’s clothing on forums/websites has gotten a bit hyper-critical. I mean, people move around in their clothes, and once you put a frame around a still image, everything even slightly off is gonna stand out. Y’know?
Great article. I sport this look fairly often. Deep navy suit, tieless and the ‘cast iron’ (light grey) 1MX from Express. Good combo.
I have, and wear, that exact combination. It looks pretty good with this tie: http://www.target.com/p/merona-men-s-tie-purple/-/A-13719865
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Don’t think a bow tie really goes that well with this combo but obviously you were trying to make a joke and not be serious…you have to admit without a tie or pocket square that there just feels like somethings missing.
You’re wearing Wurkinstiffs in these photos?
Uh, no, I don’t “have” to admit that. Because I don’t feel like something is missing at all. Of course, some guys do: http://dappered.com/2012/01/style-debate-the-tieless-suit/
Couple of things: Depends on the cut of the suit, the look & pattern of the suit, and in some ways the cut of the human in the suit is key too.
All fair points. Personal preference is all (just like my bow tie 😉 )
Nice combo but Indochino suits are garbage. Much better Navy blue suits out there for the money.
Is that the collar band of a t-shirt showing or just a bit of white-out from the camera flash? I really hope it’s the latter …