What does black clothing symbolize?
Black is a lot of things, but "discreet" is usually not one of them. The little black dress, black sheep, black Friday; all have black in them, but they represent different things entirely.
When it comes to black, there is a lot of debate regarding the color theory and psychology around it – whether it's a color or not, and people's perception of it. It would interest you to know that because true black absorbs all light, it is achromatic (not actually a color) and is used to represent darkness.
Black was the first color early man used to scribble and illustrate their art on cave walls with. And ever since, it has been the default color we use for most things – especially print paperwork.
It is safe to say black is the mother of earthly mysteries and complexities. This universal color may look the same to most, but everybody has an avid interpretation of what black means – especially when it comes to clothing.
The Symbolism of Black Clothing
The color black is a shade/color that comes off as mysterious, serious, prestigious, and powerful to most people. When worn, it is a symbol of class, business, elegance, and sexiness while also having an overbearing, even sometimes evil character to it.
In the world of fashion, black is very popular. But why? Could it be because of what people perceive when a person wears black? This begs the question: “What does black clothing symbolize?”.
Cultural Color Psychology of Black Clothing
Black has different symbolic meanings depending on people’s cultural heritage. It represents mourning to some and power to others. However, the way we perceive black is determined by a lot of factors.
For example, in art, how people interpret color is synonymous with how the color makes the viewer feel. And other times, color is linked to societal beliefs, religious beliefs, or values we've been taught to admonish regarding certain colors. So what is our perception of black?
A person who wears black is perceived as bold, serious, confident, strong, and sometimes even superior.
Black makes you look serious and authoritative. It is also one of the easiest colors to pair with others. Almost anything goes. | Socks: Shrooms
No matter where we are when we see someone wear black, we have a vague idea of what the wearer's intentions are. Yes, even if it’s only to not stick out in a crowd (we’ll get to that in a bit).
Black is a strong color that usually represents strength and boldness, especially when paired with other colors.
Whether you are going for a job interview, a PTA meeting, drinks with friends, a funeral, or even a Goth concert, you can rarely go wrong with black. That’s because black is to fashion what water is to life.
A Brief History of Black in Fashion
In the 14th century, good quality black dyes were developed. And, as usual, only notable elite members of society could wear black. This was mainly because dyes were expensive to produce – especially ones that were hard to procure, like purple or black.
Queen Elizabeth I. adorned herself in black for her portrait after fending off an invasion from the Spanish Armada in 1588 and Queen Victoria wore it to mourn her daughter in the 19th century.
Fast forward to 1927, Coco Chanel (the iconic fashion mogul) created a fashion line with several black dresses and takes credit for the origin of “the little black dress”.
At the same time, Audrey Hepburn’s black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany's made this style of clothing spread like wildfire, becoming a staple must-have.
Black makes you more attractive - especially when paired with red.
Nowadays, black cocktail dresses are bought (and worn) because they are known to be sexy. The same goes for well-cut black suits, by the way.
It's obvious that all through the years black has evolved into a “color” with various meanings. But no matter who the wearer is, the intention of black clothing is always (and has always been) understood.
The Symbolism of Pure Black Clothes
Fashion trends, seasons, and colors come and go. Despite the volatile nature of fashion, Coco Chanel said, "black has it all, white too, their beauty is absolute, it is the perfect harmony."
Simply put, black is indispensable. Dark clothes radiate an air of intelligence, confidence, and attractiveness. Even though black still has a negative interpretation to it, many people still see black as stable and reliable. Why else would people wear black for important events?
Which outfit is more elegant? Middle gray is fine and dandy but maybe a bit too playful to be “elegant”. Black, on the other hand, is much more serious. | Socks: Rainbowie
Black represents professionalism and communicates a sense of responsibility. Most people feel more comfortable handing over their life savings to a banker in a black suit than one wear on a pink suit, right?
We’re not saying pink is a bad color, but someone wearing black just seems more reliable. If you plan to impress, then definitely wear pure black.
If you’re looking to be more successful in life, wearing a lot of black clothes (or any dark color for that matter) can be beneficial. Simply wearing the color can have a similar effect as Neuro-Remapping.
Neuro-Remapping is an effective way to prime yourself for success, as this Harvard psychologist suggests. More on the topic here:
Just in case you are wondering, you can wear pure black as either accent or canvas pieces. Yes, you CAN use black to accent! It’s not that easy to pull off, but if you read up on our article on accent colors, you’re bound to get it right.
Different Variations of Black
Light Black?
Yes, you can modify black (slightly) before it starts to look light gray or a dark version of some hue. “Light black” is black with a small smidge of white added to it, so it looks like a very, very dark gray.
Since pure black can come off as serious and look a bit overbearing, adding white to it makes it less imposing and more playful. This brings out the elegant and sophisticated properties of this very dark shade.
Fashion understands that pure black can be overwhelming; that's why “light black” is possible. Tints of black are more subtle and not as overpowering as the pure version. They’re great for business outfits, by the way.
Tinted black is a fairly simple color to pull off whether you plan to impress, stand out or just need a little boost of confidence.
Dark gray is the same thing as light black. The suit is clearly black, but what about the shirt? Some would say it’s gray, others would argue it’s light black.
Dark black?
Before Darth Vader christened the iconic all-black ensemble, “dark black” pieces have always been noteworthy all through the evolution of life and fashion couture. “Black black”, meaning “as dark as it gets”, represents aggression, sadness, gloominess, evil, detachment, bad omens, and even death.
Dark black is a concept that has less to do with the amount of black pigment and more with the texture of its surface. If one black surface absorbs less light than another, it will inevitably appear less dark. The “shininess” is largely texture-dependent.
Moreover, dark black shades in written fiction and movies are like a measuring tool for badness. Dracula, evil villains, and bad people always wear “blackest black”.
Even though there are several interpretations of what black shades ought to be, its still a powerful color that depicts responsibility, strength, confidence, mystery, formality, and independence. All of these are traits of the classic villain – muahahaha!
Interesting Benefits of Wearing Black
Black clothing can be the mask you wear to express a more confident version of yourself if you need the extra boost. Depending on the style/cut of clothing you pick, it can help even more.
If you want to look classy and exude elegance, then choose black. In fashion, nothing’s easier than that. If you want to learn how to pull off more exciting colors, though, we suggest reading our articles on color in fashion – that’s what COLORBUX is all about, anyway.
Blend in Better
Wearing black clothing helps you blend in with your surroundings (usually). This is because black is so dark – and wearing dark clothing is much more subtle than donning bright, flashy colors. Many people consciously choose to wear black because of its power to “hide”.
And if you’re looking for a piece of clothing that will help you stand out instead of blend in, then these puppies could be perfect for you. They go well with black (obviously).
Look Slimmer
Among its many benefits, wearing black has a slimming effect, since you can accentuate your assets or divert attention from them. Black is (in the case of slimming) usually used to not pull focus. Brighter colors are used as accents to peoples draw attention away from the “problem areas” that are often covered by dark or even black clothing.
For example, you can use our socks or any other bright piece of clothing to draw attention.
Black Clothing is Inevitable
Black is a necessity we can't do without. Its importance cannot be trivialized in fashion and even beyond. Black creates balance and contrast, and a wide variety of several other colors wouldn't exist without it. Try to darken a color without using black...
If there was no black, the world would seem so bland, because there would be no contrast to light or vibrant colors.
Black is important: It portrays elegance and power, and, contrary to popular belief, black gives fashion true validation.
We write a lot more about dark colors (and black) in fashion in our article about dark versus light clothing colors. We suggest digging into that topic to learn how to wear dark colors the right (and easy) way.
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