When we think about the colors blue and white together, there are a few key things that typically come to mind. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most common associations with the colors blue and white and look at some examples of things that are blue with white.
The Sky
One of the first things many people think of when they imagine something blue with white is a sunny blue sky with white clouds. On a clear day, the sky takes on a rich blue hue caused by the way sunlight interacts with the gases in our atmosphere. Dotted throughout this blue backdrop are fluffy white clouds forming and shifting as they move across the sky. The stark contrast of the soft white clouds against the saturated blue creates an iconic image of these two colors together in nature.
Water
Bodies of water also commonly exhibit the blue and white color combination. Both the ocean and freshwater lakes reflect the blue of the sky and contain white-capped waves and ripples on the surface. Light bounces and scatters differently off water than land, giving large bodies of water their distinctive deep blue appearance. The white foam of crashing waves provides definition and detail to the expansive blue.
Blue and White Porcelain
In man-made objects and designs, blue and white ceramic porcelain is a classic pairing. The distinctive look features hand-painted white floral, geometric, or landscape motifs over a solid blue porcelain background. Blue and white porcelain originated in China during the Yuan dynasty in the 14th century and its popularity spread across the globe through trade routes like the Silk Road.
Blue and white porcelain remains iconic and is still produced today. It contrasts rich cobalt blue pigment from crushed cobalt ores with the clean white of the porcelain clay base. The blue and white aesthetic extends beyond dishware to vases, figurines, tiles, and other decorative ceramic pieces.
Flags
National flags are another place we see the blue and white pairing on display. Many flags around the world feature some combination of blue, white, and red due to the long history and meaning behind those colors. Here are a few examples of national flags that incorporate blue and white:
| Country | Flag Description |
|---|---|
| Greece | Nine horizontal stripes – five alternating blue and white with four white crosses on a blue field in the upper left corner |
| Argentina | Three horizontal bands – light blue on top and bottom with white in the middle |
| Chile | Two horizontal red bands top and bottom with a white star on a blue square in the upper left |
| Iceland | A red cross outlined in white on a field of deep blue |
The blue often represents concepts like vigilance, truth, and loyalty, while the white can signify peace and honesty. Together, they create an iconic patriotic symbol for the nations that feature them.
Sports Teams
We see the eye-catching blue and white pairing in sports uniforms as well. Many professional teams choose blue and white as their official team colors and display them proudly on their jerseys, logos, and merchandise. Here are some examples of major sports franchises that incorporate blue and white:
| Team | League/Sport |
|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | NFL |
| Winnipeg Jets | NHL |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | MLB |
| New York Yankees | MLB |
| Duke Blue Devils | NCAA Basketball |
The blue elicits feelings of loyalty and trust from fans, while the white provides a crisp, clean contrast that makes the team colors stand out. This makes blue and white a popular package that helps teams create an identifiable brand image.
Nautical Uses
The nautical world is full of examples that combine blue and white for both aesthetic and functional reasons. White boat hulls and decks paired with blue water make for high visibility and visual appeal. Blue and white striped boat covers protect watercraft that are docked or stored. In flags and signals, white often represents the actual image or letter, while the blue field behind it adds contrast and visibility against the sky and water.
The blue is reminiscent of the sea and naval history, while the white ensures clarity and visibility. This makes blue and white a standard choice for the maritime world in everything from boat design to signage to uniforms.
Blue Jeans
Classic blue jeans are another quintessential blue and white item. The traditional denim fabric uses white threads for the weft and blue threads dyed with indigo for the warp. This gives the fabric its signature criss-cross texture and blue color. The white helps accentuate the varying shades of blue as the indigo dye fades with wear and washing. Blue jeans with contrast stitching in white or pale blue is an iconic look.
Delftware Pottery
While Chinese blue and white porcelain is perhaps the most renowned, Europe also developed its own distinctive style of blue and white pottery. Tin-glazed earthenware pottery made in the Netherlands and England from the 16th-18th centuries was known as Delftware. It featured exquisitely hand-painted white floral patterns and motifs over a deep blue background made from cobalt pigment.
