Grey Hair: Which Tuxedo Colour Flatters Your Face

Grey hair is an asset in a tuxedo, because it already carries a sense of formality. Your task is to choose a colour that lets the hair and the face stand out rather than blend into the outfit. In practice, midnight blue and charcoal are the two easiest colours with grey hair, while black gives a harder contrast that suits a more severe, graphic look.

Why the colour of the jacket affects grey hair

Grey hair sits somewhere between white and grey, and it interacts with the jacket colour right at the collar and shoulder. If the jacket is too close to the hair, say a light grey, the whole look turns flat and loses its focal point. If the jacket is very pale, the skin can look dull. So we usually pick a deep colour as the backdrop, letting the face and hair be the light part.

Skin tone matters just as much. Our guide on choosing a tuxedo colour by skin tone will help you work out whether your complexion runs warm or cool.

Midnight blue and charcoal

Midnight blue is a very deep navy that leans toward black. Under low lighting it has a depth black lacks, and the faint blue lets grey hair glow softly. TUX-105 is a deep navy tuxedo with a black waistcoat, and TUX-002 is a navy tuxedo with black satin peak lapels.

Charcoal is a dark grey tinged with blue or black. It reads elegant and understated, and grey hair stands out gently against it without glare. TUX-103 is a plain charcoal tuxedo with satin peak lapels, and TUX-057 is a deep charcoal tuxedo with black satin shawl lapels. The article on charcoal and slate grey tuxedos covers this family in more depth.

Black: strong contrast

Black is the standard of black tie and still works well with grey hair, but the contrast between a black ground and white hair is the sharpest of the three. It gives a stern, formal look and makes the face prominent, yet if your skin already looks pale or tired, black can emphasise that. If your colouring is rosy and the hair bright, black looks superb.

You can soften it with an ivory shirt or a gentle pocket square rather than letting a solid block of black confront the hair. A simple test is to try both colours side by side in the same light.

White or ivory shirt

A white shirt remains the standard for black tie and is always safe. Crisp white brightens the neck and face, though against very white hair it can feel a little harsh. An ivory shirt is softer on the skin, especially when the hair is more grey than white. Ivory beside white hair or under warm lamps can look slightly yellow, so test it under the lighting of the venue or in daylight.

One small rule is to keep the shirt and pocket square in the same tone, not one stark white and one ivory. If you wear an ivory tuxedo such as TUX-015, choose a white or matching ivory shirt for harmony.

Silver metals

Grey hair paired with silver metal creates unity. Cufflinks, studs, a watch with a white dial or a steel, platinum or white-gold case all go well with salt-and-pepper hair. Keep every accessory in the same metal tone and do not mix yellow gold and silver. A black velvet or satin bow with a white pocket square adds an accent without clutter.

TUX-122 is a black single-button tuxedo with peak lapels and a silver crystal bow, an example for when you want a clearer touch of silver.

A few small notes

• Grey beard or moustache: keep it neatly trimmed so the outline of the face stays defined.
• Sallow skin: an ivory or very pale blue shirt is less harsh than stark white.
• Partly coloured hair: test the jacket colour after colouring, because the contrast changes.

When to ask a tailor

In consultation we usually have you try two or three colours at once and look in the mirror. It is the quickest way to see which one lifts your face. You can book a fitting to see them in person, or browse the Midnight Blue & Navy collection beforehand.