This is an age-old debate amongst Harry Potter fans – is the Ravenclaw house color blue or navy? Ravenclaw, one of the four Hogwarts houses, is known for favoring the intelligent and witty. Its colors are described as “blue and bronze” in the books and movies, but the exact shade of blue has been up for interpretation. In this article, we’ll examine evidence from the books, movies, merchandise, and more to settle this Ravenclaw color controversy once and for all.
Book Descriptions
In the Harry Potter books, Ravenclaw’s colors are described as “blue and bronze” but no specific shade of blue is ever specified. For example:
| Book Quote | Description |
| “Blue and bronze, the Ravenclaw colors” | Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone |
| “The Ravenclaw table, a solid mass of black robes with flashes of blue and bronze” | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire |
With no exact shade provided, readers are left to interpret “Ravenclaw blue” for themselves. Overall, the books suggest Ravenclaw blue is a somewhat dark, rich shade of blue, but not enough clues exist to definitively call it navy over regular blue.
Movie Portrayals
The Harry Potter movies do depict Ravenclaw’s colors but the shade varies noticeably between films. In some scenes, Ravenclaw blue appears to be a medium royal blue while in others it looks more like a dark navy blue.
For example, in the Philosopher’s Stone, Ravenclaw banners and scarves appear a medium blue. But in later films like The Half Blood Prince, Ravenclaw blue looks distinctly darker and closer to a navy shade.
In general, the later Harry Potter movies seem to shift Ravenclaw’s color towards navy, while the early films portray it as a brighter royal blue. But the inconsistency between movies leaves the issue still up for debate.
Harry Potter Merchandise
Official Harry Potter merchandise like apparel and housewares comes in all four Hogwarts house colors, including Ravenclaw blue. But the shade of blue used varies widely by item.
For example, Ravenclaw t-shirts, sweaters, and other apparel are often produced in both a medium blue and dark navy blue. Products like mugs, bags, and stationery also appear in shades ranging from periwinkle to royal blue to navy blue.
Some specific examples:
| Merchandise Item | Blue Shade |
| Ravenclaw T-shirt | Navy |
| Ravenclaw school uniform | Royal blue |
| Ravenclaw backpack | Periwinkle blue |
So merchandise seems split, offering Ravenclaw items in both blue and navy shades. This suggests both colors are considered representative of the house, even if navy has become more prominent recently.
Pottermore Descriptions
Pottermore, J.K. Rowling’s official Harry Potter website, provides some clues about Ravenclaw’s colors. In the “Welcome to Ravenclaw” section, Ravenclaw house is described as being “characterized by their wit, learning, and wisdom. Its emblematic animal is the eagle, and its colors are blue and bronze.”
Again, no exact shade of blue is specified, leaving it open to interpretation. But the site’s Ravenclaw graphics consistently use a royal blue color rather than navy. So Pottermore seems to lean more towards Ravenclaw blue being a medium blue tone.
Fan Consensus
Amongst avid Harry Potter fans, it seems the consensus is leaning towards Ravenclaw blue being a navy shade. On fansites like Reddit and Tumblr, most agree that Ravenclaw’s color is best described as navy blue, even if it hasn’t always been portrayed that way.
Some fans argue the shift from blue to navy happened as the Harry Potter movies began aiming for a darker, mature tone in films like The Half Blood Prince. The darker navy blue better matched this tone compared to the brighter blue used earlier on.
However, you’ll still find some hardcore fans who insist Ravenclaw blue is meant to be a bright royal blue. But navy blue appears to be the majority opinion in the Harry Potter fan community.
Conclusion
So is Ravenclaw blue or navy? After this extensive examination, the evidence points towards navy blue being the most accurate portrayal of Ravenclaw’s house color. Though described only as “blue” in the books, Ravenclaw blue took on a darker, navy shade in later Harry Potter movies and merchandise. Most fans also perceive navy as the intended color.
While Ravenclaw blue hasn’t always been navy in every depiction, it seems clear the intention was for Ravenclaw to have a rich, darker blue color. Navy blue best fits this description. So while you may find Ravenclaw products in all shades of blue, when visualizing the house, navy blue is most likely the true Ravenclaw color.
