Style Scenario – Blue on Black (and Gray)

What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions, then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. There is a strangely persistent style myth that black and blue don’t go that well together. That we should always wear brown shoes with blue trousers/pants or suits, and never black shoes. It’s not true. If that were the case, why are blue and navy tuxedoes popular? Blue and black can and will go together. Especially if you mix in a little gray along the way. Here’s one way to do it using basics you may already have in your closet:

The Sportcoat (or Suit Jacket): Banana Republic Nailhead Suit Jacket – $244.99 ($400). A stand alone sportcoat/blazer would work here as well, but in the spirit of efficiency, try a charcoal suit jacket if you happen to own a charcoal suit (as if you’ve got a suit, charcoal is the first one to buy). Full review of the BR suit can be found here.

The Pants: J. Crew Factory Slim-fit Flex Chinos – $39.50. Inexpensive, dependable, and you may have something similar in your closet already. If they’re a more casual washed fabric, just make sure you iron them before wearing them with a jacket and dress shoes.

The Shirt: Banana Republic Standard fit Oxford – $70. As it’s an OCBD, it leans a little casual. Maybe too casual for some. To dress it up/smarten up the whole thing, wear a crisp white poplin or twill dress shirt instead.

The Briefcase: Manhattan & Co Maverick Briefcase – $299. Saffiano leather. Sleek looks. Review here.

The Watch: Orient Bambino 38 Small Seconds – $220.98. Classy yet still interesting. The entire outfit is basically an extrapolation of this watch’s colors (black strap, silver dial, blue hands). Full review here.

The Socks: Pink Dot Made in the USA Over the Calf Boardroom Socks – $18.50. Conservative base with a splash of color.

The Shoes: ECCO London Plain Toe Chukkas – $159.99 ($229). What they lack in fancy-pants brand name recognition, they make up for in comfort and quiet versatility. The dirt cheap alternative: Clarks Whiddon – $54.99 FINAL ($110)

The Belt: Black Leather Ratchet Dress Belt – $16.99. Looks like a dress belt but with a super precise ratchet system. Dorky? Genius? Maybe a little of both, and no one can really tell. Or just wear whatever your favorite black dress belt happens to be.