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Writer's pictureCristina Bernes Photography

Business Suit; OK, but WHAT COLOR?

Updated: Jun 6, 2021

If you've seen of my other blogs I refer to a study that was done by John T Malloy in relationship to color combinations in dressing for business in the corporate world, but this can extend to apply also to good color combinations in life that can communicate trustworthiness and comfort and are a way to communicate with people before they even speak to us. 


But before I get into the color combinations I wanted to put in a plug for the MATERIAL that the suit is made of, as that can create a good or bad impression: For a suit, you do not want a suit made of simple polyester material as that comes across as cheap and un-classy. You for the winter you want your suit made of wool or wool mixes, for the summer it can be cotton or cotton blends, linen, or other blends but NOT 100% plain polyester. It is best when there is a fabric pattern such as herringbone, gabardine, tweed or different pattern woven into the fabric threads, which is also known as Jacquard. For the material that the blouse it is preferable that it made of either cotton, cotton blends, silk, or linen. If it is of man-made fabric such as rayon or other it just needs to be made well and rich looking. It is ok if the blouse has small micro-prints. 



For the color combinations of jacket/blouse/pant or skirt here ere are some colors that work well: A Black suit jacket can go with the following combinations: Skirt/Pants Color:                 Blouse color: Medium gray...................................White Light gray...........................................Off white Burgundy............................................Pale Blue Rust........................................................Light Beige Maroon................................................Pale pink Taupe....................................................Red Grayish beige.................................Oyster Charcoal Gray.................................Light Gray Medium Blue..................................Heather Blue A Navy suit jacket can go with the following combinations: Skirt/Pants Color:                        Blouse color: Beige with Gray tint............................White (small print is ok) Medium Gray............................................Pale Blue Charcoal Gray..........................................Light Beige Medium Blue...........................................Maroon Taupe.............................................................White Light gray...................................................Rust or pale yellow Beige.............................................................Ecru Camel............................................................Blue Bluish gray................................................Pale pink or light gray A Navy suit jacket can go with the following color dresses: beige, beige with gray, pale blue, red, blue, light gray, pale yellow, pale pink, maroon, rust, off-white. Medium blue jacket can go with the following color combinations: Skirt/Pant Color:                        Blouse color: Beige..............................................................White Dark Gray....................................................Pale Blue Medium Gray............................................Heathered blue Beige Gray.................................................Beige Gray Taupe..............................................................Creamy beige Camel.............................................................Rust Stronger blue...........................................Pale Yellow Charchoal Gray.......................................Maroon/Red/Ecru Dress color: beige, rust, maroon, creamy, beige, medium gray, light gray, beige gray, red, ecru, pale yellow. A Medium Gray Jacket (which is the best of the gray colors) can go with the following combinations: Skirt/Pant                                     Blouse color: Charchoal.....................................................White Navy Blue....................................................Light Blue Beige Gray....................................................Oyster Taupe...............................................................Ivory Black.................................................................Maroon Deep Maroon.............................................Red, Salmon A Beige/Gray jacket combines well with: Skirt/Pant color:                           Blouse color: Navy Blue.....................................................Pale Blue Medium Blue.............................................Heathered blue Dark Gray......................................................Rust Black................................................................Maroon Black................................................................Maroon Gray..................................................................Red Maroon/Cranberry, dark brown or gray and brown....................................................light blue. [Very dark brown jacket (not recommended apparently) but it goes with a skirt/pants that are  either Beige, khaki or taupe, and a blouse that is either: ecru, white, pale blue or pale yellow. And it goes with a dress that is beige, taupe, pale blue or pale yellow.] A Medium Brown jacket has the following color combinations: Skirt/Pant color:                           Blouse color: Dark Brown....................................................Pale blue Khaki...................................................................Heather blue Beige..................................................................Ecru Medium Range blue..............................Off white, khaki, beige or pale yellow. Well that was white a bit to absorb! You can use this as a reference for outfit planning and also for everyday casual clothes for what color matches with what that looks good. Nice to have it all ready at your fingertips so you don't have to think about it too much.

XOXO,  Cristina

feel free to write me if you have any questions, at cristinabernesmail@protonmail.com

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