Navy: The Other Neutral

Navy: The Other Neutral

I’ve been in a layering mood lately. In my last post, I emphasized how important it was to keep one half of your outfit structured if the other half is more loose or flowy to avoid looking frumpy when layering. Yesterday, my top was loose and my bottoms were structured. Today, I wanted to show you the opposite using one of my other favorite neutral colors, navy blue.

Navy is a neutral that is often overlooked. I’ll be the first to admit that I usually only reach for navy blue when it’s too hot to wear black but I’m trying to break that habit. More often than not, you see navy blue blazers paired with white jeans or khakis (I love those combinations) but did you ever consider pairing it with red pants? Or maybe try a monochromatic look with lighter denim like I did here? Navy is starting to look better and better, right?

I could have just let it be with the navy blue blazer but like I said I’ve been in a layering mood lately. I decided to layer my navy blazer with my cropped denim jacket to add more texture and depth. Plus I couldn’t resist another chance to wear denim on denim. I rolled the cuffs on my navy blazer as well as on the denim jacket to expose the denim cuffs and popped both collars to emphasize the layering. Rolling up and exposing the cuffs is a great way to “dress down” your blazer and add a fun detail to an otherwise basic (and I really don’t like using that word) look.

Shirt choice is completely up to you. I opted for a round neck plain white tee here but you could do a white button up shirt or even a blue striped button up. Popping the collar is optional but I’d totally do it. 3 popped collars?? Who does she think she is?? And it’s definitely not the 1980’s!

Flared jeans are definitely back in, even cropped flares! I opted for a pair of high waisted flares in this look but you can’t go wrong with whatever cut you decide on. I tend to gravitate towards mid-rise and high waisted jeans because they elongate my legs and make me appear taller. I’m only 5’2″ so I need all the help I can get. The only thing I would avoid is darker wash jeans here though because you need the contrast to break up the look a bit.

Accessorizing the Navy Blazer

Awwh yeah! I got to break out one of my favorite clutches with this outfit. I wanted to keep my accessories to a minimum since I already have a lot going on with my outfit. But if you need some bling, you could do a delicate lariat necklace with your button up blouse or a great statement ring is always a winner.  Or if you go the red pants route, a skinny leopard belt would be a great addition to your outfit.

Although you cannot see my shoes under my flares (I left this pair long intentionally), I’m wearing pointed-toe boots with these jeans.  Shoe style choice really depends on what cut of jean you ultimately decide on.  If you do a straight leg or a skinny jean, you could do flats or heels.  I personally prefer pointed-toe shoes in all instances because they make me look taller but it’s up to you.  With boyfriend jeans I would only do heels (to elongate the legs and for structure) and with boot cut or flares you can go either way – as long as your jeans aren’t dragging on the ground.  If you wanted to make a bolder statement, a leopard print shoe would be really nice here – even with the striped shirt.  You’d really look like a seasoned pro with your print mixing and layering all in one outfit!

I hope that this post made you look at navy blue as not just an alternative to black but as a neutral that can shine just as bright as its other neutral siblings.

Have a great day everyone!

xoxo, CCB

Photography: Kristin Tully

Outfit Details: H&M blazer (old but similar here), BP cropped denim jacket (old but I like this one too), 7 For All Mankind “Giselle” flared jeans (similar here), Michael Kors oversized clutch (old), Celine sunglasses