How to wear navy blue

Recently while bopping around on Flickr (gathering images for the latest edition of Flickr Favourites), I came across this absolutely wonderful late 1940s magazine page that instantly caught my eye. It did so not only for the sophisticated and very pretty suits that it showcased, but because the headline and accompanying text struck me as still be very relevant for today's vintage loving fashionista (or any style conscious dresser, for that matter).

Navy blue is an interesting colour. As one might suspect based on its name, because this elegantly dark shade of blue (which was originally called marine blue) was adopted by the British Royal Navy for use on their uniforms in 1748, it quickly became associated with this branch of the military and took on an eponymous moniker (as well as being adopted by many other such groups in the decades and centuries to come).

Though we do tend to traditionally associate it with men in uniform, including both members of the navy and the police departments, it has long been put to work on women's uniforms in the same capacities as well, in addition to being a popular shade for both men's and women's suits over the decades. In fact, it has been seen in all kinds of garments and accessories for both genders in a fairly even handed distribution for a few generations now.

So tied to authority figures is navy blue, that some people (whether consciously or subconsciously) shy away (or conversely, are especially attracted to) navy blue for this very reason. In general, these days, most of us wear less navy than we do black, and sometimes also brown and/or grey. Yet its beauty and serene lovely is timeless, and its hue frequently tends to flatter people (especially those with fair colouring) more so than black (that definitely rings true for me, which is why I'm much more apt to wear a navy garment near by face than a stark black one), so it's a colour that deserves a second look for sure!

This 1940s magazine page (click here for a larger, easier to read version) offers up numerous helpful hints for wearing navy blue that are excellent points for vintage and contemporary fashion fans alike to keep in mind. For example, it suggests partnering navy blue with hot orange, kelly green, and dogwood white, all excellent pairings for navy's bold, I-can-take-anything-you-throw-at-me hue.

{This elegantly lovely page of fashion advice first appeared in the February 1948 edition of Calling All Girls magazine. It's colour suggestions still ring true an helpful to this day. Vintage image source.}

If you haven't worn too much navy in your life, or haven't sported in in ages, I'd suggest starting with a solid navy garment such as a shirtwaist dress, pair of trousers, or sweater and seeing how you like it. Navy pairs brilliantly with a wide range of colours thanks to the fact that its dark shade make it a neutral tone. Here are twelve (further) fabulous vintage images that show examples of colours (and styles) that navy plays very well with.



{Navy and red always look sensational together (in part because they're both primary colours). The pairing has a nautical vibe to it, whether intended or not, but can also remind one of the 4th of July and all things patriotic (to Americans, Brits, Aussie, the French, and other countries whose nations colours include blue and red). Whatever you think of when you see or wear them together, they're no denying that they're a match made in colour combo heaven!}




{The mingling of sophisticated navy blue with silver or grey is always radiantly beautiful - it instantly reminds me of the sky on a warm summer's night, as millions of stars pulsate and smile with a twinkle down on the earth. As this stunning 1950s example illustrates, the two make for a magnificent evening wear pairing, especially if you're in the mood for a LND for a fun change of pace.}




{Orange and blue sit across from one another on the colour wheel and are therefore complementary (aka, opposite) colour pairs that naturally go very well together. Here rust hued gloves are partnered with a strikingly chic navy blue day dress for a 1940s look that is nothing short of traffic stopping.}




{A navy blue winter coat can be a marvelous alternative to black or grey, especially if you find blues work better with your personal colouring. Here a deeply lovely navy princess coat is partnered with a matching beige-grey scarf and gloves for a look that is serene, refined, and perpetually lovely.}




{When selecting accessories, don't forget about navy blue. Whether to coordinate with a navy outfit or as a stand alone colour unto itself as part of your ensemble, navy is always a great choice for hats, belts, gloves, scarves, umbrellas, shoes, purse, and - as shown here - most definitely snoods, as well.}




{On top of the perpetually becoming partnership of navy and white, this lovely 1950s fashion page shows pink and navy getting along swimmingly too. Chalk it up to my 80s childhood if you like, but this combination has always been one of my very favourites ever.}




