Cardero Journal

How to Wear a Grey Suit

By Derek Burbidge, Owner and Founder of Cardero Clothing

A man in a light grey houndstooth suit with a white dress shirt and white pocket square

The short version

A light or mid grey suit is one of the most wearable colours going. It takes white, light blue, and even pink shirts, ties from burgundy to navy to a soft pattern, and both black and brown shoes. Lighter than charcoal, it reads friendly by day and cleans up for evening.

Charcoal gets talked about most, but a light or mid grey suit is quietly one of the most useful things you can own. It is softer and friendlier than charcoal in daylight and pairs with an enormous range. Here is how to wear grey.

Shirts and Ties

Grey is a blank canvas. White is crisp and formal, light blue is easy and everyday, and grey is one of the few suits that also takes a soft pink shirt well. On ties, almost anything works, from a deep burgundy to a navy to a muted pattern, because grey does not fight colour. If you are unsure which shades suit you, our guide to suit colour for your complexion helps.

A man in a light grey suit with a white dress shirt, navy tie and white pocket square

In this guide

Start here.

Shoes and Belt

A grey suit takes both black and brown shoes comfortably. Black reads sharper and more formal, brown warms it up for daytime and pairs especially well with a lighter grey. Match the belt to the shoe. This flexibility is a big part of why grey is so easy to wear.

A man in a grey windowpane suit with a white dress shirt, navy tie and black shoes

Where Grey Shines

Light and mid grey are at their best in daylight, for the office, daytime events, and spring and summer weddings, where they photograph softer than a dark suit. For the darker, more formal end of the family, our post on how to wear a charcoal suit covers the rest.

The Lookbook

A few more ways we have built this suit for clients.

A man in a solid light grey suit with a light pink dress shirt and white pocket square — Solid, Pink Shirt

A man in a solid light grey suit with a lavender dress shirt and white pocket square — Solid, Lavender Shirt

A man in a grey windowpane suit with a light blue dress shirt and white pocket square — Windowpane, Light Blue

A man in a grey glen plaid suit with a white dress shirt and dark tie — Glen Plaid, White Shirt

A man in a light grey suit with a white dress shirt and a burgundy pocket square — Herringbone, Burgundy Square

FAQ

What shirt goes with a grey suit?

White and light blue are the most useful, and grey is one of the few suits that also takes a soft pink shirt well. All of them let you pair a wide range of ties, since grey does not compete with colour.

Do black or brown shoes go with a grey suit?

Both work. Black reads sharper and more formal, while brown warms the suit up for daytime and pairs especially well with lighter grey. Match your belt to whichever shoe you choose.

Is a grey suit good for a wedding?

Yes, especially a daytime or spring and summer wedding, where light or mid grey photographs softer than a dark suit. For a formal evening wedding, a charcoal or navy suit is the safer choice.

Not sure what to buy next? A Wardrobe Plan is forty-five minutes one to one with Derek Burbidge, our founder, working through what you already own, what suits your colouring and your work, and exactly what to add next. You leave with a written plan, and it works wherever you live.

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