--- a/sel.c
+++ b/sel.c
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <X11/cursorfont.h>
 
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 static int
 min(int a, int b)
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@
 }
 
 int
-main(void)
+main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	Display *dpy;
 	Window root;
@@ -68,8 +69,19 @@
 	int sx, sy, ex, ey;
 	int dragx, dragy, dragw, dragh;
 	int hoverx, hovery, hoverw, hoverh;
+	char *colname;
+	Colormap cmap;
+	XColor color;
 	int done;
 
+	colname = NULL;
+	if (argc == 3 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-c"))
+	    colname = argv[2];
+	else if (argc != 1) {
+	    fprintf(stderr, "usage: sel [-c #RRGGBB]\n");
+	    return 1;
+	}
+
 	if ((dpy = XOpenDisplay(NULL)) == NULL) {
 	    fprintf(stderr, "failed to open X display\n");
 	    return 1;
@@ -85,10 +97,22 @@
 	    return 1;
 	}
 
-	gcv.function = GXinvert;
 	gcv.subwindow_mode = IncludeInferiors;
 	gcv.line_width = 1;
-	gcv.foreground = WhitePixel(dpy, DefaultScreen(dpy));
+	if (colname != NULL) {
+	    cmap = DefaultColormap(dpy, DefaultScreen(dpy));
+	    if (!XParseColor(dpy, cmap, colname, &color) ||
+	        !XAllocColor(dpy, cmap, &color)) {
+	        fprintf(stderr, "failed to allocate color: %s\n", colname);
+	        XCloseDisplay(dpy);
+	        return 1;
+	    }
+	    gcv.function = GXcopy;
+	    gcv.foreground = color.pixel;
+	} else {
+	    gcv.function = GXinvert;
+	    gcv.foreground = WhitePixel(dpy, DefaultScreen(dpy));
+	}
 	gc = XCreateGC(dpy, root,
 	    GCFunction | GCSubwindowMode | GCLineWidth | GCForeground, &gcv);