What Colours Go With Blue Clothes? 10 Outfit Formulas

A mid blue, the shade of a cornflower or a French blue shirt, goes with white, ecru, camel, chocolate brown, navy, charcoal, butter yellow, rust, blush pink and a little red. It works with denim too, if the jeans are clearly lighter or darker than the blue. Mid blue sits halfway between pale and dark, so every partner should be obviously one or the other.

The paler-or-darker rule is simple to read and slow to apply across a full wardrobe. With your cornflower knit pinned, Wdrobe's styling app will build the rest from clothes you own.

Which blue do you actually have?

Lay the piece next to mid-wash jeans in daylight. A mid blue sits at about the same depth but looks cleaner and more colourful, and that is the shade this page covers. Close to black indoors means navy, so read what colours go with navy blue clothes. A blue bright enough to glow, with a hint of violet, belongs in colours that go with cobalt blue. Deep and saturated, like an occasion dress, points to what colours go with royal blue. Anything as pale as a summer sky suits what colours go with light blue clothes. A blue tilting towards green is teal if deep and turquoise if bright, so see what colours go with teal or what colours go with turquoise.

Blue and denim: the honest answer

Jeans are what most people pull on with a blue top, so this is the real question. A mid blue knit and mid-wash jeans usually sit at the same depth, and two blues that close look accidental.

Three changes fix it. Swap the wash: dark rinse sits well below a mid blue, and white or ecru jeans sit well above. Put a neutral between the blues, such as a white T-shirt under an open shirt or a tan belt. Or change the texture, because a chunky cornflower knit separates from flat denim far more easily than a cotton shirt.

The version to avoid is a mid blue blouse, mid-wash jeans and blue trainers. If you own white jeans, they are the quickest answer.

Ten partners for a mid blue

1. White, for hot days

The sharpest contrast a mid blue has, and right for strong sun. Cotton and linen keep it relaxed rather than nautical.

Outfit formula: mid blue cotton shirt dress + white linen overshirt + tan espadrilles + white canvas tote.

2. Ecru, for knitwear weather

Softer than white, and it stops a mid blue looking too clean in winter. Ecru jeans also solve the denim problem.

Outfit formula: cornflower blue crew-neck jumper + ecru straight jeans + cream trainers + brown leather belt.

Whether your blue top works with your jeans comes down to the wash, and that is hard to judge from memory at the wardrobe door. Compare the two blues side by side.

3. Camel, for a polished coat outfit

Cool blue against warm camel is the most grown-up pairing here, and it carries a whole winter.

Outfit formula: camel double-breasted coat + mid blue knitted midi dress + brown knee-high boots + tan leather gloves.

4. Chocolate brown, for autumn weekends

Blue and brown differ in both depth and temperature, so they never blur. Suede and cord make the pairing richer.

Outfit formula: chocolate brown suede A-line skirt + cornflower blue sweater + dark brown ankle boots + brown shoulder bag.

5. Navy, for the office

Two blues work when the gap is large, and navy sits far enough below mid blue to look intentional.

Outfit formula: navy tailored trousers + French blue poplin shirt + navy loafers + navy cardigan over the shoulders.

6. Charcoal, for colder workdays

Charcoal gives a cooler, more formal frame than navy. A pinafore over a roll-neck is the simplest version.

Outfit formula: charcoal wool pinafore dress + mid blue roll-neck + black opaque tights + black ankle boots.

7. Butter yellow, for spring

Pale yellow brings light to a mid blue. Keep it soft, since strong yellow with strong blue starts to look like a flag.

Outfit formula: mid blue slip dress + butter yellow cardigan + white leather trainers + raffia bag.

8. Rust, for contrast

Rust is an earthy orange, and orange is the complement of blue. It is the boldest pairing here, so keep one colour to a single piece.

Outfit formula: rust ribbed knit + mid blue wide-leg trousers + tan loafers + gold hoops.

9. Blush pink, for weddings and daytime events

A pale, warm pink takes the edge off the blue without competing.

Outfit formula: blush silk blouse + mid blue pleated midi skirt + nude slingback heels + small tan clutch.

10. Red, in small amounts

Red is best as one accent, such as a shoe, a bag or a lipstick. At full size beside blue it looks like a uniform.

Outfit formula: mid blue cotton jumpsuit + red ballet flats + tan woven belt + straw basket bag.

Mid blue is the shirt you reach for without thinking, so it can turn up three times in one week while the rest of the rail waits. Spread your blue pieces across the week on purpose.

Blues and greys that fight it

Most mid blue mistakes come down to depth.

• Mid grey. Same depth as the blue, so the outfit looks dull.

• Mid-wash denim with nothing between. The denim section above has the fixes.

• Royal blue or cobalt. Two strong blues a step apart look like a dye mismatch.

• Teal or turquoise. A green-leaning blue beside a clean one looks like a mistake.

• Black at equal weight. The outfit turns heavy and the blue loses its softness. Black shoes are fine.

Shoes, bags and metals for blue outfits

Tan and cognac leather suit nearly all ten outfits, because their warmth balances a cool blue. White trainers keep things casual, navy suede shoes are the quiet office choice, and burgundy loafers are a good autumn swap for brown. Save black shoes for the charcoal outfit.

Pick metal by the partner colour. Silver sits well with white, navy and charcoal. Gold suits camel, brown, rust and butter yellow.

Frequently asked questions

What colours go with blue clothes female?

For a woman's wardrobe, the most useful partners are white, camel, blush pink and chocolate brown, and a mid blue midi dress works with all four. Keep louder partners such as rust and red to one piece.

Can you wear a blue top with jeans?

Yes, as long as the wash sits well away from the top. Dark rinse or white jeans are safest; a mid-wash pair needs a white T-shirt or a belt between the two blues.

What colour trousers go with a blue shirt?

Navy, white, ecru, camel and charcoal trousers all suit a mid blue shirt. Navy is the obvious office choice, and chocolate brown is the warmer pick for autumn.

Do blue and brown go together?

Yes. Chocolate brown is deeper and warmer than a mid blue, so the two stay clearly separate. Tan and cognac shoes work for the same reason.

Mid blue behaves almost like a neutral once you know its depth rule, which is why our guide to outfit colour combinations and the colours that go with beige clothes are the next two to read.

Most people own more mid blue than they realise: a shirt, a knit, a dress, the jeans, maybe a coat. Wdrobe gathers the clothes you photograph in one place, which shows quickly which of those blues belong together and which sit a step apart. See every blue you own in one place and keep the pairs that match.