diff --git a/dwm.1 b/dwm.1
index e3b2c38..76011c7 100644
--- a/dwm.1
+++ b/dwm.1
@@ -3,7 +3,27 @@
 dwm \- dynamic window manager
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 .B dwm
-.RB [ \-v ]
+.RB [ \-vh ]
+.RB [ \-fn
+.IR font ]
+.RB [ \-nb
+.IR color ]
+.RB [ \-nf
+.IR color ]
+.RB [ \-sb
+.IR color ]
+.RB [ \-sf
+.IR color ]
+.RB [ \-df
+.IR font ]
+.RB [ \-dnb
+.IR color ]
+.RB [ \-dnf
+.IR color ]
+.RB [ \-dsb
+.IR color ]
+.RB [ \-dsf
+.IR color ]
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 dwm is a dynamic window manager for X. It manages windows in tiled, monocle
 and floating layouts. Either layout can be applied dynamically, optimising the
@@ -34,6 +54,43 @@ dwm draws a small border around windows to indicate the focus state.
 .TP
 .B \-v
 prints version information to standard output, then exits.
+.TP
+.B \-h --help
+prints short help
+.TP
+.BI \-fn " font"
+defines the font or font set used.
+.TP
+.BI \-nb " color"
+defines the normal background color.
+.IR #RGB ,
+.IR #RRGGBB ,
+and X color names are supported.
+.TP
+.BI \-nf " color"
+defines the normal foreground color.
+.TP
+.BI \-sb " color"
+defines the selected background color.
+.TP
+.BI \-sf " color"
+defines the selected foreground color.
+.TP
+.BI \-df " font"
+defines the font used in dmenu_run.
+.TP
+.BI \-dnb " color"
+defines the normal background color in dmenu_run.
+.TP
+.BI \-dnf " color"
+defines the normal foreground color in dmenu_run.
+.TP
+.BI \-dsb " color"
+defines the selected background color in dmenu_run.
+.TP
+.BI \-dsf " color"
+defines the selected foreground color in dmenu_run.
+.TP
 .SH USAGE
 .SS Status bar
 .TP
diff --git a/dwm.c b/dwm.c
index c98678d..dc1a679 100644
--- a/dwm.c
+++ b/dwm.c
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ static long getstate(Window w);
 static int gettextprop(Window w, Atom atom, char *text, unsigned int size);
 static void grabbuttons(Client *c, int focused);
 static void grabkeys(void);
+static char* help();
 static void incnmaster(const Arg *arg);
 static void keypress(XEvent *e);
 static void killclient(const Arg *arg);
@@ -963,6 +964,12 @@ grabkeys(void)
 	}
 }
 
+char*
+help(void)
+{
+	return "usage: dwm [-hv] [-fn font] [-nb color] [-nf color] [-sb color] [-sf color]\n[-df font] [-dnf color] [-dnb color] [-dsf color] [-dsb color]\n";
+}
+
 void
 incnmaster(const Arg *arg)
 {
@@ -2127,10 +2134,32 @@ zoom(const Arg *arg)
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	if (argc == 2 && !strcmp("-v", argv[1]))
-		die("dwm-"VERSION);
-	else if (argc != 1)
-		die("usage: dwm [-v]");
+	for(int i=1;i<argc;i+=1)
+		if (!strcmp("-v", argv[i]))
+			die("dwm-"VERSION);
+		else if (!strcmp("-h", argv[i]) || !strcmp("--help", argv[i]))
+			die(help());
+		else if (!strcmp("-fn", argv[i])) /* font set */
+			fonts[0] = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp("-nb",argv[i])) /* normal background color */
+			colors[SchemeNorm][1] = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp("-nf",argv[i])) /* normal foreground color */
+			colors[SchemeNorm][0] = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp("-sb",argv[i])) /* selected background color */
+			colors[SchemeSel][1] = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp("-sf",argv[i])) /* selected foreground color */
+			colors[SchemeSel][0] = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp("-df", argv[i])) /* dmenu font */
+			dmenucmd[4] = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp("-dnb",argv[i])) /* dmenu normal background color */
+			dmenucmd[6] = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp("-dnf",argv[i])) /* dmenu normal foreground color */
+			dmenucmd[8] = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp("-dsb",argv[i])) /* dmenu selected background color */
+			dmenucmd[10] = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp("-dsf",argv[i])) /* dmenu selected foreground color */
+			dmenucmd[12] = argv[++i];
+		else die(help());
 	if (!setlocale(LC_CTYPE, "") || !XSupportsLocale())
 		fputs("warning: no locale support\n", stderr);
 	if (!(dpy = XOpenDisplay(NULL)))