{Here we see navy at work with its two primary colour siblings, red and yellow, and looking fresh, youthful and very pretty in the process. I've long enjoyed yellow and navy together. The pairing is somewhat unexpected nowadays in particular and can work, I find, especially well for mid-spring straight on until September.}




{Aside from being massive adorable, this fantastic 1950s poodle novelty print sees navy blue put to work as a canvass for green, red and grey, a quartet that really hits its off, especially in the context of such a feminine style (where the same pattern in say, sky blue, pink, mint and white might risk looking to twee).}




{We're all heard before that navy and black shouldn't mix, but that notion hold little weight in reality, especially if you keep the portions of the two on a big-small scale, with one dominating and the other playing backup in the form or accessories, shoes, or trims/buttons on a garment. Introduce another colour or two, as this chic ensemble does with white, and chances are folks won't even bat an eye if they see wearing blue and navy in the same outfit.}




{Don't just limit navy to mixing with other solids, it can be a great friend to prints as well, very much including leopard and similar animal patterns, as this fun c. 1950s look does a great job of demonstrating.}




{Purple and navy are such a charming pair, yet we don't see them out and about nearly often enough. Remedy that and take a style cue from the beautiful ensemble on the bottom left and try giving them a day (or night) out more often!}




{Sometimes, especially in the warmer months, you not be in the mood for head-to-toe (or nearly so) navy blue, but you don't want to part ways with it entirely. Used sparingly and/or accessories, it can be a great shot of bold colour in the midst of a light or bright outfit, as in this terrific 1950s skirt suit.}

{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

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Interestingly, while today we tend to associate navy blue with the chilly months of fall and winter, this 1948 magazine page suggests starting your Easter outfit with it, meaning that navy would be squarely on the agenda for spring. As navy teams up gorgeously with many pastels (such as peach, mint green, lilac, baby blue, and buttercup yellow), this can actually be a terrific move and one that can see you on into summer, making navy an excellent all-weather and all season choice (for a real sartorial thrill, as touched on above, partner it with leopard, the two jive together surprisingly well).

Come the dog days of summer, I especially like to pair navy blue with turquoise, red, pale grey, kelly green, and salmon/coral. In the fall, I marry it with pumpkin, cinnamon/fawn, pine green, plum, royal purple, medium grey, cream, red, camel and olive. When winter rolls around, it's time to combine navy with red, burgundy, dark grey, chocolate brown (I utterly adore that pairing!), silver, gold, ivory, black, dark pink, pale yellows, tangerine, oatmeal, and copper (in fact, if you happen to have any copper jewelry, trying wearing it with navy the next time you're in the mood for either and you'll be thrilled by how pleasingly they join stylish forces).

Navy was a common colour in fashion throughout the 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and to a lesser degree, even the 1960s (more so the first half of the decade). It came back in full force during the power suit days of the 80s and while it has certainly never vanished from store shelves entirely, I would say that was the last decade it really enjoyed a long run in the spotlight.

As vintage wearers however, such things never phase us because we generally base our wardrobes around mid-century decades - a time when navy blue was considerably more commonplace - anyhow. Thankfully, because of navy blue's widespread use and popularity during the early and mid-twentieth century, there's no shortage of vintage pieces on the market in this classic colour and they're well worth stocking up on, if and when you can.

I have a navy blue pencil skirt, a couple of navy dresses, two or three navy cardigans, multiple navy blue hats and pairs of gloves, a plaid shirt with navy its core, scarves with navy in their patterns, a pair of navy blue shoes (they go with nearly everything that black or brown shoes do and give your outfit an unexpected kick of colour when folks see your feet), navy plastic bangle bracelets, and a (small - I really want a larger one, too) navy blue vintage handbag.

One of the things that I love about navy is how crisp and confident it is. You can wear it alone or with numerous other colours and it always stands tall and remains an elegant backdrop or centerpiece alike. If someone asked me right now to list ten of the colours that I most associate with pre-1960s garments, navy would definitely be one of them and I can scarcely imagine my old school wardrobe without it.

If you're been sidestepping or feeling shy around navy, why not use these last few icy cold weeks of winter to give it a test drive. It's classic, becoming, versatile, readily available, and so fabulously vintage appropriate, be it in small does like a pair of earrings, a full length winter coat, or everything in between!