White, cream, camel, grey, navy, blush pink, chocolate brown, black, denim blue and gold all work with royal blue. Royal blue is a fully saturated cool blue, which means it sets the tone of whatever it is in: everything else in the outfit has to step back and support it.
A blue this saturated suits some faces and swamps others, depending mostly on your colouring. Wdrobe, the wardrobe app we make, works out your season and contrast from a selfie: check whether royal blue belongs near your face.
Royal blue takes the lead whether you want it to or not
Navy is a neutral. Royal blue is not. It carries the same intensity as a red or an emerald, so it wants to be the single loud piece rather than one of two.
This is the mistake most people make. They treat royal blue like navy, pair it with another strong colour, and end up with two pieces arguing. One saturated colour plus quiet neutrals is almost always the better outfit.
The second thing to know is that royal blue is cool and clean, with no grey or green in it. That makes it unusually flattering against most skin tones, and it is why it turns up so often in occasionwear. It also means warm muddy colours, like mustard or olive, sit awkwardly beside it.
10 colours to wear with royal blue
1. White
The cleanest contrast and the reason royal blue works so well in summer. Outfit formula: royal blue midi skirt + white cotton shirt + white trainers.
2. Cream
Softer than white and better in winter, because it takes the hard edge off. Outfit formula: cream jumper + royal blue tailored trousers + cream loafers.
3. Camel
The pairing that makes royal blue look expensive. Warm against cool, light against saturated. Outfit formula: camel long coat + royal blue dress + camel boots.
4. Grey
A quiet backdrop that lets the blue do everything. Mid grey works better than charcoal. Outfit formula: grey marl jumper + royal blue trousers + white trainers.
One bright piece needs quiet ones around it, and most wardrobes already have them. Wdrobe's stylist will build around your royal blue piece and pick the neutrals from your own clothes.
5. Navy
Tonal and much easier than it sounds, as long as the two are clearly different depths. Outfit formula: navy blazer + royal blue knit + navy trousers.
6. Blush pink
The unexpected one. Blush is pale and warm, so it softens the blue instead of competing. Outfit formula: blush blouse + royal blue wide-leg trousers + nude heels.
7. Chocolate brown
Warmer and less severe than black, and it works particularly well in autumn. Outfit formula: chocolate brown leather jacket + royal blue jumper + dark jeans.
8. Black
The evening default. Sharp, though it can be heavy if both pieces are large. Outfit formula: royal blue silk blouse + black tailored trousers + black heels.
9. Denim blue
Tonal again, and easy, provided the denim is a clearly different wash. Outfit formula: royal blue knit + light-wash jeans + white trainers.
10. Gold
Accessories rather than clothing. Gold warms up a cool blue better than silver does. Outfit formula: royal blue dress + gold jewellery + tan bag.
How much royal blue is too much
One piece. That is the honest answer for most wardrobes.
A royal blue dress works because it is a single shape. A royal blue jacket over royal blue trousers rarely does, unless they are an intentional suit in the same fabric, because two slightly different royal blues look like a mistake rather than a choice.
The pairings that fail are the warm muddy ones. Mustard, olive and rust all have a yellow or brown base, and against a clean cool blue they look dull rather than complementary. If you want a warm colour with royal blue, keep it pale: camel, cream or blush.
Watch the fabric too. Royal blue in a shiny synthetic reads costume. The same shade in wool, cotton or silk reads considered.
Royal blue outfits for women, one bright piece at a time
Each of these keeps royal blue to a single piece, as the section above advises, and finishes the rest of the outfit in neutrals.
Dress. A royal blue shirt dress with white leather trainers and a cream canvas tote for daytime, swapped for nude slingbacks and a small tan bag when the day runs into dinner. The shirt-dress shape is casual enough for trainers and smart enough for heels.
Work. A royal blue blazer worn as the one colour, over a white shell top and black cigarette trousers, with black pointed flats and a black leather tote. The blazer puts the colour at the shoulders, where people look in a meeting, without the outfit reading as occasionwear.
Weekend. A royal blue cardigan buttoned over a white T-shirt, ecru wide-leg jeans, brown ankle boots and a brown leather bag. Ecru and brown warm the blue without competing with it.
Evening. A royal blue silk slip dress with a black blazer over the shoulders, black strappy sandals and gold earrings in place of a necklace. Silk keeps the colour deep rather than glossy, and the black blazer gives it a frame.
Which royal blue suits you: it is a cool, clean colour, so it is easiest on cool and neutral skin. With warm, golden colouring, wear it a little further from the face, as a skirt, trousers or a dress with a cream or camel layer at the neckline.
Not sure which shades suit you? Wdrobe's color analysis finds your color season from one photo, and our comparison of color analysis apps shows what the other apps offer.
Frequently asked questions
What colours go with royal blue clothes for ladies?
White, cream, camel and blush pink are the four that flatter it most. Camel with royal blue is the smartest of them, and blush is the softest.
Is royal blue the same as cobalt?
No. Cobalt is slightly brighter and leans a touch towards purple, while royal blue is deeper and cleaner. They are close enough that they should not appear in the same outfit.
What shoes go with a royal blue dress?
Nude, tan and black all work. Nude keeps the leg line long, tan warms the blue, and black is the most formal but also the heaviest.
Can you wear royal blue to the office?
Yes, as one piece with neutrals around it. A royal blue knit with grey or navy tailoring is straightforward, and a royal blue blouse under a neutral blazer is easier still.
If royal blue is your one bright piece, the neutrals around it matter more than the blue does, so what colours go with navy blue clothes and what colours go with camel are the two worth reading next.
A saturated colour like this earns its place only if you can build three or four outfits around it, and that is hard to judge standing in a shop. Wdrobe can put a shop photo of the royal blue piece on your own picture, alongside clothes from your wardrobe. See it in your outfits before you buy it.
