Denim #3B638C
Denim is a medium-dark, moderately saturated blue with hex code #3B638C and RGB rgb(59, 99, 140).
Aa
White text reads best on this color (6.26:1).
About this color
#3B638C is a medium-dark, moderately saturated blue. In OKLCH its lightness is 49%, its chroma 0.080 and its hue 250°. Its hue sits on the cool side of the wheel. It is the named color Denim. White text reads best on it, at 6.26:1.
| Hue family | Blues |
| Lightness | medium-dark (49%) |
| Chroma | moderately saturated (0.080) |
| Temperature | cool |
| Nearest name | Denim |
| Black text | 3.34:1 |
| White text | 6.26:1 |
Colors that go with Denim
Matches found by rotating Denim around the OKLCH hue wheel, each labelled with the closest name in our list.
Complementary
The opposite hue (180°).
Analogous
Neighbouring hues, 30° either side.
Triadic
Three hues spaced 120° apart.
Color palettes with Denim
Curated color palettes that contain a color within ΔE 0.06 (OKLab) of Denim, closest first.
Similar named colors
The eight named colors closest to Denim, with their ΔE distance.
- Dusky Blue #475F94 ΔE 0.024
- Denim Blue #3B5B92 ΔE 0.028
- Light Navy Blue #2E5A88 ΔE 0.032
- Peacock Blue #016795 ΔE 0.034
- YInMn Blue #415A77 ΔE 0.038
- Muted Blue #3B719F ΔE 0.046
- Dusk #4E5481 ΔE 0.046
- Ocean Blue #03719C ΔE 0.047
More about Denim
How to make Denim
A starting recipe from common paint colors, found with a spectral paint model (the color mixer’s paint mode). Real pigments vary, so mix a small test batch and adjust.
- 4 parts blue
- 4 parts gray
- 1 part red
Recipe result: #3F668C, a difference of ΔE 0.010 from Denim. That is very close: most people will not see the difference.
Codes for Denim in every format
| HEX | #3B638C |
| RGB | rgb(59, 99, 140) |
| HSL | hsl(210, 41%, 39%) |
| OKLCH | oklch(48.9% 0.08 250.3) |
Contrast
WCAG 2 contrast ratios are the conformance target: AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, AAA needs 7:1. APCA Lc values are supplementary guidance from the WCAG 3 drafts.
| Pair | WCAG 2 | Result | APCA | APCA guidance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White text on #3B638C | 6.26:1 | AA | Lc -86.2 | Fine for body text |
| Black text on #3B638C | 3.34:1 | AA large text | Lc 23.0 | Dividers and decoration only |
| #3B638C text on white | 6.26:1 | AA | Lc 81.1 | Fine for body text |
| #3B638C text on black | 3.34:1 | AA large text | Lc -20.8 | Dividers and decoration only |
Shades and tints of Denim
A 50–950 scale built in OKLCH: the hue is held, lightness follows a Tailwind v4-like curve, and every step is kept inside the sRGB gamut. This color sits at step 700.
-
Step 50
50
#F3F6F9
oklch(97.2% 0.005 247.9)
-
Step 100
100
#E4EBF1
oklch(93.6% 0.011 243.7)
-
Step 200
200
#CFDBE7
oklch(88.6% 0.021 248.1)
-
Step 300
300
#AEC3D9
oklch(80.8% 0.039 249.5)
-
Step 400
400
#84A4C7
oklch(70.7% 0.063 251)
-
Step 500
500
#648DB8
oklch(63% 0.079 250.3)
-
Step 600
600
#4B77A4
oklch(55.7% 0.086 250.1)
-
Step 700
700 (this color)
#3B638C
oklch(48.9% 0.08 250.3)
-
Step 800
800
#325172
oklch(42.6% 0.066 251)
-
Step 900
900
#2C445C
oklch(37.8% 0.051 249.3)
-
Step 950
950
#1A2836
oklch(27.1% 0.032 249.1)
Denim with color blindness
Simulated with the Machado et al. (2009) model. ΔE is how far the color moves: below about 0.02 you would not notice a change.
| Vision | Seen as | Shift (ΔE) |
|---|---|---|
| Protanopia (no red cones) | #52658E | 0.029 |
| Deuteranopia (no green cones) | #475D8B | 0.021 |
| Tritanopia (no blue cones) | #006C71 | 0.069 |
| Achromatopsia (no color) | #606060 | 0.080 |
Use Denim in your product
Turn it into light and dark UI roles checked for contrast, then export to Tailwind v4, shadcn/ui, CSS or design tokens.