How to style blue

Styling tips and ideas
for this trend colour

Midnight blue, bluebottle blue or sapphire blue: no matter the shade, the colour blue is an absolute classic and goes great with lots of other colours. Furthermore, blue is an absolute front-runner when it comes to favourite colours. No wonder: whether trouser suits in bold Atlantic blue, outdoor jackets in dark navy blue or tops in pale bright blue – there are blue nuances for every season!

Read on to find out which nuances are amongst the hottest trend colours right now and get the best styling tips for blue as well as great outfit ideas:

Contents:

What colours go with blue?
Styling tips for blue

New styles in blue

What colours go with blue?

The colour blue is a real all-rounder, because it adapts to all other colour tones. As such, it works well with the entire colour palette from black, grey and brown to pink and red. Pale azure blue goes great with soft lemon yellow in summer, royal blue and beige always guarantee an eye-catching look while the combination of navy blue and red remains a classic. Even blue on blue can be a winning combination! A big trend right now is two-tone denim: some looks that are setting the tone include a pale denim jacket with dark blue jeans or a navy blue long sleeve top under a light blue pair of dungarees!

Blue also works well with other colours in patterns: nautical outfits with vertical or horizontal stripes in the classic blue and white are a safe choice, while more distinctive prints such as the modern ikat pattern make a real statement.

Which colour is blue’s complementary colour?

The biggest contrast to blue is formed by blue’s complementary colour orange, which lies opposite blue in the colour wheel.

Complementary colours amplify one another and are a must-have combination for modern statement looks. What are some examples? Add a colour accent to a dark blue summer dress in the form of an orange scarf or go all-in with a navy blue pair of culottes combined with an orange T-shirt.

What colours go with light blue?

Light blue tones such as ice blue, sky blue or turquoise go great with colours that are just as soft as they are. Prime examples of this include pastel colours such as fresh lilac, pink, a pale vanilla yellow and mint green. If you want to use light blue as a statement, neutral colours such as white, grey and cream are good choices in order to give the look a calming touch.

In the office, this could be in the form of a light blue shirt blouse paired with grey jeans. In your free time, a pair of jeans with a pale garment wash teamed with a lilac knitted jumper and a light blue trench coat form a great outfit to transition between the seasons! For special occasions, a light blue dress is perfect for combining with accessories in grey or cream.

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What goes with dark blue?

A dark blue such as navy blue, indigo, navy or midnight blue enhances any look and always comes into its own in combination with bold colours. Above all, dark blue goes especially well with yellow, orange and pink. The classic nautical look comprising navy blue, red and white is of course also a must. The accessories are up to you: gold jewellery has a warmer look, while cool silver jewellery also works well in winter.

For special occasions such as weddings, try wearing a dark blue dress with delicate strappy sandals, simple earrings, a necklace with a pendant and a clutch.

For a casual chic look, we recommend a light-coloured trench coat with a dark blue blazer and trousers ensemble and a long-sleeved shirt that picks up on the colour of the jacket. Chic in your free time, but always a stylish eye-catcher in the office too.

Monochrome outfits:
combining blue with blue

There are two options in this scenario: the greatest possible contrast or exactly tone-on-tone.

If you want to combine different blue nuances in your outfit, the shades should be clearly differentiated from one another: Light blue to dark navy blue – as in our outfit example – or midnight blue to cobalt blue is advisable here.

All fans of understated looks should settle for a single colour tone. You can wear it in two-piece ensembles, for instance a blouse top with wide trousers. You can add the finishing touch to your outfit by picking up on the blue tone in a pattern on the top, e.g. in the form of stripes, which are currently super trendy.

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Colour blocking: colour combinations with blue

Combining blue with red

In addition to neutral earth tones, strong accent colours such as red go particularly well with dark blue and mid-blue clothing.

Our tips:
1. a nautical look can be created in an instant by wearing dark blue trousers with a white and blue striped jumper and a red jacket.
2. a layering look for leisure and the office can be created by combining a light blue blouse with a mid-blue waistcoat and a red coat.
3. a business outfit with a blue blazer and blue trousers can be broken up with a patterned blouse in accent colours.

Combining blue with pink

Now it's getting gaudy! Colour blocking par excellence - the colour combination of blue and pink is ideal for this.

