Styling Navy and Black in a Fall Capsule Wardrobe

A white background with 28 pieces from the Styling Navy and Black Capsule Wardrobe for Autumn.

Turtleneck | Vest | Button Up | Blouse | Sweatshirt | Oversized Sweater | V-neck Sweater | Nirvana Sweater | Cardigan | Blazer | Jeans | Grey Trousers | Navy Trousers | Plaid Trousers | Sweatshirt Dress | Trench | Coat | Earrings | Sunglasses | Beanie | Navy Knit Tote | Black Purse | Plaid Tote | High Boots | Heeled Boots | Animal Print Shoes | Loafers | Sneakers

A few weeks back I made a blue capsule wardrobe, which made me realize how much I like navy blue. That deep twilight indigo blue is my favourite. Then I remembered how we were once told never to wear navy and black together, you picked one or the other and that made me pause.

It brought back to mind a bunch of outdated fashion rules that thankfully we no longer pay attention to.

Rules are made to be broken when it comes to fashion and usually, the best looks come from those rule breaking moments.

Who comes from a time when fashion rules seemed to be cut in stone? Aside from the black and navy here are a few other funny outdated fashion rules that you may have forgotten about:

Don’t wear white after Labour Day.
Don’t mix prints.
No socks and sandals.
Don’t mix metals.
Your shoes should match your belt.
Don’t mix black and brown.
Clothing is gendered.

And one of my favourites that is said like a poem, “blue and green should never be seen except in a washing machine”. This one I specifically remember chanting when I was a child. I don’t know why.

I feel like it might have been towards someone wearing blue and green together, and now I feel like an asshole.

So as an ode to the archaic fashion rules, I put together a navy and black capsule wardrobe because they do in fact look fabulous together.

A lot of people are drawn to black because it’s simplicity, and ability to look chic no matter what. But some people find black a little too harsh or overwhelming.

Navy is the perfect solution for softening up an all black look. Just like black, navy comes in a variety of shades and tones making it hard to completely match when wearing items that are all navy.

Mixing up fabrics and textures is the best way to combat variations in colour. Choose pieces in heavy knits, leather, silk, and wool.

All of these are going not only elevate a look but make any colour variations not noticeable.

For instance, if I wear a navy cotton turtleneck paired with navy cotton trousers, the colour differences between the two pieces will be noticeable unless you are very lucky.

But if you swap the cotton turtleneck for a chunky cable knit sweater the difference of colour doesn’t matter nor is it noticeable because of the variety of textures.

That being said, you can embrace the differences and do a tonal dressing which is combining different shades/tones of the same hue, which you can also use textures to make it visually interesting.

Tonal dressing also has an elongating effect that gives the illusion of being taller which is a bonus if you are of shorter stature.

Also try mixing prints when wearing darker colours like black and navy. A trouser with a pinstripe, or a checked blazer.

This will add some visual interest and variation.

A bonus when you have a capsule wardrobe that consists of a pretty singular colour palette is that it is one of the easiest ways to look polished in a pinch when using tonal dressing.

And now that we are heading into the holiday season where you may need to get dressed up quickly for a last-minute get-together.

Which if I am being honest, can be panic inducing.

I am looking to integrate more navy into my wardrobe now. I already have the cardigan which you can see here, and although it is pricey the sweatshirt dress is on my wishlist.

And to top it off, a knit version of a band tee.

It serves the same purpose as a band tee but in an elevated way. Plus, it is my favourite band, so it gets my approval all around.

Navy Outfits

A white background with 12 outfits from the Styling Navy and Black Capsule Wardrobe for Autumn.
A white background with 12 outfits from the Styling Navy and Black Capsule Wardrobe for Autumn.

Turtleneck | Vest | Button Up | Blouse | Sweatshirt | Oversized Sweater | V-neck Sweater | Nirvana Sweater | Cardigan | Blazer | Jeans | Grey Trousers | Navy Trousers | Plaid Trousers | Sweatshirt Dress | Trench | Coat | Earrings | Sunglasses | Beanie | Navy Knit Tote | Black Purse | Plaid Tote | High Boots | Heeled Boots | Animal Print Shoes | Loafers | Sneakers

You might also like:
An Edgy Chic Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe for Autumn
A Blue Capsule Wardrobe for Fall
It’s Not Easy Being Green Capsule Wardrobe for Fall
A Dark Academia Fall Capsule Wardrobe
A Warm Palette 90s Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe
A 90s Minimalist Fall Capsule Wardrobe

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This post contains affiliate links. By using my links to shop I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks for supporting what I do 🙂

This post contains affiliate links. By using my links to shop I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks for supporting what I do 🙂


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Sara

Sara is the founder and creative behind livelovesara. A George Brown College Fashion Styling Graduate, she provides advice on finding your personal style regardless of age and budget. She is always on the hunt for the perfect wardrobe piece and is a vintage and thrifting enthusiast who can't wait to share her newest finds. She is also trying to learn French.

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