CSS can be modified via CSS variables . CSS variables create a happy middle ground between the constraints of Shadow DOM (namely that styles are fully encapsulated) and designers wanting flexibility and control over design. We leverage CSS variables heavily in our template layer to allow you to "skin" just about any theme we have already.

## A note about @apply

Unlike normal css variables, Polymer (the library we build our theme layer on) supports a convention for CSS variables that operate a bit more like Saas mixins. You can write blocks of code like @apply --my-variable-blob; which will then allow someone to mix in and apply whatever valid CSS attributes they want at that level. You can see several implemented below (both CSS variables and @apply blocks).

## Example

This is an example from the haxcms-basic-theme which forms a clean baseline for most sites.