diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index df44645..abbbbd9 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::io::IsTerminal;
+
 use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};
 use eyre::{eyre, Context, OptionExt};
 use tokio::io::AsyncWriteExt;
@@ -14,6 +16,8 @@ mod repo;
 pub struct App {
     #[clap(long, short = 'H')]
     host: Option<String>,
+    #[clap(long)]
+    style: Option<Style>,
     #[clap(subcommand)]
     command: Command,
 }
@@ -36,6 +40,9 @@ pub enum Command {
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let args = App::parse();
+
+    let _ = SPECIAL_RENDER.set(SpecialRender::new(args.style.unwrap_or_default()));
+
     let mut keys = KeyInfo::load().await?;
 
     let host_name = args.host.as_deref();
@@ -137,3 +144,108 @@ async fn tempfile(ext: Option<&str>) -> tokio::io::Result<(tokio::fs::File, std:
         .await?;
     Ok((file, path))
 }
+
+use std::sync::OnceLock;
+static SPECIAL_RENDER: OnceLock<SpecialRender> = OnceLock::new();
+
+fn special_render() -> &'static SpecialRender {
+    SPECIAL_RENDER
+        .get()
+        .expect("attempted to get special characters before that was initialized")
+}
+
+#[derive(clap::ValueEnum, Clone, Copy, Debug, Default)]
+enum Style {
+    /// Use special characters, and colors.
+    #[default]
+    Fancy,
+    /// No special characters and no colors. Always used in non-terminal contexts (i.e. pipes)
+    Minimal,
+}
+
+struct SpecialRender {
+    dash: char,
+    bullet: char,
+    body_prefix: char,
+
+    red: &'static str,
+    bright_red: &'static str,
+    green: &'static str,
+    bright_green: &'static str,
+    blue: &'static str,
+    bright_blue: &'static str,
+    cyan: &'static str,
+    bright_cyan: &'static str,
+    yellow: &'static str,
+    bright_yellow: &'static str,
+    magenta: &'static str,
+    bright_magenta: &'static str,
+    black: &'static str,
+    dark_grey: &'static str,
+    light_grey: &'static str,
+    white: &'static str,
+    reset: &'static str,
+}
+
+impl SpecialRender {
+    fn new(display: Style) -> Self {
+        let is_tty = std::io::stdout().is_terminal();
+        match display {
+            _ if !is_tty => Self::minimal(),
+            Style::Fancy => Self::fancy(),
+            Style::Minimal => Self::minimal(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn fancy() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            dash: '—',
+            bullet: '•',
+            body_prefix: '▌',
+
+            red: "\x1b[31m",
+            bright_red: "\x1b[91m",
+            green: "\x1b[32m",
+            bright_green: "\x1b[92m",
+            blue: "\x1b[34m",
+            bright_blue: "\x1b[94m",
+            cyan: "\x1b[36m",
+            bright_cyan: "\x1b[96m",
+            yellow: "\x1b[33m",
+            bright_yellow: "\x1b[93m",
+            magenta: "\x1b[35m",
+            bright_magenta: "\x1b[95m",
+            black: "\x1b[30m",
+            dark_grey: "\x1b[90m",
+            light_grey: "\x1b[37m",
+            white: "\x1b[97m",
+            reset: "\x1b[0m",
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn minimal() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            dash: '-',
+            bullet: '-',
+            body_prefix: '>',
+
+            red: "",
+            bright_red: "",
+            green: "",
+            bright_green: "",
+            blue: "",
+            bright_blue: "",
+            cyan: "",
+            bright_cyan: "",
+            yellow: "",
+            bright_yellow: "",
+            magenta: "",
+            bright_magenta: "",
+            black: "",
+            dark_grey: "",
+            light_grey: "",
+            white: "",
+            reset: "",
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/release.rs b/src/release.rs
index e88ea2f..dd9010c 100644
--- a/src/release.rs
+++ b/src/release.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use tokio::io::AsyncWriteExt;
 use crate::{
     keys::KeyInfo,
     repo::{RepoInfo, RepoName},
+    SpecialRender,
 };
 
 #[derive(Args, Clone, Debug)]
@@ -374,6 +375,13 @@ async fn view_release(
         &time::format_description::well_known::Rfc2822,
     )?;
     println!();
+    let SpecialRender {
+        bullet,
+        body_prefix,
+        dark_grey,
+        reset,
+        ..
+    } = crate::special_render();
     let body = release
         .body
         .as_ref()
@@ -381,7 +389,7 @@ async fn view_release(
     if !body.is_empty() {
         println!();
         for line in body.lines() {
-            println!("> {line}");
+            println!("{dark_grey}{body_prefix}{reset} {line}");
         }
         println!();
     }
@@ -396,10 +404,10 @@ async fn view_release(
                 .name
                 .as_ref()
                 .ok_or_else(|| eyre::eyre!("asset does not have name"))?;
-            println!("- {}", name);
+            println!("{bullet} {}", name);
         }
-        println!("- source.zip");
-        println!("- source.tar.gz");
+        println!("{bullet} source.zip");
+        println!("{bullet} source.tar.gz");
     }
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/repo.rs b/src/repo.rs
index 1d5fdb4..6173734 100644
--- a/src/repo.rs
+++ b/src/repo.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ use eyre::{eyre, OptionExt};
 use forgejo_api::structs::CreateRepoOption;
 use url::Url;
 
+use crate::SpecialRender;
+
 pub struct RepoInfo {
     url: Url,
     name: Option<RepoName>,
@@ -351,6 +353,14 @@ impl RepoCommand {
                     .ok_or_eyre("couldn't get repo name, please specify")?;
                 let repo = api.repo_get(repo.owner(), repo.name()).await?;
 
+                let SpecialRender {
+                    dash,
+                    body_prefix,
+                    dark_grey,
+                    reset,
+                    ..
+                } = crate::special_render();
+
                 println!("{}", repo.full_name.ok_or_eyre("no full name")?);
 
                 if let Some(parent) = &repo.parent {
@@ -370,7 +380,7 @@ impl RepoCommand {
                         println!();
                     }
                     for line in desc.lines() {
-                        println!("> {line}");
+                        println!("{dark_grey}{body_prefix}{reset} {line}");
                     }
                 }
                 println!();
@@ -382,13 +392,13 @@ impl RepoCommand {
 
                 let stars = repo.stars_count.unwrap_or_default();
                 if stars == 1 {
-                    print!("{stars} star - ");
+                    print!("{stars} star {dash} ");
                 } else {
-                    print!("{stars} stars - ");
+                    print!("{stars} stars {dash} ");
                 }
 
                 let watchers = repo.watchers_count.unwrap_or_default();
-                print!("{watchers} watching - ");
+                print!("{watchers} watching {dash} ");
 
                 let forks = repo.forks_count.unwrap_or_default();
                 if forks == 1 {
@@ -410,7 +420,7 @@ impl RepoCommand {
                 }
                 if repo.has_pull_requests.unwrap_or_default() {
                     if !first {
-                        print!(" - ");
+                        print!(" {dash} ");
                     }
                     let pulls = repo.open_pr_counter.unwrap_or_default();
                     if pulls == 1 {
@@ -422,7 +432,7 @@ impl RepoCommand {
                 }
                 if repo.has_releases.unwrap_or_default() {
                     if !first {
-                        print!(" - ");
+                        print!(" {dash} ");
                     }
                     let releases = repo.release_counter.unwrap_or_default();
                     if releases == 1 {