Change select box option background color

Experiments with CSS

Feeling brave today? Let's dive into no man's land with CSS styling. Please consider putting on your battle gear as results may end up going rogue due to browser compatibility issues. Here's an insider's scoop to apply styles to select options using CSS:

/* Waving my wand to color all options */
select option {
  background-color: #e9e9e9; /* Moonlight grey, inspired by 50 shades. */
}

/* Spotlighting an option */
option[value="urgent"] {
  background-color: red; /* Because red screams ATTENTION! */
}

/* A pinch of transparency magic */
option[value="info"] {
  background-color: rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.5); /* Semi-transparent blue. Because, why not? */
}

/* Enforcing !important for the stubborn ones */
option.important {
  background-color: #ffcc00 !important; /* That's the code for sunshine yellow! */
}


Quite a rollercoaster! Remember, while styling <option> elements directly, you'll encounter browser-based limitations and inconsistencies, especially on mobile platforms.

Customization on steroids with JavaScript

If CSS couldn't quench your thirst, you could always pair it up with some JavaScript behind the scenes. For instance, you can artistically add classes to option elements or meddle with the onchange event to change the styles dynamically:

// Wondering what's that? It's called the JavaScript jukebox to play colors based on your tune!
const selectElement = document.querySelector('select');
selectElement.addEventListener('change', function() {
  this.className = ''; // Calm before the storm
  this.classList.add('color-' + this.value); // Let the color parade begin!
});


On your CSS stage:

/* How about a round of applause for the pre-defined class performers! */
.color-urgent { background-color: red; }
.color-info { background-color: blue; }
/* Feel free to call in guests! */


This technique is not just an entourage appearance, it offers maintainability and can also help implement complex mechanisms that CSS couldn't pull off alone.

Thought bubble for accessibility and compatibility

When you're in the flow of customizing select menus, remember to be a good samaritan for accessibility. Ensure, your styles do not steal the thunder from the visibility of the current selected option and the ease of navigation for people depending on assistive technologies.

Don't forget to befriend your testing buddies across different browsers and devices. Not all styles will be your besties and can give you a cold shoulder. Hence, always verify your extravagant designs for a consistent user joyride.

Visualization

Now, let's paint these changes for a select box option background color in terms of changing outfits:

<select>
  <option>👕 Plain T-shirt</option>      // Desi swag
  <option>👔 Colored Shirt</option>       // NRI swag
</select>

To give this an artsy twist:

option[colored-shirt] {
   background-color: lightblue; // Yayy! Party mode on!
}


Result:

• 👕 stays the same (desi style)
• 👔 is now blued up NRI!

Add an extra coat of color to select options

Group presentation with optgroup

Cast the optgroup spell to group options together and apply magic classes for coloration:

optgroup[label="group1"] option {
  background-color: #f7f7f7;
}
optgroup[label="group2"] option {
  background-color: #eef2f5;
}


Hidden treasures in advanced selectors

Unearth hidden gem selectors like :not(:checked) to differentiate the selected one from the crowd:

select option:not(:checked) {
  background-color: #e9e9e9;
}


Beware of the selected state

Styling the :checked or :selected twins ensures the selected one steals the show:

select option:checked {
  background-color: #4caf50; /* No points for guessing, it's green for go! */
}


The trump card, !important

At times when styles refuse to abide, !important can whip them into line:

select option {
  background-color: #f0f0f0 !important; /* This style just graduated to being the sassiest. */
}


Use the !important sparingly, else it can lead to a CSS war which is harder to peace out.