Southern Methodist University School Colors
Southern Methodist University's school colors are Red (#CC0035) and Blue (#354CA1). SMU's brand standards define 8 colors in all; every official HEX, RGB, CMYK and Pantone value is listed below, along with the story of how the colors were chosen.
History of the SMU colors
SMU's red and blue are traditionally described as a combination of Harvard crimson and Yale blue. According to the curator of SMU's Heritage Hall, as reported by the student newspaper, first president Robert S. Hyer chose the two colors because he admired early French military uniforms that used them. The colors appeared on SMU's football uniforms from the early decades of the program and are celebrated in the fight song line "Hail to the red and the blue."
Sources: smudailycampus.com · smu.edu
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
SMU primary colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | #354CA1 | 53, 76, 161 | 100, 65, 0, 3 | PMS 286 | |
| Red | #CC0035 | 204, 0, 53 | 0, 100, 85, 3 | PMS 186 |
SMU secondary colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow | #F9C80E | 249, 200, 14 | 0, 23, 100, 0 | PMS 7548 | |
| Salmon | #FF1053 | 255, 16, 83 | 1, 100, 70, 0 | PMS 192 | |
| Teal | #59C3C3 | 89, 195, 195 | 60, 0, 27, 0 | PMS 325 | |
| Black | #262626 | 38, 38, 38 | 74, 65, 62, 67 | PMS 426 |
SMU athletics colors
| Color | HEX | RGB | CMYK | Pantone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red (athletics) | #D70000 | 215, 0, 0 | 0, 100, 85, 3 | PMS 186 C | |
| Blue (athletics) | #0033A1 | 0, 51, 161 | 100, 65, 0, 3 | PMS 286 C |
Matching SMU colors on clothing
Clothing sold as a given color can be noticeably off from SMU's official values, and supplier color codes describe the dye target rather than the finished fabric. So we measured the actual fabric color of every garment we carry from product photos and fabric swatches, then compared it to SMU's official colors. The pieces below are the closest in-stock matches, out of 1134 styles close to Red, 1279 styles close to Blue.
Clothing in Red #CC0035
Blank apparel whose fabric color is a close match to Red, measured from the garment itself. 1134 matching styles in stock.
Clothing in Blue #354CA1
Blank apparel whose fabric color is a close match to Blue, measured from the garment itself. 1279 matching styles in stock.
SMU colors: frequently asked questions
What are SMU school colors?
Southern Methodist University's school colors are Red (#CC0035) and Blue (#354CA1).
What is the hex code for SMU Red?
SMU Red is #CC0035 (RGB 204, 0, 53, CMYK 0, 100, 85, 3).
What is the hex code for SMU Blue?
SMU Blue is #354CA1 (RGB 53, 76, 161, CMYK 100, 65, 0, 3).
What Pantone color is SMU Red?
SMU Red is PMS 186.
What Pantone color is SMU Blue?
SMU Blue is PMS 286.
Why are SMU's colors Red and Blue?
SMU's red and blue are traditionally described as a combination of Harvard crimson and Yale blue. According to the curator of SMU's Heritage Hall, as reported by the student newspaper, first president Robert S.
Color values are taken from the official Southern Methodist University brand standards (source), checked October 2026. Sweatshirt Station is not affiliated with or endorsed by Southern Methodist University. We sell blank apparel in matching colors; no logos or trademarks are sold. Photos are used under their Creative Commons or public domain licenses and are credited above.