CSS :last-child AND :hover on an a link in a ul

Question

I'm styling the last child of a navigation menu which I seem to be able to do fine with the following code:

.aston-menu-light ul > li:last-child {
    border:2px solid blue;
    border-radius: 50px;
    padding:0 20px 0 20px;
} 

.aston-menu-light ul > li > ul > li:last-child {
    border:none !important;
    padding:0 !important;
} 

.aston-menu-light ul > li:last-child:hover {
    background-color:#ffff;
    -webkit-transition: all .5s;
    -o-transition: all .5s;
    transition: all .5s;
} 

The trouble comes when I try and target the <a> on the last child on hover. I'm using this:

.aston-menu-light ul > li > a:last-child:hover {
    color:red !important;
} 

But it seems to style all of the <a> tags and not just the last child. I've tried variations such as: ul > li a but I can't seem to get it o work correctly.

I have a Codepen here: https://codepen.io/shaun-taylor/pen/LXdGGN

The main goal being for this one is just to turn the last link on the top level only red when you hover on it I guess - Thnk you for reading!

Answer 1

you should change

.aston-menu-light ul > li > a:last-child:hover {
    color:red !important;
}

to

.aston-menu-light>ul>li:last-child > a:hover {
    color:red !important;
} 

 /* CSS Document */ a { color: black; } nav { margin: 50px 0; } nav ul { padding: 0; margin: 0; list-style: none; position: relative; } nav ul li { display:inline-block; } nav a { display:block; padding:0 10px; color:#black; font-size:20px; line-height: 60px; text-decoration:none; } /* Hide Dropdowns by Default */ nav ul ul { display: none; position: absolute; top: 60px; /* the height of the main nav */ } /* Display Dropdowns on Hover */ nav ul li:hover > ul { display:inherit; } /* Fisrt Tier Dropdown */ nav ul ul li { width:170px; float:none; display:list-item; position: relative; } /* Second, Third and more Tiers */ nav ul ul ul li { position: relative; top:-60px; left:170px; } /* Change this in order to change the Dropdown symbol */ li > a:after { content: ' +'; } li > a:only-child:after { content: ''; } .aston-menu-light ul > li:last-child { border:2px solid blue; border-radius: 50px; padding:0 20px 0 20px; } .aston-menu-light ul > li > ul > li:last-child { border:none !important; padding:0 !important; } .aston-menu-light ul > li:last-child:hover { background-color:#ffff; -webkit-transition: all .5s; -o-transition: all .5s; transition: all .5s; } .aston-menu-light>ul>li:last-child > a:hover { color:red !important; }

 <nav class="aston-menu-light"> <ul> <li><a href="#">link</a> <!-- First Tier Drop Down --> <ul> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="#">link</a> <!-- First Tier Drop Down --> <ul> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a> <!-- First Tier Drop Down --> <ul> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="#">link</a> <!-- First Tier Drop Down --> <ul> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> <li><a href="#">link</a></li> </ul> </nav>

Answer 2

Use This:

.aston-menu-light ul > li:last-child a:hover {
  color:red;
}

Answer 3

You shold rewrite

.aston-menu-light ul > li > a:last-child:hover {
  color:red !important;
} 

to

.aston-menu-light ul > li:last-child > a:hover {
  color:red;
} 

What you were doing wrong is that in all the li elements the a element is always the last child! Therefore in all of them, it will turn red when you hover. What you needed was the last li element, therefore using li:last-child in the CSS.

Also, there is no need to use the !important , since this CSS selector is more specific than just

a {
  color: black;
}

It will be red anyway.

Answer 4

Just do this to simplify it.

.aston-menu-light ul li:last-child a:hover {
    color:red !important;
}