SVG .fill does not want to work - html

Question

can somebody please explain to me why I cannot change the fill of this svg:
<div class="container">
<ul class="todo">
<li>
This is an item
<div class ="buttons">
<button class="remove">
<svg version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0px" y="0px" viewBox="0 0 59 59" style="fill;" xml:space="preserve"><g><path d="M29.5,51c0.552,0,1-0.447,1-1V17c0-0.553-0.448-1-1-1s-1,0.447-1,1v33C28.5,50.553,28.948,51,29.5,51z"/><path d="M19.5,51c0.552,0,1-0.447,1-1V17c0-0.553-0.448-1-1-1s-1,0.447-1,1v33C18.5,50.553,18.948,51,19.5,51z"/><path d="M39.5,51c0.552,0,1-0.447,1-1V17c0-0.553-0.448-1-1-1s-1,0.447-1,1v33C38.5,50.553,38.948,51,39.5,51z"/><path d="M52.5,6H38.456c-0.11-1.25-0.495-3.358-1.813-4.711C35.809,0.434,34.751,0,33.499,0H23.5c-1.252,0-2.31,0.434-3.144,1.289C19.038,2.642,18.653,4.75,18.543,6H6.5c-0.552,0-1,0.447-1,1s0.448,1,1,1h2.041l1.915,46.021C10.493,55.743,11.565,59,15.364,59h28.272c3.799,0,4.871-3.257,4.907-4.958L50.459,8H52.5c0.552,0,1-0.447,1-1S53.052,6,52.5,6z M21.792,2.681C22.24,2.223,22.799,2,23.5,2h9.999c0.701,0,1.26,0.223,1.708,0.681c0.805,0.823,1.128,2.271,1.24,3.319H20.553C20.665,4.952,20.988,3.504,21.792,2.681z M46.544,53.979C46.538,54.288,46.4,57,43.636,57H15.364c-2.734,0-2.898-2.717-2.909-3.042L10.542,8h37.915L46.544,53.979z"/></svg> </button>
<button class="complete">
<svg version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0px" y="0px" viewBox="0 0 52 52" style="enable-background:new 0 0 52 52;" xml:space="preserve"><g><path d="M26,0C11.664,0,0,11.663,0,26s11.664,26,26,26s26-11.663,26-26S40.336,0,26,0z M26,50C12.767,50,2,39.233,2,26S12.767,2,26,2s24,10.767,24,24S39.233,50,26,50z"/><path d="M38.252,15.336l-15.369,17.29l-9.259-7.407c-0.43-0.345-1.061-0.274-1.405,0.156c-0.345,0.432-0.275,1.061,0.156,1.406l10,8C22.559,34.928,22.78,35,23,35c0.276,0,0.551-0.114,0.748-0.336l16-18c0.367-0.412,0.33-1.045-0.083-1.411C39.251,14.885,38.62,14.922,38.252,15.336z"/></svg>
</button>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
Via css I try to manipulate:
ul.todo li .buttons button svg {
width:22px;
height:22px;
position:absolute;
top:50%;
left:50%;
margin:0 0 0 -11px;
}
ul.todo li .buttons button.remove svg .fill {
fill:#c0cecb;
}
ul.todo li .buttons button.remove:hover svg .fill {
fill:#e85656;
}
ul.todo li .buttons button.complete svg .fill {
fill:#25b99a;
}
I imagine the problem is I am not pointing the css at the svg properly, any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

svg .fill {}
... will apply rules to any HTML element that has the fill class and is a descendant of a <svg> tag. If you want to select a <svg> tag that has the fill attribute set, you could use
svg[fill] {}
Please notice the absence of any "" (space character) between the two.
See CSS selectors and CSS combinators for details.
For example, your first rule should be:
ul.todo li .buttons button.remove svg {
fill:#c0cecb;
}
... but that is way too overqualified (overly specific). Most probably...
.todo .button > svg {
fill:#c0cecb;
}
... is more than enough, without the risk of affecting anything else in your website/app.