Navy blue: the essential neutral for your wardrobe
Navy blue - the secret to elevating your wardrobe with one simple swap
Finding the right neutral base is crucial for creating a cohesive wardrobe - and navy blue outperforms black in almost every way. While having black in your wardrobe might seem like a fashion requirement, navy blue is actually the answer for almost everyone; it’s a foundational colour that's cohesive, flattering, and can be mixed and matched with virtually any colour in your existing wardrobe.
Of course, there’s more than just one navy, so keep reading to discover why navy blue should be your new wardrobe essential, and how to choose and style it for your seasonal colour palette.
Why navy blue is a better neutral than black
That little black dress might be a fashion icon, but navy blue deserves the crown for wardrobe versatility. Unlike harsh black, navy complements a wider range of skin tones and pairs beautifully with more colours thanks to being slightly less intense, easier to mix and match with all four colour palettes, and its and balance of warm and cool tones.
If you find yourself struggling to style your black pieces or always reaching for bright lipstick to balance them out, navy blue offers the perfect solution – just as sophisticated as its noir friend, but infinitely more forgiving
A guide to finding the perfect navy for your seasonal colour palette
If you’re not sure about your seasonal palette, then classic true navy blue works well for almost everyone. Whether your wardrobe features vibrant statement pieces or subdued neutrals, traditional navy is the perfect foundation colour, pairing effortlessly with:
- A classic camel trench
- Virtually any accent colour you can think of
- Denim jeans
- White shirts (or your version of white – cream or stone might be better for you!)
So remember, you can always turn to true navy for a safe option, but if you know your seasonal palette, read on to learn how to tweak this classic to be even better for you…
Jump to Navy for Spring Seasonal Palette
Jump to Navy for Summer Seasonal Palette
Navy blue for the Spring seasonal colour palette
For Spring palette colouring, your navy appears light, bright and a couple of shades lighter than what could be considered 'true' navy – almost a royal blue. This lighter, brighter navy creates a natural balance within your palette while maintaining that classic neutral versatility, and is a really useful formal colour option which still maintains your Spring palette lightness.
We recommend 'Bright Navy' for the Spring seasonal colour palette. Shop Bright Navy here.
Styling tip: Pair with lighter denim pieces to enhance that fresh spring palette vibrancy.
This version of navy pairs beautifully with coral pinks, sorbet yellows, and grassy greens, and remember is that your colours work best in contrast, with blocks of dark neutral, light neutral and splashes of colour, so adding a bit of bold colour or contrast with one of the lighter colours will give your navy a lift.
Navy blue for the Summer seasonal colour palette
If your wardrobe contains lots of soft, smoky shades including denim blues and grays, the summer palette navy is your perfect match.
Summer's navy is slightly softened and greyed, like so much of the Summer palette. Usually known as 'french navy', Summer's navy is like Winter season's navy softened by a hot weather heat haze, or seen through barbecue smoke, perfect for your slightly lower contrast colouring.
Along with grey, navy is a great neutral for summers and generally easy to find in the softened Summer version. Summer's colours generally work well in a harmonious, blended fashion, meaning your navy works brilliantly with the mid tone pinks and blues and burgundy, but can also create a more formal look when paired with higher contrast soft white or pastel pink.
We recommend 'French Navy' for the Summer seasonal colour palette. Shop French Navy here.
Styling tip: Create tonal combinations with similar soft blue shades and accent with smoky pinks for a harmonious summer palette look.
Navy Blue for the Autumn seasonal colour palette
While earth tones might initially seem disconnected from navy, Autumn's version, perhaps the furthest from what we think of as true navy, leans into a dark marine shade with plenty of warmth.
The subtle yellow undertones in this navy variation, which give it a teal tone, harmonise beautifully with rust, olive, and amber shades. However, for more formal purposes, it can be tricky to get hold of that particular shade in suiting and workwear, and a true navy (paired with Autumn shades to warm it up) tends to be the next best alternative for a more formal look.
We recommend 'Marine Navy' for the Autumn seasonal colour palette. Shop Marine Navy here.
Styling tip: Combine with on-trend olive pieces for a rich, warm combination that outperforms any cold, crisp navy for autumn palette wearers.
Navy Blue for the Winter seasonal colour palette
Winter has its pick of dark neutrals - charcoal grey, black and navy all belong in this palette, but you can't beat a true deep, cool navy for timeless elegance. Somewhat easier on the complexion than black generally is, it can offer an easy alternative, and looks more chic and timeless than black with some of Winter's brightest shades. An almost-black navy maintains the high contrast winter types need while feeling more timeless, sleek and chic.
Navy and white can offer a classic outfit option that looks thoroughly sophisticated. A splash of a third colour, such a bright red lipstick or emerald green boxy cardigan, can give the contrast that works so well for Winters. If you don't need to go for your most formal option, a neutral navy backdrop with a splash of colour in a cardigan or camisole keeps an office look interesting.
We recommend 'Navy' for the Winter seasonal colour palette. Shop Navy here.
Styling tip: Create dramatic high-contrast combinations with bright pinks, reds, or crisp whites for true winter palette impact.
Your Navy wardrobe essentials
Ready to incorporate more navy into your wardrobe? Start with these essentials, either in classic navy or your best version of this timeless colour:
About Kettlewell
Kettlewell is a British fashion brand, dedicated to empowering individuals to effortlessly wear their most flattering colours. As the UK's leading online colour retailer, we offer an extensive range of everyday wardrobe essentials in over 300 carefully curated shades, catering to women worldwide. Our focus is on harnessing the power of confidence-boosting colour and timeless fashion to help create wardrobes that inspire joy and personal style.
