Vintage Denim Color Palette
#3E5A78 · #7A94A8 · #B8C0C0 · #5E4634
Use #3E5A78 as the background. Use #7A94A8 as the primary accent. Use #B8C0C0 as secondary. Use #5E4634 as body text/supporting color. Palette mood: Vintage Denim — vintage, cool, earthy, mono.
Hex Codes, RGB & CMYK Color Values
Technical breakdown for the Vintage Denim color scheme. Use these values for web design (HEX/RGB), print projects (CMYK), or specialized design software (HSL).
| Swatch | Design Role | HEX | RGB | CMYK | HSL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background Luminance: 9.7% | 62, 90, 120 | 48%, 25%, 0%, 53% | 211°, 32%, 36% | ||
| Primary Accent Luminance: 28.1% | 122, 148, 168 | 27%, 12%, 0%, 34% | 206°, 21%, 57% | ||
| Secondary Luminance: 51.7% | 184, 192, 192 | 4%, 0%, 0%, 25% | 180°, 6%, 74% | ||
| Body Text Luminance: 7.0% | 94, 70, 52 | 0%, 26%, 45%, 63% | 26°, 29%, 29% |
Vintage Denim Tints & Shades
Hover states, borders and elevation need lighter and darker steps of your base colors. Here are computed tints and shades for every color in the Vintage Denim palette — click any swatch to copy its hex.
Vintage Denim Palette Contrast Matrix (WCAG 2.1)
Every color tested as text on every other color as background. Body copy needs 4.5:1 (AA), large text and UI components 3:1. AAA requires 7:1.
| Text on Background | Preview | Ratio | Grade | Safe For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #5E4634 on #B8C0C0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.72:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #B8C0C0 on #5E4634 |
Aa Sample Text
| 4.72:1 | AA | Body text, UI |
| #B8C0C0 on #3E5A78 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.86:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #3E5A78 on #B8C0C0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 3.86:1 | Fail | Large headings, UI components |
| #5E4634 on #7A94A8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.76:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #7A94A8 on #5E4634 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.76:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #7A94A8 on #3E5A78 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.26:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3E5A78 on #7A94A8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 2.26:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #B8C0C0 on #7A94A8 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.71:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #7A94A8 on #B8C0C0 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.71:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #5E4634 on #3E5A78 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.22:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
| #3E5A78 on #5E4634 |
Aa Sample Text
| 1.22:1 | Fail | Decorative use only |
Color Harmony: Complementary Scheme
The Vintage Denim palette is built using a complementary relationship between its hues. This ensures that even with high-contrast accents, the overall scheme feels balanced and intentional.
A complementary palette is often preferred by professional designers because it provides maximum contrast and energy by using opposite colors.
History & Design Context
Best Design Use Cases
Industries This Palette Suits
Colors That Pair Well With Vintage Denim
Need a fifth color? These three companions are computed from the palette's own hue positions on the color wheel, so they extend the scheme without breaking its harmony.
directly opposite #7A94A8 on the wheel — the strongest accent for CTAs and highlights when you need maximum energy
30° beside #7A94A8 — a calm secondary that extends the palette without adding tension
a paper-white carrying the palette's own hue — perfect for surfaces and dividers
Using Vintage Denim Without Breaking Accessibility
- Avoid #7A94A8 for small UI elements on #3E5A78 — at 2.3:1 it misses the 3:1 WCAG threshold; darken it with a shade from the ramp below.
- Don't set body copy in #5E4634 on #3E5A78 — 1.2:1 fails WCAG AA; keep it for large decorative headings only.
- Don't use #B8C0C0 behind body text — this light tone works better for surfaces, badges and dividers than for reading areas.
How to Implement the Vintage Denim Color Scheme
To use this Vintage Denim color palette in your web project, you can copy the following CSS variables or Tailwind CSS configuration. These roles ensure your UI maintains accessibility and visual hierarchy.
Option 1: CSS Variables
:root {
/* {name} Palette - ihatecolors.com */{'
'} --color-bg: {colors[0]};{'
'} --color-primary: {colors[1]};{'
'} --color-secondary: {colors[2]};{'
'} --color-text: {colors[3]};{'
'} {'}'} Web Design Tip
Use #3E5A78 for the main background and #7A94A8 for primary buttons. This creates a high-contrast focal point.
Accessibility Note
The contrast ratio between #5E4634 and #3E5A78 is 1.22:1 (Fail). Ensure your body text remains legible.
Vintage Denim Palette — Frequently Asked Questions
What are the hex codes in the Vintage Denim color palette?
The Vintage Denim palette contains #3E5A78, #7A94A8, #B8C0C0, #5E4634. Click any swatch on this page to copy its value, or export all four at once as CSS variables, Tailwind config, SCSS or a Figma-ready list.
Is the Vintage Denim color palette accessible (WCAG)?
Yes for its strongest pairings: #5E4634 on #B8C0C0 reaches 4.7:1 (AA). For body text always keep a 4.5:1 ratio and for large UI elements 3:1 — the full contrast matrix above shows the exact score for every color-on-color combination in this palette.
What colors go well with the Vintage Denim palette?
Beyond its own four colors, #A88E7A, #85879D, #ECEDEF extend it naturally: the complementary hue for high-energy accents, an analogous neighbor for calm transitions, and a tinted neutral for surfaces. All three are computed from this palette's hues on the color wheel.
What mood does the Vintage Denim palette create?
Vintage Denim reads as vintage, cool, earthy. Muted cyan-blue drives the personality, grounded by gently saturated cyan-blue — a combination that works best when the mid-tone base gets most of the canvas.
Can I use the Vintage Denim color palette commercially?
Yes. Individual color values can't be copyrighted, so the Vintage Denim palette is free for personal, client and commercial work — websites, branding, apps, print and social content, with no attribution required.
How do I add the Vintage Denim palette to Tailwind or CSS?
Use the export panel on this page: CSS variables, a Tailwind config block, SCSS variables, or a Figma copy list are generated from Vintage Denim's exact values, including the tint and shade ramps shown above.