diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index d54ad54..20c8503 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -12,3 +12,5 @@ on:
 jobs:
   tests:
     uses: janosh/workflows/.github/workflows/npm-test-release.yml@main
+    with:
+      install-cmd: npm install -f
diff --git a/src/lib/MultiSelect.svelte b/src/lib/MultiSelect.svelte
index f7afc2d..d0e094c 100644
--- a/src/lib/MultiSelect.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/MultiSelect.svelte
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 <script lang="ts">
-  import { createEventDispatcher, tick } from 'svelte'
-  import { flip } from 'svelte/animate'
-  import CircleSpinner from './CircleSpinner.svelte'
-  import Wiggle from './Wiggle.svelte'
-  import { CrossIcon, DisabledIcon, ExpandIcon } from './icons'
-  import type { DispatchEvents, MultiSelectEvents, Option as T } from './types'
+    import { createEventDispatcher, tick } from 'svelte'
+    import { flip } from 'svelte/animate'
+    import CircleSpinner from './CircleSpinner.svelte'
+    import Wiggle from './Wiggle.svelte'
+    import { CrossIcon, DisabledIcon, ExpandIcon } from './icons'
+    import type { DispatchEvents, MultiSelectEvents, Option as T } from './types'
+    import { get_label, get_style } from './utils'
   type Option = $$Generic<T>
 
   export let activeIndex: number | null = null
@@ -73,18 +74,6 @@
   export let ulSelectedClass: string = ``
   export let value: Option | Option[] | null = null
 
-  // get the label key from an option object or the option itself if it's a string or number
-  export const get_label = (opt: T) => {
-    if (opt instanceof Object) {
-      if (opt.label === undefined) {
-        console.error(
-          `MultiSelect option ${JSON.stringify(opt)} is an object but has no label key`
-        )
-      }
-      return opt.label
-    }
-    return `${opt}`
-  }
 
   const selected_to_value = (selected: Option[]) => {
     value = maxSelect === 1 ? selected[0] ?? null : selected
@@ -459,6 +448,7 @@
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-undef
     CSS.highlights.set(`sms-search-matches`, new Highlight(...ranges.flat()))
   }
+
 </script>
 
 <svelte:window
@@ -520,6 +510,7 @@
         on:dragenter={() => (drag_idx = idx)}
         on:dragover|preventDefault
         class:active={drag_idx === idx}
+        style={get_style(option, `selected`)}
       >
         <!-- on:dragover|preventDefault needed for the drop to succeed https://stackoverflow.com/a/31085796 -->
         <slot name="selected" {option} {idx}>
@@ -662,6 +653,7 @@
           on:blur={() => (activeIndex = null)}
           role="option"
           aria-selected="false"
+          style={get_style(option,`option`)}
         >
           <slot name="option" {option} {idx}>
             <slot {option} {idx}>
diff --git a/src/lib/types.ts b/src/lib/types.ts
index 68e508c..7a0b957 100644
--- a/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 export type Option = string | number | ObjectOption
 
+// single CSS string or an object with keys 'option' and 'selected', each a string,
+// which only apply to the dropdown list and list of selected options, respectively
+export type OptionStyle = string | { option: string; selected: string }
+
 export type ObjectOption = {
   label: string | number // user-displayed text
   value?: unknown // associated value, can be anything incl. objects (defaults to label if undefined)
@@ -8,6 +12,7 @@ export type ObjectOption = {
   preselected?: boolean // make this option selected on page load (before any user interaction)
   disabledTitle?: string // override the default disabledTitle = 'This option is disabled'
   selectedTitle?: string // tooltip to display when this option is selected and hovered
+  style?: OptionStyle
   [key: string]: unknown // allow any other keys users might want
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/utils.ts b/src/lib/utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..812af1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import type { Option, OptionStyle } from './types'
+
+// get the label key from an option object or the option itself if it's a string or number
+export const get_label = (opt: Option) => {
+  if (opt instanceof Object) {
+    if (opt.label === undefined) {
+      console.error(
+        `MultiSelect option ${JSON.stringify(
+          opt,
+        )} is an object but has no label key`,
+      )
+    }
+    return opt.label
+  }
+  return `${opt}`
+}
+
+export function get_style(
+  option: { style?: OptionStyle; [key: string]: unknown } | string | number,
+  key: 'selected' | 'option' | null = null,
+) {
+  if (!option?.style) return null
+  if (![`selected`, `option`, null].includes(key)) {
+    console.error(`MultiSelect: Invalid key=${key} for get_style`)
+    return
+  }
+  if (typeof option == `object` && option.style) {
+    if (typeof option.style == `string`) {
+      return option.style
+    }
+    if (typeof option.style == `object`) {
+      if (key && key in option.style) return option.style[key]
+      else {
+        console.error(
+          `Invalid style object for option=${JSON.stringify(option)}`,
+        )
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/routes/(demos)/ui/+page.svx b/src/routes/(demos)/ui/+page.svx
index c673e7e..3369226 100644
--- a/src/routes/(demos)/ui/+page.svx
+++ b/src/routes/(demos)/ui/+page.svx
@@ -7,10 +7,17 @@
 <script>
   import MultiSelect from '$lib'
   import { foods } from '$site/options'
+
+  function random_color() {
+    const r = Math.floor(Math.random() * 255)
+    const g = Math.floor(Math.random() * 255)
+    const b = Math.floor(Math.random() * 255)
+    return `rgb(${r}, ${g}, ${b})`
+  }
 </script>
 
