Today, Sue of Une Femme and I are giving you our take on black and navy, unappreciated color combination that it is, and dressing up for the holidays. While navy and black may not give you the punch of, say, red and green, or black and silver, for those of us who like our style subtle the combination can be fun to play with.
Just remember, because the two colors are so visually similar, you want to use texture and layout to amp up the look. Layout? What am I talking about? I’m pretending you’re a magazine and I mean a pronounced silhouette and white space, i.e. your skin.
Principles Of Black And Navy, For The Polished Tomboy
- Dress in full understanding of your silhouette. Use it. I’m broad-shouldered and long-waisted. My favorite body part is not my upper thighs. So, I wear a short skinny ribbed sweater (vintage, TSE cashmere), with high(ish)-waisted straight-leg black pants.
- Display strategic skin. I’ve covered my neck but exposed my ankles.
- Texture, sheen, and pattern are your friends. My sweater is ribbed, the pants dupioni silk with lots of sheen, the shoes beaded to within an inch of their lives.
- Do wear spectacular shoes. These Rene Caovillas hurt my feet like heck. For sitting only. Note, spectacular does not have to mean expensive, per se. You want the visual impact, however achieved.
- Carry, hang or drape an accessory big enough to notice in a contrasting color. I am carrying a small gold/silver minaudiere that cost $35. The point being that gold contrasts to the cool tones of the rest of my outfit. Oh, and, although here I’m wearing some large disc earrings – in retrospect I’d go for danglers, as per usual for fancy anything.
- Pay attention to your lipstick. Navy and black look very different on different skin tones, so your goal with lipstick is to highlight your face, not play nice with your clothes. (I got a sample of Bare Minerals new matte liquid lipstick when I took my daughter to Sephora, I really like it. Scented like vanilla though, in case that’s an issue for you.)
Sue may have other rules, and whatever she says, for we surprise each other with these posts, will be correct. (I’ve seen her post now. She looks fantastic)
And we’re off.
My clothes are all from previous years. I’ve owned that TSE turtleneck for a decade. But this look is pretty easy to recreate today. I reminded myself, if not anyone else, of Audrey Hepburn. Even if she never stepped down into the oil spots of auto after auto along a city street.
A Black And Navy For 2019
- Black “Cigarette” Pants with Sheen Ridiculously expensive from Tom Ford || Less expensive from Wolf and Badger
- Skinny Navy Turtleneck Ridiculously expensive from The Row || Way Less Expensive from Bloomingdale’s
- Black Mid-Length Pencil Skirt (because some of you have reminded me that skirts do exist) From Diane von Furstenberg
- Beaded Navy Shoes Expensive from Alberta Ferreti || Less Expensive from Nina at Macy’s
- Wildly Inexpensive Minaudières In rainbow glitter || In black and gold
- Matte Liquid Lip Color from Bare Minerals via Nordstrom
A well-implemented navy and black outfit says, “I’ve got this.” We project as much confidence in quiet as in noise.
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46 Responses
Lisa, this is such a fabulous look! So elegant and modern, would work well for a variety of formalities. Always so much fun to collaborate with you!! xoxo
@Susan B, Thank you! The fun is mutual!
Love your look – and I’m wearing a navy top and black jeans for Thanksgiving! One of my favorite color combinations.
Since I love sling backs with this look, and you said your shoes are so uncomfortable (but do look great) – can I suggest some Manolo’s in the same style? Incredibly comfortable and such a classic style, you’ll wear for years.
@Kathy, I will check into Manolos to replace these. Thanks for the recommendation, and I’m happy to hear we will be sisters in navy and blue:).
You look fabulous! Love the shoes.
@Linda Pakravan, <3
Timely post for me Lisa, as I am contemplating this very colour combination. You look v chic as ever.
@Fran, Thank you so much. I’m happy to help:).
I love this look on you. It’s so simple and elegant. Too bad about the shoes though; they really look great.
@Leslie K, Thanks. I am going to hunt down some Manolos, I think, as I do love the look of a low-heeled slingback. Like if this came in other colors…https://api.shopstyle.com/action/apiVisitRetailer?id=512242264&pid=uid2249-1072693-72
The black and the navy in these are both beautiful. The black you’d wear forever too.
This is so smart! I love the use of normal clothes that we wear on a regular basis taken up a notch with sheen and sparkle. I have been mixing more navy with my black staples this year for increased wardrobe mileage.
@Elizabeth, Thank you. I too love a really versatile piece of clothing.
Fabulous outfit and hair.Love it.
@Yvonne, Thank you!
You look so pretty! You rock a turtleneck. Tnecks are a staple of a winter wardrobe here. Cashmere being especially nice.
@Mary anne, Thank you. I haven’t yet figured out why turtlenecks work on me, I’m sure physics is in there, but, I do admit I’m comfortable in them.
Just a point – I had the impression that far from being an unappreciated combination navy and black together were actually compulsory . Certainly in blogland , like jeans . I worked out finally that navy doesn’t suit me and never really has so have given myself permission not to wear it . There is also the association with school uniforms which may be a UK problem only relevant to those of us of ‘a certain age’. I love black & dupion silk tho’ and wish I had your ankles to wear that lovely pair of trousers !
@Rukshana Afia, Full permission not to wear navy ever! You can have all the orange I won’t be using, how does that sound?:) And black and denim is one thing, black and true navy I think of as a little different.
