When asked what color a first suit should be, we’re quick to answer “navy.” Its unmatched versatility makes it the perfect starting point for any professional wardrobe.

However, there’s a whole world of blues outside the traditional navy suit that are sometimes overlooked. These “other” blues can prove an excellent choice for a second suit, and in some cases, a first. We’ve broken them down into three categories: rich, saturated blues, sleek windowpane patterns, and breathable textured weaves.

Saturated Blues
Saturated blues are the bluesiest-of-blues, thanks to deep, rich color that’s uninterrupted by pattern. You will find the old standby of navy among this group, but it also includes the less-explored mid-blue (we call ours “everyday blue”) and lighter, brighter blues like electric blue.

Everyday blue and electric blue will still pull office duty, but can bring a jolt of energy to social occasions and weddings. Rule of thumb: the brighter the blue, the less conservative the suit.

Windowpanes
Patterned suits are intriguing for good reason, but the very feature that gives them interest can also make them hard to incorporate into a work wardrobe. For instance, a solid blue suit can be worn 2-3 a week without drawing too much attention to its repeat wear. But a plum glen plaid? Not so much.

The antidote to pattern fatigue can be found in blue windowpane suits. The solid blue background of the suits keep them conservative in appearance, clearing them for work situations and allowing them to be more easily paired with shirts and ties. Yet a subtle windowpane tips them into patterned territory without getting too busy, making it possible to wear pattern head-to-toe without drawing too much attention.

Textures
From anything but a close distance, a textured fabric may just look like another solid suit. That’s one of its strengths, as it makes it just as versatile as any solid navy or mid-blue. Textured fabrics like fresco or birdseye provide tactile interest up close, but have another effect best appreciated in the spring and summer months: breathability.  

Textured fabrics have a more “open” weave, in contrast to the tighter twills or worsted fabrics typically used in suiting. That makes it slightly easier for air to enter and exit the suit, making textured fabrics a gift to sweat-prone suit wearers and increasing their wearability at spring and summer weddings.