When choosing the color of a custom made suit, many factors must be taken into consideration – for what occasion we need this garment, whether we can afford a bit of personalization, and whether we will feel good and comfortable in it. At this point, many men state that they need an elegant suit and feel best in black, and the advisors begin to advocate for navy blue. Today, we will consider whether this is actually a correct approach backed by experience, or if black simply has bad press in the world of classic menswear elegance.
How to Wear a Black Suit?
The color black in men’s elegance is strictly reserved for formal and evening occasions. Consequently, tailcoats and tuxedos – meaning the most elegant evening garments a man can wear – are black, as well as black suits intended for balls or… for funerals. Black accessories, such as black leather shoes or black ties, also serve as the absolute most elegant options, so it cannot be hidden that in the world of wools, black is simply a highly formal color.
Keeping the above in mind, we already know for which occasions a black suit will be thoroughly appropriate – these will either be evening occasions that are not of the highest rank and do not strictly require a tuxedo or a tailcoat (without a black tie and white tie dress code), or funerals. We are mostly interested in the first variant, because it contains the precise answer to the question: “will a black suit be appropriate for my own wedding?”. If it is a glamour or classic style wedding, then a black suit will absolutely be the correct choice.
Check out: black wedding tuxedo
Is a Navy Blue Suit More Versatile Than a Black One?
The short answer would be “it is,” while the longer answer is obviously “it depends.” If our main criterion is pure versatility, then the navy blue suit will be better, but only if it is not tailored from the absolute darkest fabric and in a strictly formal cut. As can be seen in the attached photos, a formal navy blue suit essentially looks almost exactly like a black suit. For this exact reason, when we think primarily about evening, ballroom, and formal situations, these two suits will stand on a very similar level of overall versatility.
The matter looks entirely different when it comes to regular, everyday utilization – meaning light blue shirts, brown shoes, contrasting ties, and a bit more playing around with fashion. In this case, navy blue will definitively take the lead because it is significantly easier to wear and match with other colors. For a professional business meeting, navy blue will work very well, whereas black not necessarily.
Additionally, if we decide on a beautiful matte fabric and allow ourselves to introduce a few small changes to the cut that will noticeably lower the garment’s formality, then the navy blue option will definitely be much more versatile for everyday use as well. By choosing a slightly lighter material, more topstitching, and patch pockets, we can effortlessly obtain a semi-formal jacket that will perfectly defend itself in sharp smart-casual ensembles.
Deviations from These Rules
We must remember, however, that today we do not live in the 19th century and we can certainly allow ourselves significantly more deviations from these rigid rules. Today, we have at our disposal many fantastic black fabrics that will comfortably pass as informal, meaning black linens, black corduroy, or even black denim, and they will all work perfectly as materials for tailoring jackets or everyday trousers. The specific aspects that determine whether a fabric is less elegant are, for example, a matte structure or an irregular texture – meaning exactly something we would rather not see in a highly elegant suit.
Black can then be brilliantly combined with many different colors. It will blend flawlessly with white or grey, and further in the article, we will showcase a combination with beige that can work perfectly as a stylish outfit for the wedding after-party (poprawiny). Sometimes, it is enough to simply choose the right second pair of trousers, and you can easily utilize your custom made wedding jacket for yet another wonderful occasion!
Pastel colors will also pair wonderfully with black, so it is worthwhile to consider somewhat unusual solutions like subtle sage or delicate lilac. Contrary to appearances, however, it is much easier to match navy blue; therefore, if our primary criterion is successfully combining many garments with this single, custom made item, it is definitely much better to order a navy blue material.
A Black Double-Breasted Suit for a Wedding
Enjoying the grand return of looser cuts to the fashion salons, we finally decided to present a suit that benefits immensely from this styling solution. The black double-breasted suit, because that is what we are talking about, is a highly distinguished evening suit and the absolute most elegant one imaginable. Will it work well for your own wedding and other significant events? Absolutely!
A double-breasted cut should be slightly looser than a single-breasted one, thanks to which we will effectively prevent the material from pulling unsightly near the fastening button. The jacket should also feature a high armhole, ensuring that the entire jacket does not fly upward with every single movement of the arms. Wider trousers harmonize wonderfully with this form of jacket, creating a deeply elegant, timeless, and perfectly cohesive ensemble.
