Showa era
Blue & Lilac +1
Plate 143 from Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations — Blue, Lilac, Warm Gray.
#b984af
purple · 4 palettes
Lilac
About Lilac
Lilac is a mid-tone, muted purple tone. Its hex value is #b984af — that is
RGB 185, 132, 175, or HSL 311°, 27%, 62%.
It holds 7.0:1 contrast against dark, so Lilac works best for body text, headings, and UI labels. (On white it scores 3.0:1; on black 7.0:1.)
Across Sanzo Wada's 1933 Dictionary of Color Combinations, Lilac appears in 4 combinations — most often paired with Blue, Warm Gray and Old Rose.
Colours that go with Lilac
From a standard colour wheel, Lilac anchors these four classic schemes. Each swatch is computed from its exact hue, so every hex is a real, usable pairing.
Complementary
#b984af #84B98E
the hue directly opposite — the highest-contrast pairing, good for a single bold accent.
Analogous
#b984af #A884B9 #B98495
the two neighbours on the wheel — a calm, cohesive scheme that feels effortless.
Triadic
#b984af #AFB984 #84AFB9
two hues an even third of the wheel away — balanced and lively without clashing.
Split-complementary
#b984af #95B984 #84B9A9
the two colours either side of the complement — the contrast of a complement, softened.
How to use Lilac
Lilac is a mid-tone, muted tone (HSL 311°, 27%, 62%), which makes it a versatile mid-tone for accents, buttons or blocks. For text it passes WCAG AA for body text against a dark background (7.0:1) — safe for paragraphs, buttons and labels. When you do set type on it, use light lettering. Pair it with its complement (#84B98E) for a focal accent, or with its analogous neighbours (#A884B9 and #B98495) for a quieter, harmonious feel.
Palettes with Lilac
Lilac appears in 4 combinations from the archive. Each pairing reveals how the same color shifts character depending on its neighbours.
From the archive
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