diff --git a/src/class.rs b/src/class.rs
index b10ac05..f492932 100644
--- a/src/class.rs
+++ b/src/class.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ use crate::Zephyr;
 pub(crate) struct Class<'a> {
     pub name: &'a str,
     pub value: Option<&'a str>,
+    /// if true, no replacements will be done on `value`
+    pub value_literal: bool,
     pub modifiers: Vec<&'a str>,
     pub pseudo: Option<&'a str>,
     /// the original unparsed value
@@ -61,16 +63,24 @@ impl<'a> Class<'a> {
         let selector = self.selector(z);
 
         if let Some(val) = self.value {
-            let val = z.values.get(val).map(AsRef::as_ref).unwrap_or(val);
+            let val = if self.value_literal {
+                val.to_string()
+            } else {
+                z.values
+                    .get(val)
+                    .map(AsRef::as_ref)
+                    .unwrap_or(val)
+                    .replace('_', " ")
+            };
 
             if let Some(fun) = z.specials.get(name) {
-                let v = fun(val);
-                Ok(format!("{selector} {{ {v} }}",))
+                let v = fun(&val);
+                Ok(format!("{selector}{{{v}}}",))
             } else {
-                Ok(format!("{selector} {{ {name}: {val}; }}",))
+                Ok(format!("{selector}{{{name}:{val};}}"))
             }
         } else if let Some(v) = z.rules.get(name) {
-            Ok(format!("{selector} {{ {v} }}",))
+            Ok(format!("{selector}{{{v}}}"))
         } else {
             Err("{name} is not a no-variable rule, and no variables were provided")
         }
diff --git a/src/defaults.rs b/src/defaults.rs
index a657808..9890de7 100644
--- a/src/defaults.rs
+++ b/src/defaults.rs
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ use crate::SpecialRule;
 
 pub(crate) fn default_rules() -> HashMap<String, String> {
     vec![
-        ("flex", "display: flex;"),
-        ("flex-row", "display: flex; flex-direction: row;"),
-        ("flex-col", "display: flex; flex-direction: column;"),
-        ("items-center", "align-items: center"),
-        ("justify-center", "justify-content: center"),
+        ("flex", "display:flex;"),
+        ("flex-row", "display:flex;flex-direction:row;"),
+        ("flex-col", "display:flex;flex-direction:column;"),
+        ("items-center", "align-items:center"),
+        ("justify-center", "justify-content:center"),
         // TODO
     ]
     .into_iter()
@@ -73,32 +73,23 @@ pub(crate) fn default_pseudos() -> HashMap<String, String> {
     .collect()
 }
 
+macro_rules! special {
+    ($name:literal, $val:ident, $string:literal) => {
+        ($name, {
+            fn fun<'a>($val: &'a str) -> String {
+                format!($string)
+            }
+            Box::new(fun) as SpecialRule
+        })
+    };
+}
+
 pub(crate) fn default_specials() -> HashMap<String, SpecialRule> {
     vec![
-        ("mx", {
-            fn fun<'a>(val: &'a str) -> String {
-                format!("margin-left: {val}; margin-right: {val};")
-            }
-            Box::new(fun) as SpecialRule
-        }),
-        ("my", {
-            fn fun<'a>(val: &'a str) -> String {
-                format!("margin-top: {val}; margin-bottom: {val};")
-            }
-            Box::new(fun) as SpecialRule
-        }),
-        ("px", {
-            fn fun<'a>(val: &'a str) -> String {
-                format!("padding-left: {val}; padding-right: {val};")
-            }
-            Box::new(fun) as SpecialRule
-        }),
-        ("py", {
-            fn fun<'a>(val: &'a str) -> String {
-                format!("padding-top: {val}; padding-bottom: {val};")
-            }
-            Box::new(fun) as SpecialRule
-        }),
+        special!("mx", val, "margin-left:{val};margin-right:{val};"),
+        special!("my", val, "margin-top:{val};margin-bottom:{val};"),
+        special!("px", val, "padding-left:{val};padding-right:{val};"),
+        special!("py", val, "padding-top:{val};padding-bottom:{val};"),
         // TODO
     ]
     .into_iter()
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 8f9fe2c..fa835c4 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -107,9 +107,10 @@ mod tests {
             modifiers: vec![].into(),
             pseudo: None,
             original: "m[1rem]",
+            value_literal: false,
         };
         let css = class.generate(&z).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(css, r#".m\[1rem\] { margin: 1rem; }"#);
+        assert_eq!(css, r#".m\[1rem\]{margin:1rem;}"#);
 
