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Redeem nowInspiration in the color olive.
Learn the history and meaning of the color olive, a versatile hue with a natural balance of green, yellow, and brown.
Get inspired with olive design templates.
The color olive is a shade of green on the warm end of the spectrum. It adds sophistication to fashion, décor, and design.
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Information about olive color.
The olive HEX code picker is #BAB86C. This is the soft and natural shade of green inspired by the olive fruit.
The color olive can be achieved in a RGB space with 186 red, 184 green, and 108 blue. Olive color can be achieved in a CMYK color space with 0% cyan, 1% magenta, 42% yellow, and 27% black.
Combine olive with other colors.
Highlight the color olive by pairing it with its complementary colors, red and violet. For a more nature-inspired palette, combine olive color with navy blue or light gray. Other neutrals pair with olive color for a contemporary look, including beige, tan, khaki, and maroon.
Is the color olive the same as olive drab?
The color olive drab is an olive color in military uniforms around the world. Some armed forces use a duller shade of olive color in their uniforms, and some use an olive that is browner. Generally, the color olive is close to olive drab, but each country’s choice of dye will vary slightly.
Tap into the psychology of the color olive.
Olive color is associated with life, renewal, and growth. These meanings are shared among shades of green, especially those that occur naturally. The color olive has its own unique ties to harmony, wisdom, and sophistication. It’s thought that these meanings come from the understated vibe of olive color.
The color olive trends toward warm.
The color green can be electric, cool, or warm. Olive color is on the warm side of the green spectrum. The undertone of yellow gives the color olive a glow reminiscent of a sandy khaki or toasted pistachio. Play with the color olive next to other warm colors like burnt orange to enhance this effect.
What is the meaning of the color olive?
Olive color is a dark green with hues of yellow and brown. The color olive is versatile alongside neutral colors like beige, khaki, and maroon. These natural shades provide a muted but sophisticated palette used in fashion, décor, and design. Like its namesake green olive, the color olive has a rich history with symbolism and psychology for you to wield.
Imagine the color olive as a natural and understated green with a breath of yellow.
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The history of olive color.
The color olive green appeared in English long after its namesake fruit.
The words “olive” (referring to the fruit) and “olive tree” both arrived to Middle English in the 14th century from the Greek elaia with the same meaning. The color of an unripe green olive later morphed into a color name sometime in the 1600s. Another olive-inspired color was introduced in 1912: olivine, a color word also used to describe something olive color.
Olive color and the color olive drab as a dependable dye.
When synthetic dyes were invented in the 1800s, natural colors like the color olive were popular and easy to make. Olive color became widely available in pigments that textiles could retain through more wash and wear than ever. A new color called olive drab became the dye of choice for American soldiers by the second World War. Though American uniforms have been updated to camouflage since, countries around the world still use the color olive, including Austria, Cuba, and Israel.
The color olive in 20th century fashion.
Outside of military garb, the color olive has made its mark in the fashion industry and in interior design. Outdoor wear is particularly popular in the color olive. The color olive in fashion is associated with conscientiousness and sophistication.
The color olive across different cultures.
The color olive in WWII.
The color olive drab was introduced shortly after the color khaki was adopted by the British Indian Army in 1846. Khaki color was practical for armed forces in desert areas, but olive color drab became the new standard for U.S. troops in the second World War due to the wooded terrains soldiers fought in. The color olive was not replaced in U.S. uniforms until 1981.
The color olive in fashion.
Olive color is popular in fashion because of its neutrality and its flattering glow for the whole spectrum of skin tones. Just like the color olive in nature plays beautifully off every color of bloom, branch, and tree, olive color in the industrialized world is exceptionally versatile.
The color olive in art.
Olive color and neighboring shades of green have been used extensively in painting, from landscapes to abstract art. Claude Monet played with olive green beautifully in Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies (1899). Thomas Wilmer Dewing displayed a range of green shades in his piece Symphony in Green and Gold (1912), including a rich shade of olive.