Mustard Yellow

#FFCE1B

What color is Mustard Yellow?

Mustard yellow is a warm, dark yellow with a slight brownish tone, hex #FFCE1B, closer in depth to aged sunflower petals than to a bright lemon. It has an earthy, muted quality that keeps it from reading as a pure or primary yellow.

What is the meaning of the color Mustard Yellow?

The name comes from the ground mustard seed, whose dried powder has carried this yellow-brown tone for centuries in European kitchens and trade. By the 17th century, mustard was a documented commodity across English and French markets, and its distinctive color became a reliable reference point in cloth and dye descriptions. The color gained broader cultural visibility when fashion houses began using it in autumn collections during the mid-20th century, tying it to harvest seasons and natural dyes. Levi Strauss and Co. have used mustard yellow as a recurring seasonal color in their denim lines, anchoring it to durable, working-wear aesthetics.

RGB
255, 206, 27
HSL
47°, 100%, 55%
CMYK
0, 19, 89, 0
HSV
47°, 89%, 100%
Mustard yellow color

What colors go with Mustard Yellow?

Colors that pair well with Mustard yellow include:
Deep navy: strong, grounding contrast
Burnt orange: warm tonal harmony
Forest green: earthy, natural balance
Charcoal grey: muted, modern depth
Rusty red: rich, autumnal pairing

Similar Colors

Conversions & Codes

Format Value CSS
HEX #FFCE1B color: #FFCE1B;
RGB 255, 206, 27 color: rgb(255, 206, 27);
RGB Percentage 100%, 81%, 11% color: rgb(100%, 81%, 11%);
CMYK 0%, 19%, 89%, 0% Not supported in CSS
HSL 47°, 100%, 55% color: hsl(47, 100%, 55%);
HSV 47°, 89%, 100% Not supported in CSS
CIE-LAB 44, 10, 60 color: lab(44% 10 60);
Decimal 16764443 Not supported in CSS

Color Variations

Shades

#FFCD1A
#FCC600
#E0B000
#C49A00
#A88400
#8C6E00
#705800
#544200

Tints

#FFF0BA
#FFEBA3
#FFE68C
#FFE175
#FFDC5E
#FFD747
#FFD230
#FFCD1A

Tones

#FFCD1A
#F4C725
#E8C030
#DDBA3C
#D1B347
#C6AD53
#BAA65E
#AFA06A

Hues

#FFCD1A
#85FF1A
#1AFF5B
#1AF7FF
#1A4BFF
#941AFF
#FF1ABE
#FF211A

Color Harmonies

Analogous

#FF5B1A
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#FFCE1B
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#BEFF1A
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Complementary

#FFCE1B
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#1A4BFF
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Split Complementary

#FFCE1B
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#1ABEFF
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#5B1AFF
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Triadic

#FFCE1B
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#1AFFCD
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#CD1AFF
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Tetradic

#FFCE1B
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#1AFF5B
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#1A4BFF
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#FF1ABE
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Square

#FFCE1B
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#1AFF5B
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#1A4BFF
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#FF1ABE
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CSS & Dev Snippets

CSS
.mustard-yellow {
  color: #FFCE1B;
}
SCSS
$mustard-yellow: #FFCE1B;
RGB
rgb(255, 206, 27)

Accessibility & Contrast

White background

1.49:1
1.49
contrast ratio on a white background
Element
AA
AAA
Small text
Large text
UI element

Black background

14.10:1
14.10
contrast ratio on a black background
Element
AA
AAA
Small text
Large text
UI element

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