Is it appropriate to wear a navy suit during the day?

[leguleio]

Probably, a short foreword is necessary: I am Italian and I presently live in Italy. I have lived for a while in the United States; yet, my viewpoint on clothing is quintessentially Italian. Since I was a child, I have been taught a simple scheme on suits and shirts: Morning: gray suit, light blue shirt; Evening: navy suit, white shirt. Of course, I have always tried to take this *** grano salis, with a pinch of salt. Still, I don't think I have ever happened to wear a navy suit during the day, sticking either to gray in its many hues or to navy jacket-charcoal slacks (the latter is a combo I particularly like). Now, for a series of occurrences, I find myself without no suits available that even barely resemble gray. In particular, all I have is a choice between two navy suits: the first is a 2-button-and-a-half suit with a subtle herringbone texture, the other one is slightly darker with a matching waistcoat. Here is the question: do you think is it appropriate to wear such a suit in a dressy business environment in which I am expected to strictly adhere to a conservative dress code? Amplifying: at the end of this week I have a 4 days long work engagement. Everybody around me will, most likely, be wearing a suit and a tie. As for myself, I am supposed, due to my role, to have a particularly sober and conservative attire (eg., no pink shirts, no flashy ties, no faddy fashion shoes, et cetera). As far as possible, I tend not to buy suits off the rack; a feasible alternative to going navy could be to buy a pair of dark gray trousers and to match them with one of the navy jackets. Thanks, L.

 

[Achilles_]

Navy is plenty conservative here in the states. It's a "wardrobe staple" so to speak. A chalkstripe wouldn't be so conservative on the other hand

If you have to wear a suit everyday, definitely invest in a charcoal and/or mid-gray suit.

 

[Ianiceman]

Only on days with a 'Y' in them.

 

[landshark]

I don't know who taught you that, but you can wear navy or gray during the day time with any color shirt you want. I like white shirts though and a navy suit with a white shirt and a dark tie would look excellent in the day time. Don't any of your colleagues wear navy suits? That should be enough for you to know that it's OK.

 

[Svenn]

Navy is singularly the most popular business suit color in the US and probably the UK.

 

[EBugatti]

Navy and gray suits are really interchangeable as far as formality goes. Hence, either is appropriate for day or evening business use. In fact, a charcoal gray suit could be perceived as actually slightly more formal for the evening with a white shirt than a navy suit. But in this day and age, as noted above, both essentially represent the same level of formality.

 

[Despos]

I am like you leguleio. I have a difficult time wearing a navy suit for daytime. When I do they are lighter shades of navy and almost always with a texture, nailhead, or pattern, windowpane, that diminishes the dressy aspect. It is just the way I am. I have at least a dozen grey suits for every blue suit in my closet. It is not inappropriate to wear navy for daytime, just my preference.

 

[dbc]

Originally Posted by Ianiceman

Only on days with a 'Y' in them.

+1

 

[epa]

This is the very first time in my life that I hear that navy might not be appropriate for daytime business wear! I am personally not very fond of navy, but not because I doubt about its appropriateness. The problem is rather that I find it "too appropriate".

 

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by Svenn

Navy is singularly the most popular business suit color in the US and probably the UK.

And in most countries followed unfortunately by the ghastly black suit...

 

[koolhistorian]

Lighten up with a bengal stripe or a gingham!

 

[GBR]

Of course it is.

 

[Don Carlos]

A navy suit with a white shirt is never "inappropriate," but that combination sometimes feels a little stuffy and formal during the day. Really depends on your climate and local culture. In LA, for instance, which has a Mediterranean climate not unlike much of Italy's, I would probably not wear dark navy during the day. Or, if I did, it would be with a blue shirt. A light blue shirt softens up a dark navy suit, whereas a white shirt sharpens it by contrast.

 

[ljrcustom]

Originally Posted by Ianiceman

Only on days with a 'Y' in them.

+2

-LR

 

[Anthony K]

Of course, as everybody else has pointed out, it's pretty much a wardrobe staple here in the states.