Plum color guide

#8E4585
HEX
#8E4585
RGB
rgb(142, 69, 133)
HSL
hsl(307, 35%, 41%)
CMYK
cmyk(0%, 51%, 6%, 44%)

Muted and slightly red, with none of violet's glare. It sits comfortably as a mid-tone in a mature palette.

Best for
Editorial accents and sophisticated brand systems.

Accessibility

Plum text on whiteAA
Sample6.29:1
White text on plumAA
Sample6.29:1
Plum text on blackAA Large
Sample3.34:1
Black text on plumAA Large
Sample3.34:1

Ratios follow WCAG 2.1. AA needs 4.5:1 for body text, AAA needs 7:1; large text passes AA at 3:1.

Colors that go with plum

Combinations that hold up in a real layout rather than only on the colour wheel.

Plum color harmonies

Complementary
The opposite hue — highest contrast, best used sparingly.
#8E4585 #448D4C
Analogous
Neighbouring hues that sit together calmly.
#71448D #8E4585 #8D4460
Triadic
Three evenly spaced hues — vivid but balanced.
#8E4585 #858D44 #44858D
Split complementary
Softer than complementary, with the same tension.
#8E4585 #608D44 #448D71

Plum shades and tints

The same hue and saturation across ten lightness steps — the basis of a usable colour ramp in a design system.

#F7EEF6#E6CBE3#D6A9D0#C587BE#B464AB#9B4B92#783A71#562951#341931#1C0D1A

Plum FAQ

What is the hex code for plum?

Plum is #8E4585. In other formats that is rgb(142, 69, 133), hsl(307, 35%, 41%), and approximately cmyk(0%, 51%, 6%, 44%) for print.

What colors go with plum?

Cream, Sage Green, Gold all pair well with plum. Editorial accents and sophisticated brand systems.

Is plum accessible for text?

Yes — plum text on white reaches 6.29:1, which passes WCAG AA for body text.

Should text on plum be black or white?

Use white text. It gives the higher contrast ratio of the two against #8E4585.

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