Navy and red is the most dependable color pairing in fall dressing, as long as one of them is clearly in charge. These four looks start with a navy sweater and red trousers and end with a dark denim jacket over a red cardigan and lace-trimmed skirt. Begin with one piece of each and work up to the polka-dot dress.
Navy and Red Outfits to Try This Fall
When the Royal Navy introduced uniforms for its officers in 1748, the decision was dark blue, and that is where the phrase navy blue comes from, as the National Portrait Gallery in London tells it. Nearly three centuries later, navy is still the dark that looks softer than black, which is exactly why red loves it.
Black and red can feel loud. Navy and red feel like a good coat and a red scarf on a cold morning, familiar in the best way. The pairing works because navy acts like a neutral, so red gets to be the only bright thing in the outfit.
A quick test: hold a red sweater against your darkest jeans. If the red looks clean and warm instead of orange, you have found your red, and the rest of this page will be easy.
Start With One Piece of Each
The fastest way in is to keep your clothes neutral and let the accessories do the pairing. Agnelle's Kate gloves are glossy red leather, and Johnstons of Elgin's fringed cashmere scarf is the same clear red. For the navy half, Aquazzura's Saint Honoré 35 ankle boots are navy suede on a low block heel, and Khaite's Donna clutch is midnight blue suede with a gold bar across the top. Wear any two of these with a camel coat and you are already in it.
A Navy Sweater, Red Trousers
This is the outfit I would reach for first. The Row's Ophelia sweater is an oversized navy knit in wool and cashmere, and Valentino Garavani's straight-leg wool pants are a true red with a small gold detail at the waistband. Letting the bottom half carry the color makes red feel easy. Manolo Blahnik's Aspro 30 slingbacks are navy suede with a low heel, and Rue de Verneuil's Traversée tote is navy canvas with brown handles, so the shoes and bag repeat the sweater.
How to wear it: push the sweater sleeves up so a bit of wrist shows, which keeps the big knit from swallowing you.
A Red Sweater, a Navy Denim Skirt
Flip the ratio and put the red on top. Suzie Kondi's Jooshi sweater is a fuzzy red cashmere crewneck, and Zimmermann's belted denim midi skirt is dark navy with a row of buttons down the front. Manolo Blahnik's BB 90 pumps in red suede match the sweater, and Valesque's Thea shell tote is a simple red bag. That is a lot of red, so keep jewelry to gold and nothing else.
The Navy Polka-Dot Dress, a Red Velvet Jacket
Carolina Herrera's polka-dot midi dress is navy cotton twill with white dots and short sleeves, a dress that already feels a little dressed up. Versace's cotton-velvet jacket in red, with a black leather collar, turns it into something you can wear out at night. Alaïa's crocheted ballet flats in navy keep it grounded, and Dragon Diffusion's woven B Weave tote in blue leather carries everything else.
What I would skip: red shoes here. With a red jacket and a print, navy flats keep the outfit from looking like a costume party.
A Denim Jacket Over Red
This is the weekend version. Róhe's merino cardigan is a clean red with dark buttons, and Sea's Pippa midi skirt is red cotton with bands of lace. Acne Studios' gathered denim jacket is a deep navy wash that shrugs over all that red. Erdem's Mini Bloom bag is navy satin with a silver flower handle, which is the one fancy thing in the look.
Let Navy Do the Quiet Part
Navy and red never need much explaining. Treat navy like your black and let red be the one bright color, whether that is a pair of gloves or a whole pair of trousers. Choose reds that lean blue or true rather than orange, since those sit best next to navy. If you only try one look, make it the navy sweater with red trousers, then go from there. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Navy and Cream Outfits to Try This Fall and Pink and Navy Outfits to Try This Fall.
