diff --git a/dot_bin/executable_alacritty_theme b/dot_bin/executable_alacritty_theme
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e3784d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dot_bin/executable_alacritty_theme
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+config=$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/alacritty/alacritty.toml
+light=$config.light
+dark=$config.dark
+
+if [[ "$1" == "toggle" ]]; then
+    current=$(readlink $config)
+    if [ $current == $light ]; then
+        ln -sf $dark $config
+    elif [ $current == $dark ]; then
+        ln -sf $light $config
+    else
+	echo 'Invalid link'
+	exit 1
+    fi
+elif [[ "$1" == "dark" ]]; then
+    ln -sf $dark $config
+elif [[ "$1" == "light" ]]; then
+    ln -sf $light $config
+else
+    echo 'Invalid command'
+    exit 1
+fi
diff --git a/dot_bin/executable_themectl b/dot_bin/executable_themectl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..27300e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dot_bin/executable_themectl
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+if [[ "$1" == "toggle" ]]; then
+    emacs_ctl theme toggle
+    tmuxctl toggle-theme
+    alacritty_theme toggle
+elif [[ "$1" == "dark" ]]; then
+    emacs_ctl theme dark
+    tmuxctl dark-theme
+    alacritty_theme dark
+elif [[ "$1" == "light" ]]; then
+    emacs_ctl theme light
+    tmuxctl light-theme
+    alacritty_theme light
+else
+    echo 'Invalid command'
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ "$2" == "force" ]]; then
+    emacs_ctl restart
+fi
diff --git a/dot_config/X11/xinitrc.tmpl b/dot_config/X11/xinitrc.tmpl
index d47c64c..b59c2c2 100644
--- a/dot_config/X11/xinitrc.tmpl
+++ b/dot_config/X11/xinitrc.tmpl
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ greenclip daemon &
 redshift > /dev/null 2>&1 &
 dunst &
 {{ if .development.emacs -}}
-emacs-start &
+emacs_ctl start &
 {{- end }}
 {{ if .features.seafile -}}
 seafile-applet > /dev/null 2>&1 &
diff --git a/dot_config/alacritty/alacritty.toml.light b/dot_config/alacritty/alacritty.toml.light
index c61fa93..9577004 100644
--- a/dot_config/alacritty/alacritty.toml.light
+++ b/dot_config/alacritty/alacritty.toml.light
@@ -11,20 +11,20 @@ draw_bold_text_with_bright_colors = true
 
 [colors.normal]
 black = "#000000"
-red = "#a00606"
-green = "#007700"
+red = "#cc0606"
+green = "#008000"
 yellow = "#969600"
 blue = "#0020aa"
 magenta = "#cc20cc"
 cyan = "#20cccc"
-white = "#ffffff"
+white = "#fcfcfc"
 
 [colors.bright]
 black = "#333333"
-red = "#dd3030"
-green = "#08aa08"
-yellow = "#aaaa10"
+red = "#dd1010"
+green = "#08a008"
+yellow = "#baba00"
 blue = "#0040bb"
 magenta = "#ff60ff"
-cyan = "#1ebbbb"
+cyan = "#00b1b1"
 white = "#ffffff"
diff --git a/dot_config/tmux/scripts/executable_tmuxctl b/dot_config/tmux/scripts/executable_tmuxctl
index d411887..4b54259 100644
--- a/dot_config/tmux/scripts/executable_tmuxctl
+++ b/dot_config/tmux/scripts/executable_tmuxctl
@@ -9,8 +9,15 @@ elif [[ "$1" == "start" ]]; then
     tmux new-session -s "$session_name" -d
 elif [[ "$1" == "stop" ]]; then
     tmux kill-session -t "$session_name"
+elif [[ "$1" == "toggle-theme" ]]; then
+    [ $(tmux show -v @dark-theme) == 0 ] && theme=1 || theme=0
+    tmux set @dark-theme $theme
+elif [[ "$1" == "dark-theme" ]]; then
+    tmux set @dark-theme 1
+elif [[ "$1" == "light-theme" ]]; then
+    tmux set @dark-theme 0
 else
-    echo 'Command must be either "start" or "stop"'
+    echo 'Invalid command'
     exit 1
 fi
     
diff --git a/dot_config/tmux/tmux.conf b/dot_config/tmux/tmux.conf
index ff43be2..1dc1f65 100644
--- a/dot_config/tmux/tmux.conf
+++ b/dot_config/tmux/tmux.conf
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 run-shell 'tmux setenv -g TMUX_VERSION $(tmux -V | \
                 sed -En "s/^tmux[^0-9]*([.0-9]+).*/\1/p")'
 
+set -g @dark-theme 0
+
 # use vi bindings
 set -g status-keys vi
 set -g mode-keys vi
@@ -77,15 +79,17 @@ bind C-c copy-mode
 
 # theme
 
+# TODO this feel sloppy (don't use an ENVVAR)
 status_sep="#[fg=#888888]|#[default]"
 
 set -g status-interval 1
 set -g status-left "#h:#S $status_sep "
 set -g status-left-length 32
-set -g status-style "fg=#cccccc,bg=#444444"
-set -g window-status-style "fg=#9f9f9f"
-set -g window-status-activity-style "fg=#9f9f9f"
-set -g window-status-current-style "fg=#000000 bold,bg=#00ff00"
+ 
+set -g status-style "#{?@dark-theme,fg=##cccccc#,bg=##444444,fg=##2c2c2c#,bg=##d6d6d6}"
+set -g window-status-style "#{?@dark-theme,fg=##9f9f9f,fg=##909090}"
+set -g window-status-activity-style "#{?@dark-theme,fg=##9f9f9f,fg=##808080}"
+set -g window-status-current-style "#{?@dark-theme,fg=##000000 bold#,bg=##00ff00,fg=##000000 bold#,bg=##00dd00}"
 set -g window-status-separator ""
 
 set -g window-status-format " #{?window_activity_flag,##,}#I-#W "
@@ -94,13 +98,13 @@ set -g window-status-current-format " #I-#W "
 set -g visual-activity off
 set -g monitor-activity on
 
-set -g pane-border-style "fg=#444444"
+set -g pane-border-style "#{?@dark-theme,fg=##444444,fg=##d6d6d6}"
 set -g pane-active-border-style "fg=#aaaaaa"
 
 if-shell -b '[ "$(echo "$TMUX_VERSION >= 3.2" | bc)" = 1 ]' \
   "set -g pane-border-lines heavy"
 
-set -g message-style "fg=#ffffaa,bg=#666600"
+set -g message-style "#{?@dark-theme,fg=##ffffaa#,bg=##666600,fg=##333300#,bg=##dddd66}"
 
 set -g pane-border-status off
 
@@ -112,9 +116,9 @@ if-shell -b '[ "$(echo "$TMUX_VERSION >= 3.2" | bc)" = 1 ]' \
 bind -T root F12  \
   set prefix None \;\
   set key-table off \;\
-  set status-style "fg=#aaaaaa,bg=#666666" \;\
-  set window-status-style "fg=#777777" \;\
-  set window-status-current-style "fg=#666666 bold,bg=#999999" \;\
+  set status-style "#{?@dark-mode,fg=##aaaaaa#,bg=##666666,fg=##1c1c1c#,bg=##787878}" \;\
+  set window-status-style "#{?@dark-mode,fg=##777777,fg=##2c2c2c}" \;\
+  set window-status-current-style "#{?@dark-mode,fg=##666666 bold#,bg=##999999,fg=##444444 bold#,bg=##999999}" \;\
   if -F '#{pane_in_mode}' 'send-keys -X cancel' \;\
   refresh-client -S \;\