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In general, styles for tables and other block-level elements should be set using CSS classes, not with inline style attributes. This is because the site-wide CSS is more carefully tested to ensure compatibility with a wide range of browsers; it also creates a greater degree of professionalism by ensuring a consistent appearance between articles. Deviations from standard conventions are acceptable where they create a semantic distinction (for instance, the infoboxes and navigational templates relating to The Simpsons use a yellow colour-scheme instead of the customary mauve, to tie in with the dominant colour in the series) but should not be used gratuitously.
By adding random |titlestyle=background: lavendar, |groupstyle=background: mauve, |belowstyle=background: yellow statements, you are using "inline style attributes" to set styles for "block-level elements". These styles should be set by "CSS classes" in MediaWiki:Common.css. Just adding colours because "I like them" or because "I think they look pretty" is not very professional. In addition, visually impaired editors use Special:MyPage/skin.css to set personal colour schemes with greater colour contrast. By overriding these with "inline style attributes" you are reducing the WP:Accessibility of the articles. Thank you. Frietjes (talk) 15:22, 23 May 2011 (UTC)[reply]
The only difference is that the below section is slightly lighter in the version without the extra style statements. Is this seriously what we are arguing over? I say we go back to discussing the bike shed. If you really like the below section darker, I can certainly show you how to put it in your personal skin.css file. Just the following into your Special:MyPage/skin.css