How to Accessorize a Navy Blue Dress for a Wedding

Choosing a Complimentary Color Scheme

Make a bold statement with contrasting colors or patterns that pop. The “opposites attract” theory can work well when accessorizing your dress. A bright red, orange, or yellow color scheme for your accessories can pop against a dark navy dress. If you paint your nails, a classic red could go quite well with the navy color scheme. Similarly, if your dress is a solid color, a patterned handbag or other accessory can make a nice accent to the plain background that the dress provides.

Keep it simple and classy with white or other light colors. If the loudness of bright yellow or orange accessories isn’t your style, white and other light colors can brighten up your look with a classy—and classical—feel. Just be careful: Since you’re attending a wedding, you want to make sure that blue remains the dominant color. White and similar colors should remain as accents rather than the main color. A white clutch with silver shoes might give you just the spark you need without going overboard.

Strike a balance with coral or champagne accessories. Maybe you don’t want to go with white or beige, but bright yellows and oranges feel too bold. In that case, coral or champagne can provide the pop and contrast of bolder colors while providing the quiet elegance of a lighter color scheme.

Find complimentary blues to create a gradient. This is also called “two-toning.” If you’re wearing a navy blue dress, light blue strappy heels and baby blue nail polish might be just the accessories you need to brighten up the dress while staying on theme. Or a teal necklace and a matching bracelet can add a bit of flare while creating a beautiful gradient of blues.

Jewelry

Wear simple silver jewelry. A simple silver necklace can compliment your navy dress beautifully. Especially if you’re wearing a fairly simple, plain dress, the added detail of small- to medium-sized silver jewelry can make your outfit that much more striking.

Go for the gold. If silver isn’t your style, gold compliments a navy blue outfit, as well. The glitzy gold will pop against your dark dress. You won’t want anything too big—a large statement necklace might feel too gaudy, especially at a wedding. That said, a simple gold brooch, bracelet, or pair of earrings might provide just the zazz your outfit needs.

You can’t go wrong with pearls. A navy blue outfit with a string of white pearls is as timeless as they come. Many prominent figures—from Princess Diana to Jackie Kennedy—have rocked the look. Who are we to say “no” to such a tried and true outfit?

Shoes

Keep it classy with a pair of black shoes. You can’t go wrong with this classic combo. Black and navy blue go together like wine and cheese. Plus, black shoes are sexy and subtle at the same time. Who doesn’t love a pair of strappy black heels?

Two-tone it with light blue shoes. If you want to go for the blue-gradient look, light blue shoes are the perfect match to your navy blue dress. This can provide a fresh look, especially if you’re attending a spring or summer wedding.

Brighten up your look with white or silver shoes. A pair of white heels goes with almost anything, and they add an air of elegance, to boot. Especially against a navy blue dress, this can add a touch of brightness to an otherwise dark outfit. Want to zazz it up a bit? Go for silver!

Make a statement with yellow or red shoes. If you’re going for the “contrast and pop” strategy with your accessories, a pair of yellow or red shoes can stand out nicely while still looking classy. While it seems counterintuitive, yellow and red are both complementary colors with navy blue. The bright shoes might stand out against the dark dress, but they could work better than you think!

Let your shoes blend in with nude tones. Maybe you don’t want your shoes to stand out so much. Find a pair of heels that match your skin tone. Added perk? The fact that they’re less noticeable adds to the illusion that you’re taller than you are.