Our tips:
1. pink goes well with all shades of blue: from ice blue to sea blue and navy.
2. a colour blocking look should never include more than three colours, but two colours should be from the same colour family. Example: pink with cornflower blue and dark blue, rosé and pink with azure blue.
3. outfit idea: Stripes are on trend, so go for a blue striped jumper and combine it with pink 7/8 trousers.

Combining blue with green

Blue and green – does that work? We say: yes! The view that you should never combine green with blue is old hat. Analogous colours, i.e. colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel, harmonise very well with each other.

Our tips:
1. make sure that the shades of blue and green go together. Olive green is perfect with denim blue, bright lime green goes well with light blue.
2. combine a trendy sky blue blouse with stripes with green chino trousers.
3. spice up a monochrome outfit with colourful accents: A knee-skimming blue dress with a green waist belt and green pumps.

Combining blue with beige

The next dream combination is blue with beige. The blue you choose to pair with this earth tone depends on the occasion: for smart occasions, an elegant midnight blue is perfect, while a cheery light blue works well for a more casual look.

Casual in the office: beige chinos paired with a light blue shirt blouse. You can wear loafers or moccasins in beige for work, then slip into comfortable flats afterwards.

Combining blue with black

When two classics collide: blue and black are amongst the colours that simply go with everything – including one another. In autumn and winter, it is especially elegant when dark colours are combined: a navy blue cape with black jeans makes a stylish impression both in and out of the office!

To make sure the colours pop in summer, it is advisable to pair dark black with a radiant blue tone such as royal blue. Especially beautiful: a bold, light blue top with black faux leather trousers and black ankle boots.

Styling tips: this is how versatile blue can be

Cobalt blue, midnight blue, navy blue, turquoise, aquamarine, sapphire blue, royal blue or Oxford blue – blue tones come in countless nuances, and the combination possibilities are endless. But how should you style blue for specific occasions, and how can you make blue pieces the centre of an outfit? We reveal all in our styling tips for blue:

Styling casual outfits with blue

Wearing blue in everyday outfits is an absolute must for all fashion lovers!! Alongside black, blue is one of the colours that you can always wear. For comfy casual outfits, one excellent choice is of course denim blue, but petrol and navy are also very popular in modern trouser designs such as culottes and chinos. Monochrome outfits with contrasts are particularly attractive: simply combine soft pastel blue with dark blue jeans.

Our tip for a casual chic outfit in spring: a blue and white striped blazer jacket with a white print shirt and casual blue jeans with wide legs. A dark blue jacket that you can take off if necessary goes well over this. The perfect layering piece for any weather!

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Styling business outfits with blue

The trend for trouser suits in bright colours works particularly well in the office. The top underneath determines how simple the look looks: Would you prefer a subtle white top or an eye-catching print shirt? The choice is yours!

Otherwise, the composition of a business look depends on the dress code at your workplace. A midnight blue shift dress looks very elegant with a checked jacquard blazer. In a more casual setting, you can combine a short-sleeved jumper with a geometric pattern with a white blouse and jeans. Feel-good factor included!

The combination of dark blue and brown is suitable for every season and always looks chic. Here you can also combine a light blue blazer jacket with brown jeans and a white blouse for a relaxed dress code in the office.

Elegant business looks in blue

How to style dark blue trousers

Looking for something a little smarter? No problem! In most professions, an office look including a pair of dark blue stretch trousers and a fitted long blazer is now completely acceptable. The perfect mix for a professional but nonetheless casual look!

Trend tip for spring 2024: trouser suits for women. The power suits can be styled wonderfully in all colours, but the all-over style in mysterious midnight blue looks particularly classy.

To sum up: How to style blue

The colour blue is a classic that you can always count on when it comes to delivering a fashionable look. In general, blue is considered a cold colour which many people associate with ice and water, making blue perfect for elegant winter outfits. Dark blue quilted coats or jumpers instantly make every outfit more elegant. Spring is all about showing off more colour: bold cobalt blue or soft sky blue give our spring outfits the colourful freshness that we so sorely missed in winter.

Either way: blue is a real all-rounder and goes great with all other tones in the colour palette, making the styling possibilities endless. So go ahead and start with your favourite blue tone and try out some of the more courageous combinations which you haven’t been brave enough for yet!