Although we primarily emphasize the high formality of this garment through its double-breasted cut, subdued buttons, and jetted pockets, we decided on a few small stylistic accents showing that this is undeniably a custom madepiece of clothing. We are talking about meticulously sewing in the sleeves with a beautiful Neapolitan shirring, decorative topstitching not only along the lapels but also near the majority of the seams, as well as an elegant turn-up cuff on the trousers. These are subtle nuances that, theoretically, should not be found in a strictly formal suit, but our fundamental task is to ensure that the client is completely satisfied – so if he genuinely likes such small sartorial details, why should he give them up at all costs?
In our extensive advice section, we also describe a classic black single-breasted suit paired with a waistcoat. We present an entirely different premium fabric – Dormeuil TONIK – as well as a version featuring a smooth matching waistcoat and a contrasting grey checked waistcoat. Black absolutely does not have to be limited to just one single option, although in every possible variant, it remains a thoroughly elegant suit.
What Accessories to Choose for a Black Suit?
The simplest and most classic option is a black tie, a crisp white pocket square, a white shirt, and black leather shoes; however, we can certainly play around with many interesting details. In the case of the tie, you can turn towards a beautiful black grenadine, the pocket square can feature a highly subtle pattern, and the shoes… in the photos, we present black oxfords, which are the most formal men’s shoes that can be paired with a suit, but we also clearly see the possibility of combining such a set with elegant black tassel loafers, taking a distinct stylistic turn towards Italy.
All the carefully utilized accessories are readily available in our online store. Although we have a stunning black grenadine tie in our permanent offer, for the sake of variety, we decided on a truly one-of-a-kind sage green tie featuring large, striking ornaments. The tie, shirt, cufflinks, pocket squares, and elegant shoes are all available directly below.
A Navy Blue Suit with a Waistcoat for a Wedding
A more frequently recommended alternative is the navy blue wedding suit in various configurations, especially heavily featuring a waistcoat. On the pages of our style guides, we have already extensively described a set with a contrasting waistcoat, which is why today we will focus entirely on a beautiful three-piece set, meaning a suit with a waistcoat crafted from the exact same fabric. This is the absolute most formal version of a navy blue suit, so it is highly worthwhile to consider it for a glamour or deeply classic style wedding.
The navy blue wedding suit carefully tailored in our workshop is also not a standard example of such a garment. Thanks to properly selecting a gorgeous matte fabric, we could allow ourselves a few elements that subtly lower the formality, and one that specifically lowers the formality in a highly noticeable way. In the first group, we include decorative edge stitching, delicately shirred sleeve heads, and notch lapels (a strictly elegant version of the suit would feature peak lapels), whereas in the second group, we will place the much more casual patch pockets.
Guided firmly by the exact same mission as in the case of the black suit, we allowed for minor, thoughtful deviations from the rigid rules, because they will remain practically unnoticeable in the full sartorial entourage – when we are dealing with a navy blue suit featuring a waistcoat in the exact same color, a crisp white shirt, a highly formal tie, and sleek black shoes, the patch pockets will not drastically change the overall perception of the entire garment. The notch lapels combined effortlessly with the patch pockets, however, will allow you to utilize this jacket in much less formal stylings down the road.
A navy blue suit paired perfectly with a grey checked waistcoat appears in our style guides quite regularly, and the most comprehensive article is obviously the one from our dedicated wedding series. In it, we proudly present the formal navy blue suit, which is our undisputed wedding bestseller and quite probably the most frequently chosen garment for one’s own wedding. We completed the beautiful photo session in the historic Willa Berlińska.
The featured waistcoat is double-breasted. Even though it is a slightly less frequently seen cut, we are its incredibly loyal fans, especially in the realm of custom tailoring. In this precise setting, we can perfectly adjust the length of the waistcoat to the exact rise of the trousers and thoroughly ensure the flawless, harmonious proportions of the entire set.
What Accessories to Choose for a Navy Blue Suit?
We can effortlessly combine practically any color with navy blue to achieve a highly satisfying combination. We strongly recommend deciding on colors that you genuinely like the most – rich burgundy, deep purple, classic bottle green, or radiant gold – because we are absolutely not limited by any strict guidelines. Sticking closely to the formal dress code, however, it is still highly advisable to opt for sleek black leather shoes and a crisp white shirt. Let us firmly leave the brown shoes for situations closely related to daily work.
For a striking contrast to the black suit, in the navy blue ensemble, we feature a highly fanciful, pure silk pocket square and a bright white tie adorned with strongly popping ornaments. Light, elegant ties are readily available in our online store in many distinct variants, and in our professional opinion, they are the absolute perfect accessories for a custom made wedding suit.
