Oxford Blue Color
Oxford Blue is a blue color with hex code #384555. This page covers its meaning, all color values, harmonies, colors that go with oxford blue, shades, tints, similar colors, CSS examples, FAQs, and WCAG contrast ratios.
Oxford Blue Color Values
What Does Oxford Blue Mean?
Oxford Blue belongs to the blue family of colors. Blue wins popularity surveys in every culture that runs them, and corporate design reflects it. Trust and stability are the usual words people reach for. Dark navies project authority, pale blues open a layout up, and almost nothing clashes with it. Being on the dark side, Oxford Blue adds weight and depth. It suits text, shadows, and grounding elements more than wide-open backgrounds.
In the ISCC-NBS color naming system, Oxford Blue is classified as a blue (nearest centroid: dark grayish blue, #36454F).
Color Harmonies
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Colors That Go With Oxford Blue
Oxford Blue and #564938 are complements, parked opposite each other on the wheel. Together they hit maximum contrast, so a rough 70/30 split keeps the pairing from shouting.
Analogous neighbors — #385556 and #3A3856, which sit beside oxford blue on the wheel. Pairings like this feel calm and settled, which suits backgrounds and gradients.
For an energetic three-color palette, pair oxford blue with triadic partners #563846 and #465638. All three sit evenly spaced around the wheel, so the scheme stays lively without clashing.
Build and test these combinations in our Color Wheel Tool or check text readability with the Contrast Checker.
Tints and Shades
Tints (lighter)
Shades (darker)
Similar Colors
- Bright Grey —
#3C4151(Delta E 3) - Atomic —
#314459(Delta E 4) - River Bed —
#434C59(Delta E 4) - Mako —
#444954(Delta E 5) - Dark Slate —
#394851(Delta E 5)
CSS Examples
.text { color: #384555; }
.background { background-color: #384555; }
.border { border: 2px solid #384555; }
.shadow { box-shadow: 0 4px 6px #38455540; }WCAG Contrast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hex code for oxford blue?
Oxford Blue has the hex code #384555. In RGB notation it is rgb(56, 69, 85), in HSL it is hsl(213, 21%, 28%), and its OKLCH value is 0.386, 0.032, 253.8.
What does the color oxford blue mean?
Blue-family colors like oxford blue carry distinct psychological associations. Oxford Blue belongs to the blue family of colors. Blue wins popularity surveys in every culture that runs them, and corporate design reflects it. Trust and stability are the usual words people reach for. Dark navies project authority, pale blues open a layout up, and almost nothing clashes with it. Being on the dark side, Oxford Blue adds weight and depth. It suits text, shadows, and grounding elements more than wide-open backgrounds.
What colors go with oxford blue?
Oxford Blue has three easy routes: its complement #564938 for punch, its neighbors #385556 and #3A3856 for something calmer, or triadic partners #563846 and #465638 when you want energy.
Is oxford blue a standard web color?
No — Oxford Blue is not a CSS keyword. Use its hex value #384555 or any RGB/HSL equivalent in your stylesheets.
How do I make oxford blue lighter or darker?
To lighten oxford blue, add white to create tints; to darken it, add black to create shades. The tints and shades table above shows five computed steps of each, from #DAE0E7 (lightest tint) to #0A0C0F (darkest shade).
About Oxford Blue
Oxford Blue is classified as a Blue in the ISCC-NBS color naming system, within the Blue hue family. It has The color is recognized by Resene.
Use our Color Converter to convert #384555 to any other color format, or explore the Color Wheel to find harmonious color combinations.