wiki SebMas

ColEscape="\033";
ColBlackF="${ColEscape}[30m";
ColRedF="${ColEscape}[31m";
ColGreenF="${ColEscape}[32m";
ColYellowF="${ColEscape}[33m";
ColBlueF="${ColEscape}[34m";
ColPurplef="${ColEscape}[35m";
ColCyanF="${ColEscape}[36m";
ColWhiteF="${ColEscape}[37m";
ColBlackB="${ColEscape}[40m";
ColRedB="${ColEscape}[41m";
ColGreenB="${ColEscape}[42m";
ColYellowB="${ColEscape}[43m";
ColBlueB="${ColEscape}[44m";
ColPurpleB="${ColEscape}[45m";
ColCyanB="${ColEscape}[46m";
ColWhiteB="${ColEscape}[47m";
ColBoldOn="${ColEscape}[1m";
ColBoldOff="${ColEscape}[22m";
ColItalicsOn="${ColEscape}[3m";
ColItalicsOff="${ColEscape}[23m";
ColUnderlineOn="${ColEscape}[4m";
ColUnderlineOff="${ColEscape}[24m";
ColBlinkOn="${ColEscape}[5m";
ColBlinkOff="${ColEscape}[25m";
ColInvertOn="${ColEscape}[7m";
ColInvertOff="${ColEscape}[27m";
ColReset="${ColEscape}[0m";

echo -e "${ColGreenF}Here is a green text.${ColReset}"

Another version compatible with “read” :

ColRedF=$'\e[31m';
ColReset=$'\e[0m';
read -p "${ColRedF}Foobar${ColReset}:" foobar
echo -e ${ColRedF}Foobar${ColReset}"