Sky Blue Color Palette
Sky Blue is hex #87CEEB, rgb(135, 206, 235). Sky blue is the light blue of a clear midday sky. It is optimistic and open, and it pairs naturally with white and sunny yellow.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Sky Blue color codes
Reading the sky blue color codes
The hex code #87CEEB is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 87 is 135, CE is 206 and EB is 235, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(135, 206, 235) in CSS. The blue channel is the strongest here, which is what gives sky blue its cyan character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 197 degrees places sky blue in the cyan part of the color wheel. Saturation of 71% makes it vivid, and lightness of 73% makes it a light color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 43% cyan, 12% magenta, 0% yellow and 8% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to sky blue for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Sky Blue shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #87CEEB, so you can use sky blue for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"sky-blue": {
50: "#DDF1F9",
100: "#C1E6F5",
200: "#A4DAF0",
300: "#87CEEB",
400: "#78B9D3",
500: "#69A3BB",
600: "#5A8EA3",
700: "#4B788B",
800: "#3C6373",
900: "#2D4E5B",
950: "#1E3843",
},
},
},
}:root {
--sky-blue-50: #DDF1F9;
--sky-blue-100: #C1E6F5;
--sky-blue-200: #A4DAF0;
--sky-blue-300: #87CEEB;
--sky-blue-400: #78B9D3;
--sky-blue-500: #69A3BB;
--sky-blue-600: #5A8EA3;
--sky-blue-700: #4B788B;
--sky-blue-800: #3C6373;
--sky-blue-900: #2D4E5B;
--sky-blue-950: #1E3843;
}A shade-by-shade guide to sky blue
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#DDF1F9) and 100 (#C1E6F5), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the sky blue mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#A4DAF0) and 300 (#87CEEB) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where sky blue is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 700 upward, so use step 700 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 600.
The darkest steps, 800 (#3C6373) through 950 (#1E3843), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to sky blue. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with sky blue
How the sky blue color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from sky blue is #EBA487, which sits closest to dusty rose among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #87EBD6 and #879CEB sit 30 degrees either side of sky blue. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#EB87CE and #CEEB87) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to hot pink. The split complementary set (#EB879C and #EBD687) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #DCF1F9 to #2094C3. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Sky Blue compared with similar colors
baby blue (#89CFF0) is about as light and more saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose baby blue if you want a softer, airier version; choose sky blue if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
powder blue (#B0E0E6) is lighter (80% vs 73% lightness) and more muted, and leans back the wheel toward cyan. Choose powder blue if you want a softer, airier version; choose sky blue if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
electric blue (#7DF9FF) is about as light and more saturated, and leans back the wheel toward cyan. Choose electric blue if you want a softer, airier version; choose sky blue if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Sky Blue in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here sky blue carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
Weekly summary
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Using sky blue in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on sky blue only reach 1.74:1, so use dark text (12.06:1 with black) or a deeper shade for the button.
- Text. Avoid sky blue for body text on white; use step 700 or darker for links and headings that need to read as sky blue.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid light color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with sky blue. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Sky Blue scores 1.74:1 against white (Fail) and 12.06:1 against black (AAA). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use sky blue alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What sky blue means
Blue is the most trusted color in digital products. It signals stability, competence and calm, which is why banks, SaaS tools and health platforms default to it.
Sky blue is the color of a clear daytime sky, caused by the scattering of sunlight in the atmosphere. It is one of the CSS named colors.
Because so many products already use blue, the shade matters more than the hue. Pair it with an unexpected neutral or accent so the interface does not look like every other dashboard.
Where sky blue works best
- Travel and airlines
- Weather apps
- Kids' brands
- Summer campaigns
How to style sky blue
Sky blue pairs with white, sunny yellow, navy and coral. It needs dark text. Use it for backgrounds and illustrations in travel, weather and kids' products.
Build a UI with sky blue
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #87CEEB as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Sky Blue · History and definition of sky blue.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for sky blue?
The hex code for sky blue used on this page is #87CEEB. In RGB that is rgb(135, 206, 235), and in HSL it is hsl(197, 71%, 73%).
What colors go well with sky blue?
Sky Blue pairs well with #E3F4FB, #FFFFFF, #1B3B5A (the Clear Day palette above). Its complementary color is #EBA487, and analogous colors are #87EBD6 and #879CEB.
Is sky blue a warm or cool color?
Sky Blue is a cool color. Its hue sits at 197 degrees on the color wheel with 71% saturation.
Can I use sky blue for text?
Sky Blue has a contrast ratio of 1.74:1 against white and 12.06:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does sky blue mean?
Blue is the most trusted color in digital products. It signals stability, competence and calm, which is why banks, SaaS tools and health platforms default to it. Sky Blue in particular is used for travel and airlines and weather apps.
How do I use sky blue in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#87CEEB] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-sky-blue-500 and text-sky-blue-900.
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