Why the color black is the color of mourning

Even Shakespeare in his time called black the color of mourning. In Western culture it is customary to wear black at funerals as a sign of sorrow for the dead. A custom rooted in the days of the Roman Empire, when citizens wore a toga made of dark wool in the days of mourning.

In the middle Ages and Renaissance in Europe wore the color of mourning as a sign. The cause of mourning could be both personal and belong to a common event. When there was a mass murder of Huguenots in France, the famous St. Bartholomew and the French Ambassador came to England, Queen Elizabeth I and her courtiers dressed in black. Thus they paid tribute to the sad event.

Not all European countries the color of mourning was black. For example, in medieval France and Spain for a long time wore white as a color of mourning. The example of the British followed by the Americans.

England - the birthplace of modern mourning

By the 19th century mourning and its surrounding practices in England has evolved into a complex set of rules. This was especially true of the upper classes. The brunt of this tradition rests on the shoulders of women. They had to wear heavy, concealing clothing in black color and a black veil of crepe. The outfit was completed with a special cap or hat. A grieving woman also had to wear a special jewelry made of jet.

It was considered normal if widows wear mourning for four years. To remove the black before the term was considered an insult to the deceased, and if the widow was young and beautiful, sexually defiant behavior. Friends and relatives mourned for as long as it allowed the degree of kinship.

The custom of wearing black during mourning culminated during the reign of Queen Victoria. She wore mourning for the rest of his life. This is due to the fact that the Royal lady was greatly grieved about the death of his early deceased husband, Prince albert. Example of the Queen was followed by the whole population.

Over time, rules become less stringent and the period of wearing mourning fell to. Black dresses were decorated with lace and ruffles.

The symbolism of the black color

In addition to Queen Victoria his contribution to the wearing of black has made the couturier Coco Chanel. She immortalized a black dress as a standard of respectability and appropriate for almost all occasions clothes, including for the funeral.

Currently, European countries maintained the tradition of wearing black or dark colors as mourning. Many consider it indecent to wear to the funeral clothes of any other color. Also, very often women wear sunglasses to hide the tears and swollen eyes. Men also wear costumes in black.

The main importance of black during mourning is to emphasize the grief associated with the loss of a loved one or death of important people.