#DFE6EA · #EAE3DF
Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 0/100 (fail) · Harmony 100/100 (complementary) · Distinguishable 26/100 (hard to tell apart) · Match 86/100 (close). There is no single “good/bad” — a pair can clash for text yet be great for an outfit.
CityLights and Gainsboro are very close (ΔE 6). They have near-opposite hues (180° apart) and their lightness is similar, so they read as two same-weight colours.
CityLights text on Gainsboro: 1.01:1 (Fail); Gainsboro text on CityLights: 1.01:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #61676B clears it.
Complementary — complementary — a recognised, balanced pairing (harmony 100/100). This is about how they look together (clothing, interiors, branding), independent of text contrast.
Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.0:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #61676B clears AA.
Their CIE76 ΔE is about 6 — very close.
close but visibly different (ΔE 6.4).
Explore each color: CityLights #DFE6EA · Gainsboro #EAE3DF · Shades: CityLights shades · Gainsboro shades · Contrast checker →