You look wonderful in your black and navy ensemble. I’ve been trying to reintroduce navy blue to my wardrobe. It was my central accent color in the 1980s. My clothes are now black, gray, cream, and brown, with blue from light to dark denim. Do you remember the old fashion rule about never combining brown and black? That was one rule I always ignored since I think they look beautiful together, as in riding boots. Since you know tech environments, you’d appreciate that, dressed more formally than usual at my tech company, in a black and brown outfit, a woman from the marketing department who was always beautifully turned out, said to me in a whisper, as though she was telling me something illicit, “I see what you’re doing with black and brown, and I appreciate it.” That made me laugh. I envy you your TSE sweater. I had a gorgeous TSE cropped elbow sleeve boatneck sweater in a cream color that was ruined during a lunch at Ming’s when I choked on a sticky rice ball and had to be Heimliched by my friend and Engineering VP who had taken me to lunch. When one’s life flashes before one’s eyes, one’s normally delicate and dewy perspiration takes a turn for the corrosive. No amount of dry or hand cleaning could restore that TSE piece to its former pristine state. I still have its black turtleneck elbow sleeve sister. Both were purchased at the TSE store at Stanford in the early 1990s, which seems like yesterday, but isn’t. I’ve been looking for a pair of navy booties to wear with black jeans. I’ve found blue booties, but nothing in a true navy. Love your shot of Audrey Hepburn. That outfit, which she revealed from under a beautiful coat in Linus Larrabee’s office, is one of my favorites in all of moviedom. I own the film Sabrina, and I’ve taken screenshots of Hepburn in that scene so I can admire the simple beauty of those pieces on Hepburn’s lithe frame. I’m with Kathy on the shoes. Uncomfortable shoes are the devil. There is a comfortable pair of navy blue beaded slingbacks calling your name. Thank you for allowing me to think of something other than the current state of our government. This had been a relaxing interlude. xo.
@Katherine C. James, I love brown and black together, I totally agree with you. And thank you for the sourcing of the Audrey photo, it seems to have passed into General Internet Domain and I saw many copies but did not see where it came from!
I’m listening for the song of the blue slingbacks and when I hear it I will break into hallelujahs;).
I love this post and have suggested it as a great post to my FB friends. AND, I am totally with you on the idea of inexpensive dressy/showy heels. I went to a wedding in late August and my dressed required silver heels—which I would only wear with that particular dress. I found a pair that were perfect (and fairly comfortable) on the inexpensive end of the scale. (I don’t remember the cost but somewhere between $85 and $120). I was very happy with that choice.
I’m glad black and navy are a good combo because I am going to Santa Fe for Thanksgiving at the end of the week with a new Barbour Navy winter coat and will be wearing black (and gray) with it.
@Susan D., Your Thanksgiving outfit appeals to me, subtle, classic, appropriate, comfortable, casual, elegant, all of it. Thank you very much for suggesting the post to your friends, who I imagine I will like enormously.
Loveth your color choice..Just perfect for an understated look…Sophisticated, chic and classic…
But what I related to and shared a smile was: Skirts do exist…I so forgot to read that memo….as I blithely move along my way always in pants which are always black or navy…As, skirts do exist? Really..they do?…
@Deede, Well, I hear tell they exist, so I’m making sure I leave no one out;). Thanks!
So elegant,you look exquisite.
Two days ago,at the concert (Faust,C. Gounod) I was wearing black silk trousers with a navy top :-) . One of my favourite combinations ! Want to bring more navy things back,too-it is the colour I love!
And Audrey !<3
Dottoressa
@dottoressa, Ah, so often when you describe your style choices I just nod my head, like, “Uhuh. Yesssss.”
Lisa,
You look sensational. Classy. Sophisticated.
I like to wear black and brown.
@BarbG, Thank you, Black and brown are great.
Absolutely LOVE those pants!
Too bad that the shoes hurt as they are fabulous to look at!
Your tips are very timely what with the festive season just weeks away…well done.
@Bungalow Hostess, Thank you so much! I aim to please:).
You and Sue both look great. Thank you for including some reasonably priced options too! Thank you again for this post. Suz from Vancouver
@Suz, Nice to meet you, and you’re welcome! No need to spend $$$ when the alternative products are out there:).
LOOK out SOUTH of MARKET she is ROCKING IT!!!!!!!!
@LA CONTESSA, You recognized my locale! Thank you:).
Quiet confidence! Love that idea!
@Valentine, :) So useful in so many ways!
Wow! I love this look. For years, I avoided pairing navy and black and now I am getting used to the idea. It looks sophisticated and you are right about varying the textures. And, yes, very Audrey Hepburn, my role model!
@Jane, Thank you. Audrey is tough to replicate but so great when done to satisfaction:).
I love the combination of black and navy. You look very chic, the textures and styles you chose suit you beautifully. My 20something daughter is against this color combination (Alas, she is young…). We are always at odds over it, but I continue to wear the combination whenever I’m inspired to do so. Your post has reminded me how much I like it. I’m going to check my closet for possibilities. :-)
@suburbanmom2, Why thank you ma’am! And youth, ah, they don’t know what they don’t know:).
You look fantastic! I love the whole outfit – might just have to copy it :) I have such a hard time with non-denim pants. Maybe going for texture is just the move I need. (- longtime lurker)
Just a darling look.
Great post! And I simply MUST have those pants. Really really lovely!
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