Dormeuil Travel Resistant – 4-Ply Wool
To expertly tailor both the black and navy blue suits, we utilized premium wool from the renowned Dormeuil Travel Resistant collection. An absolute novelty in the prestigious French brand’s collection are the 4-ply wools, which are exceptional materials where four individual fibers are tightly twisted together to obtain a single robust thread. This intricate process makes the wool incredibly springy and highly resistant to unsightly creases, while simultaneously allowing it to be woven with a highly breathable open weave, meaning it is absolutely perfect for the warmer spring and summer months. The materials are beautifully matte and absorb light flawlessly, and we fully intend to utilize them regularly in the future.
How to Dress for the After-Party? A Black Jacket and Beige Trousers
We are massive fans of thoroughly utilizing the custom made garments we carefully tailor for our clients in many completely different ways. Even a garment as deeply elegant and seemingly non-versatile as a black suit can be successfully broken into stylish separates, provided we expertly select a matching contrasting color. We decisively chose to remain with the classic white shirt, but we swapped out the sage tie in favor of a beautiful cream tie with elegant ornaments, and we changed the trousers to a much lighter beige.
The combination of deep black and light beige is undeniably one of my absolute favorites, and I utilize it enthusiastically at every possible opportunity. To drastically change the overall character of the black jacket, it is enough to simply change the trousers to a lighter shade, and we instantly have a significantly more casual, everyday set. By completely ditching the tie and deciding on a highly textured oxford weave shirt, as well as swapping the formal oxfords for relaxed loafers, we can lower the level of formality even further. Although I would personally encourage choosing the beige trousers, I can certainly recommend an even safer option, which is light grey. That shade will also connect beautifully with black, and for many men, it might be even easier to wear confidently. These specific trousers are an integral part of the smooth beige suit that we proudly showcase in another article: Is it worth deciding on a beige suit for your own wedding?
What is the Difference Between Full Canvas and Half Canvas?
The two magnificent suits that we present in this article are masterfully tailored using full canvas technology. This means that exactly on the front of the jacket, nestled safely between the outer fabric and the inner lining, there is a specialized tailoring canvas, which is most often produced from premium horsehair, breathable cotton, and durable linen. The canvas is inherently stiff, thanks to which the front of the jacket holds its impeccable shape at all times, and it can be brilliantly modeled precisely to the client’s individual silhouette. The utilization of this canvas along the entire length of the jacket’s front allows us to completely abandon glued interlinings in both the lower and upper sections of the beautiful jacket.
Half canvas refers directly to a situation where the tailoring canvas is located exclusively in the upper section of the jacket, purely to maintain the shape of the chest, while the lower section of the jacket remains entirely fused with glue. A jacket carefully tailored in the half canvas construction is undeniably lighter, although it is widely considered a somewhat less prestigious construction method. In theory, I have repeatedly heard about the significantly greater breathability of the full canvas construction, but I openly admit that I have not personally observed this specific difference on my own skin, despite happily owning various versions of custom made jackets.
Wedding Dresses – Stachowska Pracownia
The two stunning wedding dresses that we proudly utilized in our photo sessions were generously loaned to us courtesy of the Stachowska tailoring workshop from Poznań. The ladies have passionately supported us in our marketing endeavors for years, and their beautifully crafted, custom made silk wedding dresses perfectly harmonize with our elegant men’s suits. Stachowska Pracownia is incredibly popular among the partners of our own clients, and we can confidently recommend this fantastic brand with a completely clear conscience.
Which Suit to Choose for a Wedding – Navy Blue or Black?
Summarizing all this detailed information in just one single sentence: confidently decide on a black suit if you genuinely love this color and you strictly need a garment only for highly formal and evening situations. Decide on a navy blue suit if you truly care about having one highly versatile suit appropriate for many distinct occasions, which can be effortlessly styled in numerous ways and thoroughly utilized not only during purely formal situations.
Where to Tailor a Suit for Your Own Wedding?
All the magnificent suits that we showcase in this detailed article were meticulously tailored in the Buczyński workshops located in Warsaw and Poznań. We warmly invite you to contact us regarding designing your absolute dream custom made wedding suit, but certainly not only that – we will gladly help you in selecting formal suits, business suits for work, or stylish sports jackets and versatile everyday trousers.
Models: Kasia Pultyn, Julia Orłowska
Models: Kamil Brycki, Bartosz Barnik
