vaporwave
Lets your agent use neon colors and retro digital aesthetics. It's good for a 90s-inspired look, with old system elements.
What it does
This design style uses vibrant colors like pink and blue, mixed with elements reminiscent of old 90s computers, such as windows and buttons with a 3D look. It can also include images of classical statues.
When to use it
- ✓Creating a retro look for a website or app.
- ✓Developing a theme with neon and pastel colors.
- ✓Incorporating design elements from old operating systems.
Example of what to ask your AI
“Create a design with neon colors, old-looking buttons, and a Roman statue image.”
Want more? Open the sections below.
How to use
The easiest way: copy the message below and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any AI. It reads the skill and follows the instructions.
Skill link
Ready-to-paste message
How it works
It works by combining colors like cyan, magenta, and grays with specific fonts and borders that simulate 3D buttons from systems like Windows 95. The result is a nostalgic and slightly surreal digital aesthetic.
Installation
Easiest way: copy the skill link and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor asking it to follow the instructions.
In the terminal (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor), in your project folder:
npx skills add sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill vaporwaveOr download just the file:
curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/main/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills-claude/skills/design-it/vaporwave/SKILL.md -o SKILL.mdTechnical content (original SKILL.md)
Original text by the author, straight from GitHub.
Vaporwave
"A surreal, nostalgic dream of 90s computing and pastel neon."
When to Use
Use this sub-style when the user's request matches the aesthetic described above. This is a child reference of the design-it skill and is not meant to be triggered directly.
Core Principles
- Windows 95 / Mac OS 9 Motifs: UI elements designed to look explicitly like 1990s operating systems (grey boxes, hard bevels, blue title bars).
- Surreal Pastels & Neons: A mix of soft pinks, cyans, and harsh neon overlays.
- Collage Aesthetic: Mixing classical art (Roman busts), early 3D renders (checkerboard floors), and Japanese text (Kanji/Katakana).
Visual DNA
- Colors: Cyan (
#00FFFF), Magenta (#FF00FF), Lavender (#E6E6FA), and classic Windows Grey (#C0C0C0). - Typography:
MS Sans Serif,Tahoma, or pixel fonts. Fullwidth characters (AESTHETIC) are highly encouraged for headers. - Styling: Hard, 1px outsets and insets to simulate 90s 3D buttons.
Web Implementation
- Use standard CSS borders to create the classic 90s button look.
- CSS Example:
body {
background: linear-gradient(180deg, #ff99cc 0%, #99ccff 100%);
color: #000;
font-family: 'Tahoma', sans-serif;
min-height: 100vh;
}
/* Windows 95 Style Window */
.vapor-window {
background-color: #C0C0C0;
border: 2px outset #fff;
border-right-color: #808080;
border-bottom-color: #808080;
width: 400px;
padding: 2px;
}
.vapor-titlebar {
background: linear-gradient(90deg, #000080, #1084d0);
color: white;
font-weight: bold;
padding: 4px 8px;
display: flex;
justify-content: space-between;
}
.vapor-button {
background-color: #C0C0C0;
border: 2px outset #fff;
border-right-color: #808080;
border-bottom-color: #808080;
padding: 4px 12px;
}
.vapor-button:active {
border-style: inset;
}
/* The iconic vaporwave sun/grid */
.vapor-sun {
width: 200px; height: 200px;
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #ff00ff, #ffff00);
border-radius: 50%;
box-shadow: 0 0 20px #ff00ff;
}
App Implementation
SwiftUI
struct VaporwaveView: View {
var body: some View {
ZStack {
// Neon Gradient Background
LinearGradient(colors: [Color(hex: "ff99cc"), Color(hex: "99ccff")], startPoint: .top, endPoint: .bottom)
.ignoresSafeArea()
// Win95 Window
VStack(spacing: 0) {
// Title Bar
HStack {
Text("AESTHETIC.exe")
.font(.system(size: 14, weight: .bold, design: .monospaced))
.foregroundColor(.white)
Spacer()
Text("X")
.font(.system(size: 12, weight: .bold))
.padding(.horizontal, 6)
.background(Color(hex: "C0C0C0"))
.border(.white, width: 1) // Faux 3D
}
.padding(4)
.background(LinearGradient(colors: [Color(hex: "000080"), Color(hex: "1084d0")], startPoint: .leading, endPoint: .trailing))
// Content
VStack {
Text("It's all in your head.")
.font(.custom("Tahoma", size: 16))
.padding()
// Win95 Button
Button(action: {}) {
Text("OK")
.foregroundColor(.black)
.padding(.horizontal, 24)
.padding(.vertical, 8)
}
.background(Color(hex: "C0C0C0"))
// Complex borders to simulate Outset
.overlay(
Rectangle().stroke(Color.black, lineWidth: 1) // Outer bottom/right
)
.overlay(
Rectangle().stroke(Color.white, lineWidth: 1).padding(1) // Inner top/left
)
}
.frame(maxWidth: .infinity)
.padding(16)
.background(Color(hex: "C0C0C0"))
}
.frame(width: 300)
// Outset border for window
.border(Color(hex: "808080"), width: 2)
.padding()
}
}
}
- You cannot use
.cornerRadius()anywhere in Vaporwave design.
…
FAQ
Why 'Vaporwave'?
The name comes from a musical and visual genre that explores nostalgia for 80s and 90s technology, mixing consumer and digital art elements.
What colors are used?
The main colors are cyan (#00FFFF), magenta (#FF00FF), lavender (#E6E6FA), and a classic Windows gray (#C0C0C0).
Can I use rounded corners?
No, the Vaporwave style generally avoids rounded corners to maintain the appearance of old operating systems.
Details
Original description by the author
Web and App implementation guide for Vaporwave. Trigger when user wants neon colors, retro digital aesthetics, 90s OS elements, and Roman statues.
Popularity
- GitHub stars
- 48k
- Ranking position
- #2808
- License
- MIT
- Updated
- 10/15/2026
Comments
- …
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