What color is true navy?

[charles111]

I am purchasing a navy suit. However, I have become very confused with what "navy" actually is.
For example, both of these suits below are labeled as "navy" :

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/...7345-_-MB&cm_lm_mo64=ZHpkYW5nQHVtaWNoLmVkdQ==

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/...avy suit&searchPass=exactMultiMatch&slotId=21


The first suit almost looks like a very dark gray. It's very difficult for me to identify any blue in the first suit. The second suit looks like a dark blue. Which is true navy? And which is more conservative?

 

[circumspice]

Looking at navies online can be painful. That said, the first one is navy. The second one is in the realm of navy, but it closer to the edge of "blues" as in royal blue, etc. The first one has an overcheck, which impacts how conservative it is.

Neither is the canonical example of the staid navy suit, if that is what you are in the market for

 

[charles111]

Looking at navies online can be painful. That said, the first one is navy. The second one is in the realm of navy, but it closer to the edge of "blues" as in royal blue, etc. The first one has an overcheck, which impacts how conservative it is.

Neither is the canonical example of the staid navy suit, if that is what you are in the market for

Ah I see. Thanks for the reply. Is "staid" essentially just a solid navy?

 

[GBR]

Navy is in the eye of the beholder. Pantones do exist for navy but are varied. You would do well to look at the uniforms of naval officers to see what they wear but do so in the flesh/daylight as computer screens do not give a true rendition unless calibrated properly.

 

[charles111]

Navy is in the eye of the beholder. Pantones do exist for navy but are varied. You would do well to look at the uniforms of naval officers to see what they wear but do so in the flesh/daylight as computer screens do not give a true rendition unless calibrated properly.

I'll try that. When people suggest "navy" as a color for suits, are they generally referring to the true navy (the non-blue looking one) or the more bluish looking one?

 

[GBR]

I'll try that. When people suggest "navy" as a color for suits, are they generally referring to the true navy (the non-blue looking one) or the more bluish looking one?

If selling, they are referring to the colour of the merchandise which has presented itself for them to sell, regardless of want it actually is: If buying, what it says on the label or, if recommending the colour their image of what navy is. Few, if any, will reflect on any true colour standard because they have never thought further about it.

For this reason I have suggested looking at the uniform of nautical gentlemen as, the one thing that you will not see in a gathering of such persons, is as many shades of navy as people are present! All the services specify the colour of uniforms to a consistent standard against objective measures which can be adopted by would be suppliers to avoid this very issue.