Coloured Basics – Green, Blue and Light Blue That Go with Everything

Short answer: Green, navy and pale blue are the three colours that come closest to being neutral without being black, white or grey. They go with denim, beige and each other, and they make a wardrobe less uniform without demanding new combinations every morning.

Why these three colours

All three are muted and have a grey or earthy base, which is why they clash neither with each other nor with the classic neutrals. A strong red or bright yellow demands that the rest of the outfit makes room. These three demand nothing and can be crossed freely.

Army green in practice

Army green is the most useful of the three, because it contains the most grey. It works with black, white, beige and denim and hides small marks better than pale colours. See the current colours under bamboo T-shirts for men, where the range changes with the season.

Navy as a replacement for black

Navy does the same job as black but reads slightly softer in daylight and against pale skin tones. It also forgives fading better, because a faded navy still looks like a colour, while faded black just looks grey. That is an argument for owning both.

Pale blue for spring

Pale blue is the lightest of the three and belongs to the brighter half of the year. It suits most skin tones and goes especially well with white, beige and denim. In return it shows moisture more clearly than either pale or dark colours, which is worth knowing before a hot day.

The three together

They can be combined with each other without thought: a pale blue top with navy trousers, an army green top with denim. That gives a wardrobe where everything goes with everything. See the tops under bamboo T-shirts for women and bamboo tops for women.

How many coloured basics

Two or three coloured tops are enough alongside the black, white and grey ones. More than that and the wardrobe starts demanding that you match again. A coloured basic is not meant to stand out, but to break a plain row without complicating anything.

The colours that fade fastest

Green and pale blue fade faster in sunlight than navy, because their dyes sit in a narrow band of the spectrum. Dry them in the shade and inside out. It is the same rule as for black, but it is more often overlooked on the lighter colours.

Washing and colour protection

Wash coloured basics with clothes in the same colour group, at 30 degrees and without bleach. Bleach changes green fastest, because the colour is mixed from yellow and blue. Hang them to dry in the shade and inside out, so the shoulders do not end up lighter than the rest. See also washing guide for bamboo clothing and pay off in the long run.