Slate Blue

#557C99

What color is Slate Blue?

Slate blue is a medium, muted blue with grey undertones, hex #557C99, close to the color of faded denim. It has a cool, dusty quality that keeps it from reading as a bright or vivid blue.

What is the meaning of the color Slate Blue?

The name comes from the blue-grey tone of slate rock, a material used in roofing and flooring across Britain and Europe from at least the 16th century. As slate became a common building material, its color entered everyday visual language, and the term slate blue was recorded in English by the early 19th century. The color was adopted in decorative arts and interior design during the Victorian period, when muted, natural tones were favored over saturated hues. The U.S. Navy has used slate blue tones in dress uniform fabrics, giving the color an enduring association with restraint and institutional trust.

RGB
85, 124, 153
HSL
206°, 29%, 47%
CMYK
44, 19, 0, 40
HSV
206°, 44%, 60%
Slate blue color

What colors go with Slate Blue?

Colors that pair well with Slate blue include:
Warm white: soft, clean contrast
Burnt orange: bold warm accent
Charcoal grey: quiet, grounding depth
Sage green: calm, natural balance
Navy blue: deep tonal layering

Similar Colors

Conversions & Codes

Format Value CSS
HEX #557C99 color: #557C99;
RGB 85, 124, 153 color: rgb(85, 124, 153);
RGB Percentage 33%, 49%, 60% color: rgb(33%, 49%, 60%);
CMYK 44%, 19%, 0%, 40% Not supported in CSS
HSL 206°, 29%, 47% color: hsl(206, 29%, 47%);
HSV 206°, 44%, 60% Not supported in CSS
CIE-LAB 38, -8, -10 color: lab(38% -8 -10);
Decimal 5602457 Not supported in CSS

Color Variations

Shades

#557C9B
#4D708B
#44647C
#3C576C
#334B5D
#2B3E4D
#22323E
#1A252E

Tints

#CBD8E2
#B9CBD9
#A8BECF
#96B1C5
#85A4BC
#7497B2
#628AA9
#557C9B

Tones

#557C9B
#597C97
#5C7C94
#607B90
#637B8D
#667A89
#6A7A86
#6D7982

Hues

#557C9B
#62559B
#96559B
#9B556B
#9B7355
#8E9B55
#5A9B55
#559B85

Color Harmonies

Analogous

#559B96
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#557C99
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#555A9B
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Complementary

#557C99
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#9B7355
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Split Complementary

#557C99
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#9B555A
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#9B9655
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Triadic

#557C99
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#9B557C
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95%
#7C9B55
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Tetradic

#557C99
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#96559B
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#9B7355
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#5A9B55
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Square

#557C99
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#96559B
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#9B7355
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#5A9B55
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CSS & Dev Snippets

CSS
.slate-blue {
  color: #557C99;
}
SCSS
$slate-blue: #557C99;
RGB
rgb(85, 124, 153)

Accessibility & Contrast

White background

4.44:1
4.44
contrast ratio on a white background
Element
AA
AAA
Small text
Large text
UI element

Black background

4.73:1
4.73
contrast ratio on a black background
Element
AA
AAA
Small text
Large text
UI element

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