#523C5C Hex Color
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Dark, muted plum with a cool gray undertone. #523c5c sits in the shadowed end of the purple range, closer to aubergine than violet, and it stays subdued rather than vivid. It reads well as a moody background or supporting tone in dark mode palettes, where its low saturation keeps white text and pale accents legible. Pair it with soft mauve, dusty rose, or warm neutrals to soften its weight, or use it as a quiet base beneath brighter accent colors.
Questions about #523c5c
What is #523c5c in RGB, HSL and CMYK?
In RGB, #523c5c is rgb(82, 60, 92), in HSL hsl(281, 21%, 30%) and in CMYK 11%, 35%, 0%, 64%. Browse more shades of purple with names and hex codes.
What colors pair well with #523c5c?
Soft mauve, dusty rose, warm taupe, and pale cream all sit comfortably beside #523c5c. For stronger contrast, pair it with off-white text or a muted gold accent.
Is #523c5c a warm or cool color?
#523c5c leans cool. Its purple base carries a gray undertone, so it reads calm and subdued rather than warm or bright.
How dark is #523c5c?
It is a fairly dark shade with a lightness value around 30%. White text on #523c5c passes WCAG AA contrast, making it usable for backgrounds behind body text.
Where does #523c5c work best in design?
It performs well as a dark mode background, a moody brand base, or a supporting tone in editorial layouts. Keep it away from small fine print and let brighter accents carry the details.
Is #523c5c readable on white or black?
#523c5c has a 9.72:1 contrast ratio on white and 2.15:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works for body text and on black it is too faint for text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.