 <MultiSelect
-  options={foods}
+  options={foods.map(label => ({ label, style: `background-color: ${random_color()}` }))}
   placeholder="Pick your favorite foods"
   removeAllTitle="Remove all foods"
   invalid
diff --git a/tests/unit/MultiSelect.test.ts b/tests/unit/MultiSelect.test.ts
index 82f1158..fd36663 100644
--- a/tests/unit/MultiSelect.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/MultiSelect.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import MultiSelect, { type MultiSelectEvents, type Option } from '$lib'
+import { get_label, get_style } from '$lib/utils'
 import { tick } from 'svelte'
 import { describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { doc_query } from '.'
@@ -532,7 +533,7 @@ test.each([
   [[{ label: `foo` }, { label: `bar` }, { label: `baz` }]],
   [[{ label: `foo`, value: 1, key: `whatever` }]],
 ])(`single remove button removes 1 selected option`, async (options) => {
-  const { get_label } = new MultiSelect({
+  new MultiSelect({
     target: document.body,
     props: { options, selected: [...options] },
   })
@@ -1181,3 +1182,90 @@ test.each([[true], [-1], [3.5], [`foo`], [{}]])(
     )
   },
 )
+
+const css_str = `test-style`
+
+test.each([
+  // Invalid key cases
+  [css_str, `invalid`, `MultiSelect: Invalid key=invalid for get_style`],
+  // Valid key cases
+  [css_str, `selected`, css_str],
+  [css_str, `option`, css_str],
+  [css_str, null, css_str],
+  // Object style cases
+  [
+    { selected: `selected-style`, option: `option-style` },
+    `selected`,
+    `selected-style`,
+  ],
+  [
+    { selected: `selected-style`, option: `option-style` },
+    `option`,
+    `option-style`,
+  ],
+  // Invalid object style cases
+  [
+    { invalid: `invalid-style` },
+    `selected`,
+    `Invalid style object for option=${JSON.stringify({
+      style: { invalid: `invalid-style` },
+    })}`,
+  ],
+])(
+  `get_style returns correct style for different option and key combinations`,
+  async (style, key, expected) => {
+    console.error = vi.fn()
+
+    // @ts-expect-error test invalid option
+    const result = get_style({ style }, key)
+
+    if (expected.startsWith(`Invalid`) || expected.startsWith(`MultiSelect`)) {
+      expect(console.error).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+      expect(console.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expected)
+    } else {
+      expect(result).toBe(expected)
+    }
+  },
+)
+
+test.each([
+  // Invalid key cases
+  [`color: red;`, `invalid`, ``],
+  // Valid key cases
+  [`color: red;`, `selected`, `color: red;`],
+  [`color: red;`, `option`, `color: red;`],
+  [`color: red;`, null, `color: red;`],
+  // Object style cases
+  [
+    { selected: `color: red;`, option: `color: blue;` },
+    `selected`,
+    `color: red;`,
+  ],
+  [
+    { selected: `color: red;`, option: `color: blue;` },
+    `option`,
+    `color: blue;`,
+  ],
+  // Invalid object style cases
+  [{ invalid: `color: green;` }, `selected`, ``],
+])(
+  `MultiSelect applies correct styles to <li> elements for different option and key combinations`,
+  async (style, key, expected_css) => {
+    const options = [{ label: `foo`, style }]
+
+    new MultiSelect({
+      target: document.body,
+      props: { options, selected: key === `selected` ? options : [] },
+    })
+
+    await tick()
+
+    if (key === `selected`) {
+      const selected_li = document.querySelector(`ul.selected > li`)
+      expect(selected_li.style.cssText).toBe(expected_css)
+    } else if (key === `option`) {
+      const option_li = document.querySelector(`ul.options > li`)
+      expect(option_li.style.cssText).toBe(expected_css)
+    }
+  },
+)