Why is it that its "proper" to wear the color black to a funeral?

Question

My Great-Grandmother passed away Saturday and the funeral is Wednesday & Thursday and I was just curious why is it proper to wear black to a funeral? I know it has to do with mourning and such, but black can be such a depressing color, you would think it would make the matter worse!

I was just curious on your opinions !

Answer 1

Like wearing white for weddings, wearing black to funerals is simply a tradition, and it's not even a very old one in historical terms.

It is true that throughout western history, people who could afford it have traditionally worn dark or sombre colours for funerals and mourning. However, most people until the modern era had very few clothes, and it was only the wealthy who could afford a dress or suit which would be used for just one purpose ~ mourning, and for a limited period.

People just wore what they had, just as they did for their wedding or other specioal occasions, unless they were rich enough to afford new clothes.

That began to change in the 1800s. Advances in textile manufacture and dyeing technology made clothing cheaper than ever before, although still too expensive for the very poor.

Then, in 1861, Queen Victoria's husband, Albert died. To demonstrate her dep grief, the Queen never again appeared in public in anything except 'full mourning dress', and the 'fashion' for black caught on very quickly.

Today it's probably hard to understand how much impact the actions of the English Queen would have all around the world, but at that time royalty were the celebrities of the era, and everything the Queen did was copied by people not only in the UK, but in the US, Europe and elsewhere.

It became a sign of wealth to be able to 'mourn respectably' (that is, wear black), and after a while it became 'not respectable' to wear any other colour.

By the beginning of the 1900s, anyone wearing a colour other than black for a funeral or during mourning was considered odd or incorrect.

Fortunately, the fashion for black has passed as quickly as it became established, along with other rituals such as mourning for a set period of time, only eating certain foods during mourning and so on.

Of course rituals and ceremony help us deal with our grief when we lose someone, but they can also distract from the real reason we even attend a funeral ~ to remember and honour someone we loved and to support one another through this time of grief.

For some people, wearing black adequately expresses their feelings at this time, others prefer more muted colours, while yet others like to wear something bright, or whichever colour the deceased preferred in life!

At this time, the emphasis should be on love and understanding, which is why it is no longer considered 'improper' to wear whatever you feel is most approrpiate to a funeral.

I do hope you and your family find the occasion comforting and supportive :-)

Answer 2

It's tradition that black or a dark colour such as navy be worn at funerals in Western society. In some Eastern cultures it is traditional to wear white.

In older parts of Italy for example when the husband dies the widow customarily wears black for the rest of her life.

Answer 3

It's just more of a tradition, like you said, associated with mourning. I had an aunt that made mention that she hated that people wore black to funerals. She told my mom that in the event of her untimely passing, to make sure that people wore bright lively colors. She actually passed away a few years after that, and we all wore white and other bright colors. I think it really did help make the funeral less depressing.

Answer 4

Black isn't always the traditional color of mourning - in some countries it is white or red.

Black shows saddness and respect. Nowadays any dark color is OK, but it used to be it had to be dark and opaque with long sleeves and floor length. They also worse black gloves and hats wth veils over their faces. We actually have it quite easy now.

Answer 5

I wouldn't care, but since i love hats it would be cool if everyone wore a hat, any kind, caps, sombreros, derby hats, bowlers, visors anything, it would really make the funeral more about life than death then it would be cool if at the end of the memorial munchies they would all take a picture together, i think that would rock

Answer 6

It is a tradition that is slowly disappearing. It is not universal, in many countries white is the colour of mourning. Wear what you like. Wearing the dead person's favourite colour or a favourite item of clothing is a lovely idea and should be encouraged.

Answer 7

White used to be the color of passing. Of moving from one plane to another. It was decreed by the church to wear black due to superstitions.

The superstitions were aroused by pagans who believed that we are reincarnated on this plane. Thus the change of color.

There are many other things that fall into this. I do not have time to list all of them here. I do hope that this helps.

Szarah

Answer 8

It's exactly what you said. It's just a tradition to show that you are in mourning. No one wants to be the one that shows up in a yellow suit so we follow tradition.

Answer 9

When my grandma died I wore purple because that was her favorite color, so instead of wearing black wear her favorite color or something that reminds you of her.