Delftware was both inspired by imported Chinese porcelain and also locally adapted to European styles and tastes. Its striking blue and white appearance made it popular for tableware and ornamental objects at the time and still treasured by collectors today.
Whitewashed Buildings
Whitewashing exterior walls has been a tradition around the globe for centuries, from the Mediterranean region to the Americas. Whitewash typically consists of lime or chalk mixed with water and applied as a paint to protect and brighten buildings. When applied over stone and adobe, the white limewash takes on a faint blue tint. This creates a pale, cooling blue and white aesthetic on architecture in sunny climates.
Historic whitewashed buildings in Santorini, Cape Cod, and the southwest United States display this traditional blue and white look. The technique continues to feature in architecture aiming for a clean, fresh, vintage appearance.
Blue and White China
While we’ve touched on antique blue and white porcelain, china dinnerware continues to be made today in similar traditional blue and white patterns. Reproductions offer diners elegant table settings reminiscent of fine antique porcelain. Quality ceramic china with blue and white motifs printed under the glaze remains popular for formal dining and bridal gifts.
Cobalt oxide provides the blue while the white comes from the pure porcelain clay body. Common motifs include peonies, cherry blossoms, bamboo, pagodas, and pastoral landscape scenes. Blue and white china offers timeless sophistication to special occasion tables.
Clothing Patterns
Blue and white patterns feature heavily in textiles and apparel as well. Crisp navy and white gingham, stripes, plaids, and polka dot prints show up in everything from tablecloths to sundresses. The contrast makes the two colors really stand out and pop against each other. Lighter shades like baby blue also pair beautifully with white in children’s, women’s, and men’s clothing.
Navy and white nautical Breton stripe shirts have endured as a staple over the decades. White lace over blue dresses and blue denim jackets with white stitching also mix the two colors in stylish ways.
Toile Fabrics
Toile fabric features intricate scenic designs printed on a solid white or off-white background fabric using one or multiple colors. While various colors get incorporated, blue often features heavily due to both its historic ties to the nobility and its high contrast against the light background.
Traditional toile patterns depict pastoral garden scenes, country landscapes, architectural ruins, and Baroque imagery. The intricate details are printed using multiple engraved copper rollers. This blue and white toile remains popular today for upholstery, curtains, and linens.
Wallpaper
On walls, blue and white flock wallpaper and block print wallpaper offer classic patterns that work in a wide range of design aesthetics. From nautical themes to Chinoiserie, light blue backgrounds allow the details of the white pattern to stand out in relief. These whimsical prints can dress up a powder room, accent wall, or reading nook.
Alternatively, more modern geometric or abstract patterns in cobalt blue and clean white make dramatic contemporary statements. Wallpaper offers a relatively affordable and reversible way to incorporate blue and white motifs into room design.
Porcelain Tiles
Blue and white porcelain tiles grace backsplashes, floors, walls, pools, and patios around the world. The tiles come either with blue designs on a white background or vice versa. Intricate Moroccan zellige tiles handmade from clay feature repeating blue and white geometric patterns.
Meanwhile, in Portugal, hand-painted blue and white azulejo tiles cover building facades, churches, and palaces. Their vivid hues and durability make blue and white tiles a popular choice to incorporate color, style, and visual interest.
Blue and White Weddings
Brides plan entire blue and white weddings around the colors’ classic, timeless elegance. Crisp navy suits for the groomsmen, white dresses for the bridesmaids, and blue and white floral arrangements set the sophisticated mood. Metallic accents in silver, gold, or platinum add extra polish.
The blue and white color scheme flows through stationery, signage, favors, bridal shower decor, and the wedding cake. Used right, the colors create an atmosphere of understated glamor and romance.
Conclusion
Whether found in nature, culture, history, or design, the visual combination of blue and white has wide-ranging associations. Light blue skies meeting fluffy white clouds immediately evoke the colors together in our minds. Cool blue water and seafoam white waves reinforce this. Blue and white ceramics connect us to artistic traditions around the world.
Flags, uniforms, buildings, fabrics, and tiles incorporate blue and white for aesthetics and symbolism. The two colors form a timeless and versatile pair that continues to feature heavily across many facets of life. Both calming and vivid, blue and white work beautifully together.