JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<ul>
  <li>Step 1</li>
  <li class="selected">Step 2</li>
  <li>Step </li>
  <li>Step 4</li>
  <li>Step 5</li>
</ul>

CSS

li {
    width: 50px;
    display: block;
    float: left;
    padding: 0.25em 0.5em 0.25em 1em;
    background: gray;
    text-align: center;
    position: relative;
    margin-left: -0.5em;
    border: 1px solid black;
}

li:first-child {
    padding-left: 0.5em;
    margin-left: 0;
}

li.selected {
    background: silver;
}

JavaScript

var $li = $('li');
var i = $li.length;

$li.each(function() {
    $(this).css('z-index',i);
    i--;
});