Purple
Purple (#800080) is a dark, vivid pink with a balanced feel. It has a hue angle of 300° and a lightness of 42%. Its strong saturation makes it eye-catching, so use it with intent and let neutrals do the rest.
About this color
What Purple looks like, feels like and where it works.
Description
Purple (#800080) is a dark, vivid pink with a balanced feel. It has a hue angle of 300° and a lightness of 42%. Its strong saturation makes it eye-catching, so use it with intent and let neutrals do the rest.
Psychology
Pink softens red with white. It reads as caring, warm and playful, and ranges from bubblegum energy to sophisticated blush. As a mid-toned shade, Purple sits comfortably in the middle: present but not heavy.
Meaning
Pink is tied to romance, kindness and youth. Its link to girls and baby clothes is a modern convention, not a fixed meaning.
Why use this color
Purple is a confident accent. It carries white text well, so it works as a button, header or badge background. Pair it with its tints and shades for a complete scale.
Applications
- Beauty, fashion and lifestyle
- Celebrations and weddings
- Friendly, expressive brands
- Soft backgrounds and highlights
History
The color is named after the flower called a pink (Dianthus), and first appears as a color name in the 1600s.
Accessibility
White text on Purple has a contrast ratio of 9.41:1 (AAA); black text has 2.22:1 (fails). WCAG AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text and interface parts. Do not rely on color alone to carry meaning: pair it with text, an icon or a pattern.
Variations of Purple
Tailwind-style scale
Color harmonies of Purple
Want to explore these on a wheel? Open the color wheel.
Color blindness simulator
These are approximations to help you check that meaning never depends on color alone. Real vision varies from person to person.