What Colour Shirt To Wear With A Black Suit – Stylish Combinations For Men

When it comes to wearing a black suit, getting the right shirt colour is of upmost importance.

If you’re in a situation where the dress code requires a black suit, it’s going to be formal, and so you’ll want to look your best.

If you’re standing at your wardrobe with a rail filled with shirts and are wondering what colour shirt to wear with your black suit, these tips will help.

These are the best black suit and shirt combinations you can wear.

White Shirt With A Black Suit

When it comes to tradition, there’s nothing like a white shirt with a black suit. This is an absolute classic look, and it works so well for many occasions.

A black suit with a white shirt can be seen as formal, and is usually an outfit for events such as a funeral, or other events which has a formal dress code.

You can of course wear a black suit and white shirt for something informal and when you want to look smart, but there’s usually better colour options such as navy or grey.

A black tie event is similar, but not quite the same. The formalities in that dictate a tuxedo usually paired with a bowtie, with the shirt being fastened with metal studs rather than buttons.

Black Shirt With A Black Suit

I think that the black shirt with a black suit outfit is brilliant. It’s incredible, sleek and just looks fantastic.

For a time it was the alternative outfit of choice for many celebrities on the red carpet, and is something which just looks stylish.

I’ve worn this combination quite a few times, there’s just something about black on black that oozes style.

A black suit and black shirt is a great smart outfit in your 20s, where you can be stylish with an added edge.

Light Blue Shirt With A Black Suit

Taking a little bit of the formalities out of a black suit, a light blue shirt is the way to go.

Light blue and black go together really well, and it’s less cold and harsh than wearing a white shirt.

The light blue shirt and black suit is an outfit that goes well when you want to wear something around the city, and although not the first choice for office wear, can be worn to work too.

Patterned Shirt With A Black Suit

When you really want to inject some fun into a black suit, pairing it with a patterned shirt can work brilliantly. But there is one condition.

The patterned shirt you choose must be fairly formal and contemporary.

For patterns I’m not talking about broad checks or large patterns. These would be casual shirts. Instead you should look to wear a smart patterned shirt.

This could be spotted, gingham checks or if you’re going for flamboyance, floral.

Striped Shirt With A Black Suit

When it comes to a striped shirt with a black suit, similar rules apply as to a patterned shirt.

You should go for something that is smart, contemporary and pick colours that go with the shirt.

For stripes, they should be fine and close together. Not necessarily pinstripe, although that will work.

An example could be a fine blue and white striped shirt with a black suit, this outfit will look good and can be worn in the office or around town.

Pink Shirt With A Black Suit

When you really want to add some colour to your black suit, a pink shirt is going to do that.

The great thing about pink and black is you can wear almost any hue of pink and it will look good.

From the pale pinks to a really popping pink, they’ll work. I would steer clear from shades such as fuchsia and those which are heavily saturated. The brighter you go the less formal it will become.

Green Shirt With A Black Suit

When it comes to a green shirt and black suit, I would go for the extremes. That is, a very light, pale green, or a very dark green, think darker than racing green.

Playing on both extremes with green and black work well together, but you’ll want to avoid the middle, especially bright greens.

Green is a strange colour when it comes to fashion. There’s pastels, colours like olive and sage and deep dark greens which work very well. But once you get into what you’d associate is a standard green (like a snooker table or football pitch), you’re going into super casual mode.

Purple Shirt With A Black Suit

Finally we come to pairing a purple shirt with a black suit. It follows the same rules as green.

Stay on both sides of the extremes. light pastel shades will add a colourful lightness to the black suit, very dark shades of purple like plum will keep it looking toned down.

I’ve worn a pastel purple shirt with a black suit before, so I know this combination works. It’s good for a smart casual outfit, when you want to look sharp without being overly formal.

Those are the best colour shirt options to pair with a black suit. I have lots of tips on clothing colour combinations, so if you’re wondering what colours go with what, check out those guides which should steer you in the right direction.