Puce

HEX: #CC8899 | Modern Palette

On White
2.78:1
FAIL
On Black
7.55:1
PASS

Color Specifications

HEX
#CC8899
RGB
204, 136, 153
HSL
345°, 40% ,66%
CMYK
0, 33, 25, 20

About Puce

Puce (#CC8899) is a color with RGB(204, 136, 153) and HSL(345°, 40%, 66.7%). It is commonly associated with Romantic moods. In design, it fits Warm styles and is suitable for Text, Logo, Print. Its complementary color is #88CCBB, which creates strong contrast. Its triadic palette includes #99CC88 and #8899CC. The name comes from puce (French).

  • HEX: #CC8899
  • RGB: 204, 136, 153
  • HSL: 345°, 40%, 66.7%
  • Mood: Romantic
  • Style: Warm
  • Use case: Text, Logo, Print
  • Complementary color: #88CCBB
  • Triadic colors: #99CC88, #8899CC
  • The name comes from puce (French).

Live Components

LIGHT
DARK
System Notification Box

Color Palettes

Puce #CC8899 is used in Monochromatic, Neutral + Accent, Analogous, 3 + 1 + 1 palettes, giving designers ready-made combinations for backgrounds, surfaces, accents, and interface elements.

Monochromatic Five tones of the same hue — a reliable scale for backgrounds, surfaces, and text.
 
 
 
PUCE
 
Neutral + Accent Four near-neutral tones grounded by a saturated accent — clean and versatile for UI.
 
 
PUCE
 
 
Analogous Five hues drifting across a 60° arc — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
 
 
 
 
 
3 + 1 + 1 Three analogous base colors, one complementary accent, one dark anchor — bold yet balanced.
 
 
 
 
 

Color Harmonies

Puce #CC8899 pairs with #88CCBB as its complementary color, and #99CC88 and #8899CC in triadic combinations. These harmony relationships help create balanced color combinations for UI, branding, and design work.

Complementary

The color directly opposite on the color wheel — creates maximum contrast and vibrance.

PUCE
Analogous

Colors adjacent on the wheel — naturally harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

PUCE
Triadic

Three colors equally spaced 120° apart — bold, balanced, and visually rich.

PUCE
Split-Complementary

Two colors flanking the complement — high contrast with less tension than full complementary.

PUCE
Tetradic (Square)

Four colors at 90° intervals — rich variety, best when one color dominates.

PUCE
Monochromatic

Shades and tints of the same hue — cohesive, elegant, and easy to work with.

PUCE

Shades & Tints

The shade and tint range for Puce #CC8899 moves from dark #12080A tones through the base color to lighter #F7EDF0 tones, making it useful for depth, hierarchy, and background variation.

PUCE

Color Characteristics

Mood
Romantic
Style
Warm
Use case
Text Logo Print

Accessibility Simulation

Deuteranopia #A0A097
Protanopia #919199
Tritanopia #CB8A8A
Achromatopsia #9B9B9B

Frequently Asked Questions

Puce (#CC8899) is a color with RGB(204, 136, 153) and HSL(345°, 40%, 66.7%).

#CC8899 pairs strongly with #88CCBB as its complementary color. It can also be used with neutral tones for balanced UI and design layouts.

#CC8899 is suitable for Text, Logo, Print and works well with Warm styles.

#CC8899 is commonly associated with Romantic.

The name Puce is linked to puce from French, meaning flea.

Name, History & Etymology

Origin Word puce
Meaning flea
Language French
First Recorded Use Late 18th Century

History

The color 'puce' is said to have originated in France during the reign of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. The story goes that Marie Antoinette had a dress of this particular brownish-pinkish-purple color, and when asked what color it was, she replied 'couleur puce' (flea color). This was supposedly inspired by the color of a flea, or more specifically, the color of a flea engorged with blood. The color became fashionable in France and subsequently in other parts of Europe. It's a somewhat ambiguous color, often described as a dark pinkish-brown, reddish-brown, or purplish-brown, reflecting the varied interpretations of its namesake.

First Recorded Use

1770s

Cultural Associations

The name 'puce' is a classic example of how colors can be named after unexpected or even slightly grotesque natural phenomena, yet still become fashionable. Its association with Marie Antoinette gives it a historical, if somewhat morbid, aristocratic flair. It's not a widely used color name in contemporary fashion or design, but it holds a place in historical color palettes and literature.

Similar Named Colors
Shimmering Blush #D98695 ΔE 3.26
English Lavender #B48395 ΔE 5.38
Light Thulian Pink #E68FAC ΔE 5.64
Ruddy Pink #E18E96 ΔE 5.65

Code Snippets

/* Background */
.element {
    background-color: #CC8899;
}

/* Text */
.element {
    color: #CC8899;
}

/* Border */
.element {
    border: 1px solid #CC8899;
}

/* Linear gradient to complementary */
.element {
    background: linear-gradient(
        to right,
        #CC8899,
        #88CCBB
    );
}

/* Radial gradient */
.element {
    background: radial-gradient(
        circle,
        #CC8899,
        #88CCBB
    );
}

// SCSS variable
$puce: #CC8899;

// With RGB channels (useful for rgba() usage)
$puce-r: 204;
$puce-g: 136;
$puce-b: 153;

// Usage
.element {
    background-color: $puce;
    color: rgba($puce-r, $puce-g, $puce-b, 0.8);
}