Black, that colour which some say is not a colour, represents the absence of light, darkness, night, that blanket of protection that hides everything, but at the same time can fill us with uncertainty and pain. But, throughout history, black has been used by men as protection and to express mourning; however, over the years and with the evolution of cultures and fashion, black has become one of the favourite colours of millions of women and men around the world.
It has thus become a symbol of elegance and distinction, being one of the favourite colours when choosing a look or attire to go to work or to show off in a special event, not only because of the fact that we can look splendidly with the garments and / or accessories in black, but also for all the benefits it offers, from causing the effect of thinness in the body to the fact that it is combinable with almost everything, which turns a black piece into a joker for any occasion.
If this phenomenon is analysed from the psychology of colour, we must point out that, according to the approaches of many researchers, black is perceived as a protection that the person who is wearing the colour feels, which helps to create a barrier between him and the outside world, producing a sense of comfort and protection.
At the same time, this tone has the faculty to represent power, authority and control very well, hence it is used by most of the figures of the political, social and religious sectors, where these elements are determinant to cause in the individuals a certain rank of hierarchy and importance, which are misused in many cases to try to intimidate the rest.
But it is also defended the thesis that people who exaggerate in the use of black do so to hide their weaknesses, vulnerability and insecurity, and to be able to feel more confident, to disguise fear and to transmit security.
It is important to mention that this symbology related to black colour is represented since the existence of the early civilizations, which associated it with fear because the primitive man of the Neolithic feared night and darkness, relating it to death, so it was an indispensable element in funeral rites; however, this began to decrease with the discovery of fire.
On the other hand, in the Bible there is also a negative view of black colour, when it is told how Cam, the son of Noe, was cursed for having slept with his mother in a state of intoxication, and his skin became black by the divine punishment he received as a consequence. It should be noted that villages such as Canaan and Cus descend from Cam, which is the current Ethiopia, a term that comes from the Greek “aethiops” which means “burned face”, referring to the black skin of the inhabitants of that country.
If we advance in history and we locate ourselves in Spain of the sixteenth century, we find the first empire in the world, known for having achieved conquests and enslaving many countries, but also for setting trends in terms of fashion, when it was common to wear jewellery on dark clothes. On the other hand, black dignified the upper class of the time, and in England the Protestant Puritans turned this colour into their uniform.
Likewise, in Europe and America for more than 500 years, the women who were widowed dressed in black, wearing hats and veils in many cases during funerals and the later stage of mourning after the death of the husband. Later in the nineteenth century and following this tradition, Queen Victoria of England adopted black in her clothing permanently due to the death of her husband, King Albert.
Although, in ancient times the tradition of wearing mourning clothes for two years or perhaps more as a sign of respect for the deceased was kept, this has been a custom that is kept today in many countries in all social classes; however, it has been declining in recent decades, and it is observed that women wear discreet colours that should not necessarily be black.
Already in 1884, the use of black extended to different sectors, but it was still considered a symbol of power, authority and respect, the reason which it should be used in garments that represent all these values; nevertheless, the famous painter John Singer revolutionized the society of the time by presenting his work ‘Madame X’, which showed a woman with a fabulous black dress tight to the body with a very low neckline that made many blush and that, as a result, forced him to remove the painting, which since then turned black for the first time into an immoral colour.
That is how that little great social revolution that John Singer provoked, perhaps without wanting but with the aim of showing women’s beauty, elegance and sensuality, turned black colour into a tool of feminine seduction, which women have known how to use very well to highlight their qualities and sensuality, but not only that, but also their distinction and sobriety, there is something for all tastes.
Later came the famous Coco Chanel, who was detractor of the miniskirt, but not of “black”, she had it in mind in all her collections, giving excellence and distinction to her creations, which gave a place of honour to this colour by being considered as a symbol par excellence of elegance and sophistication; it represents elegance without risk since it is secure and easier to get with garments of this colour.
It is attributed to the great Coco Chanel to make black appear as a tone that symbolizes elegance and modernity, instead of leaving it exclusively for moments of death, funerals and mourning. She achieved this goal thanks to the creation of the iconic black dress known worldwide as “Little Black Dress”, which to date is synonymous with timeless elegance, distinction, glamor, practicality and above all sensuality and feminine power.
Likewise, The Beatniks, a young group that emerged in the late 50s and early 60s, contrary to what Coco Chanel and her Little Black Dress represented, used black for their clothes and accessories to complement their rebellious look that represented their non-conformity with social rules, Puritanism and the conventional, empowering themselves with black-based outfits entirely as the key to their counterculture and rebellion.
In this context, we can also mention that some directors and famous fashion designers have had black within their preferences throughout their career due to the power, authority and discipline that they transmit, making them a fundamental pillar for artists and intellectuals who want to highlight their work. For example, during the 60s, dancers used to wear black tights and leotards to express their art, as well as painters and musicians chose turtle necks in black because they were considered “cool”, pleasant, innovative and non-conformist.
This is how the “Total Black” look, or all black, began to be worn, which currently has a mandatory presence in many parts of the world, where women and men of all ages wear it. But, it is important to note that to keep a proper look, you cannot make the mistake of not mixing different textures or tones, as well as not adding any element that stands out, such as details of lines, circles, small details in another colour, for example, in white or grey.
That is why black has been used throughout the decades to express feelings of power and empowerment, and today’s women do not escape this trend, so this colour is always in their outfits as a basic and fundamental option to attend different events of their daily life, such as work, for example. Speaking of that, we want to mention that if you have a job interview and you want to combine a black garment to look striking but sober and distinguished, you should use blue, green, brown and / or beige tones, which together transmit calm, serenity and elegance.
Such the importance of black colour in the fashion industry and other areas such as psychology is that many investigations have been carried out to analyse its impact and meaning. For example, in England a company dedicated to the manufacture of t-shirts made one study that had as objective to know the meaning that the respondents gave to black colour in their clothes. In this way, it was obtained that 56% of the surveyed individuals, of which 48% were women and 64% men, maintained that black is a colour that gives them confidence.
On the other hand, 66% of the women who participated in the study said that a man dressed in black gives them greater security, while 46% of the men surveyed thought that women dressed in black gave them more security.
These results allowed the researchers to reach the final conclusion that “black is the colour that is most associated with intelligence, elegance and power”, making it attractive and interesting for many people, not only for those who wear it, but also for those who are dedicated to design, make or manufacture clothing and accessories in series, which is taken into account in the decision making process when creating their collections.
Consequently, we have a colour, a history, trends and forms of expression, and definitely black colour is one, if not the most, that has contributed innumerable elements in fashion industry, making people who dress in black use it as a way of self-expression that conveys who they are and what they want to achieve, as well as makes themselves be known and be themselves in all situations.
ALFA