         let class = Class {
             name: "m",
@@ -117,9 +118,10 @@ mod tests {
             modifiers: vec!["focus"].into(),
             pseudo: None,
             original: "m[1rem]focus",
+            value_literal: false,
         };
         let css = class.generate(&z).unwrap();
-        assert_eq!(css, r#".m\[1rem\]focus:focus { margin: 1rem; }"#);
+        assert_eq!(css, r#".m\[1rem\]focus:focus{margin:1rem;}"#);
 
         let class = Class {
             name: "m",
@@ -127,11 +129,12 @@ mod tests {
             modifiers: vec!["focus", "hover", "odd"].into(),
             pseudo: None,
             original: "m[1rem]focus,hover,odd",
+            value_literal: false,
         };
         let css = class.generate(&z).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(
             css,
-            r#".m\[1rem\]focus,hover,odd:focus:hover:nth-child\(odd\) { margin: 1rem; }"#
+            r#".m\[1rem\]focus,hover,odd:focus:hover:nth-child\(odd\){margin:1rem;}"#
         );
     }
 
@@ -140,25 +143,22 @@ mod tests {
         let z = Zephyr::new();
 
         let classes = z.generate_classes(["flex-row"]);
-        assert_eq!(
-            classes,
-            r#".flex-row { display: flex; flex-direction: row; }"#
-        );
+        assert_eq!(classes, r#".flex-row{display:flex;flex-direction:row;}"#);
 
         let classes = z.generate_classes(["m[3rem]hover,focus$placeholder"]);
         assert_eq!(
             classes,
-            r#".m\[3rem\]hover,focus\$placeholder:hover:focus::placeholder { margin: 3rem; }"#
+            r#".m\[3rem\]hover,focus\$placeholder:hover:focus::placeholder{margin:3rem;}"#
         );
 
         let classes = z.generate_classes(["flex|hover,focus$placeholder"]);
         assert_eq!(
             classes,
-            r#".flex\|hover,focus\$placeholder:hover:focus::placeholder { display: flex; }"#
+            r#".flex\|hover,focus\$placeholder:hover:focus::placeholder{display:flex;}"#
         );
 
         let classes = z.generate_classes(["mr[0.5rem]"]);
-        assert_eq!(classes, r#".mr\[0\.5rem\] { margin-right: 0.5rem; }"#);
+        assert_eq!(classes, r#".mr\[0\.5rem\]{margin-right:0.5rem;}"#);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ mod tests {
         let classes_separate = z.generate_classes(["flex-row", "mt[1rem]"]);
         assert_eq!(
             classes_joined,
-            r#".flex-row { display: flex; flex-direction: row; }.mt\[1rem\] { margin-top: 1rem; }"#
+            r#".flex-row{display:flex;flex-direction:row;}.mt\[1rem\]{margin-top:1rem;}"#
         );
         assert_eq!(classes_separate, classes_joined);
     }
@@ -181,7 +181,18 @@ mod tests {
         let classes = z.generate_classes(["mx[1rem]"]);
         assert_eq!(
             classes,
-            r#".mx\[1rem\] { margin-left: 1rem; margin-right: 1rem; }"#
+            r#".mx\[1rem\]{margin-left:1rem;margin-right:1rem;}"#
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn generate_with_spaces_works() {
+        let z = Zephyr::new();
+
+        let classes = z.generate_classes(["border[1px_solid_black]"]);
+        assert_eq!(
+            classes,
+            r#".border\[1px_solid_black\]{border:1px solid black;}"#
         );
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/parse.rs b/src/parse.rs
index 6a76093..9282aba 100644
--- a/src/parse.rs
+++ b/src/parse.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ pub(crate) fn parse_class<'a>(original: &'a str) -> Option<Class<'a>> {
             modifiers: mods.into(),
             pseudo,
             original,
+            value_literal: false,
         });
     }
 
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ pub(crate) fn parse_class<'a>(original: &'a str) -> Option<Class<'a>> {
                 modifiers: mods.into(),
                 pseudo,
                 original,
+                value_literal: false,
             });
         }
         _ => {
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ pub(crate) fn parse_class<'a>(original: &'a str) -> Option<Class<'a>> {
                 modifiers: vec![].into(),
                 pseudo,
                 original,
+                value_literal: false,
             });
         }
     }
@@ -70,7 +73,8 @@ mod tests {
                 value,
                 modifiers: modifiers.into(),
                 pseudo,
-                original: class
+                original: class,
+                value_literal: false,
             })
         );
     }