Black History Meaning And Evolution Of A Color In Fashion

Introduction
Black is often mistakenly categorized as a color. But if you ask anyone if they’ve seen the “color” in a rainbow, the answer will always be “No”. But it is definitely a “color” you see. The easiest way to see black is to close your eyes.
It was not a very popular shade to use in clothing or fashion, historically speaking. Most of the world see something bad or evil in black. Ask anyone what they think the color, or shade, of evil is. Most will probably say “Black”.
But black has gained a lot of popularity in fashion, especially in recent years. It is almost improbable that a person does not have at least one black piece of clothing. How did the people’s perception with it change? How was it viewed historically? What did the shade imply? These are just some of the questions we’ll try to answer. We’ll also see why black is not a color.
 
Black in Fashion
Fashion for the past few centuries has used black often. But this has, historically, not the case. Black is a difficult shade to achieve. Getting it requires a lot of time and effort. Dyes are used to imbue color to an object or material. A lot of colors and shades of different colors have been done in history. But it is one of the more recent additions.
Dyeing as done historically uses natural substances to color cloth or fabric. But black is a rare shade to find in most substances. The most common things used to dye objects with the shade are black soil and squid ink. Black soil is easily obtained but not all places have them. Squid ink is an even more difficult to get. Each squid only has a limited amount of it. So that’s why squid ink was more often used for writing.
With the advancement of technology, it has been easier to make black objects. Dyeing fabric with black has become easier and cheaper.
Ancient Era
Ancient dyeing techniques used a lot of vibrant colors. During this time, it is common to see people wearing some color in their outfit—but just a little. Dyeing cloth was expensive and labor intensive. The smell was also said to be awful.
But not everyone can afford to dye their clothes. Only the nobility can afford to have their clothes dyed in color. Common folk just had to use the shade that comes naturally with the fabric—white.
So during this time, black as a dye for clothing was basically nonexistent. Clothes became black over time but this was not a very good fashion statement.
Medieval Period
After the fall of the Roman Empire, the west went into a period called the Medieval or middle Ages. This was the time of kings and queens, princes and princesses, and knights in armor. Fashion, especially for those in the King’s Court, was colorful and vibrant. They used a lot of blues, pinks, and reds.
Black was not often in use but there were people who wore them. The clergy and scholars often wore black to signify their status. Some high nobles and royals also wore black to show power, wealth, and sophistication.
Renaissance
The time between the 14th and 17th centuries, has been a period commonly referred to as the Renaissance. Fashion during these times often had flamboyant styles and vibrant colors. But black was still there. Black coats and cloaks were worn still by the priests and scholars, but some of the noblemen also deigned to wear black sometimes.
Colored fabric was only used by the noble class and royalty. Common people were not allowed to wear color back then. They still wore homespun clothes that did not have any colors artificially added through dyeing.
Protestants and Pilgrims
The use of color by the nobles and some of the clergymen was seen by the people as unnecessary. They opposed this way of life by those in power by donning black clothes. This became the motif of the Protestant Reformation and the Calvinists.
Pilgrims who first arrived in America also wore a lot of black. This was chosen to signify their purity and chastity. Another use of black during this time was to signify evil. This was the shade of witches and warlocks.
Romance
Romantic poets used black to signify melancholy. The common image for a poet, especially during this time, is someone who was dressed somberly and the most somber of all colors is black. The characters that writers created during this were also dressed in black. Gone were the days of knights in shining armor. The era of the Romantic hero has arrived.
Little Black Dress
A woman in black was historically seen as a sign of mourning. That’s why most funerals today still have the black motif. But one designer changed all of that. Coco Chanel, a legendary fashion designer, used black to design dresses and clothes for women. She loved the shade and designed wardrobes to showcase beauty and perfection. This was the start of the common staple for women—the LBD or the little black dress. For the first time, black was seen as sexy and seductive.
“Rebel” Fashion
Punk and Goth fashion exploded into the scene during the 70s and 80s. Teenagers who wanted to express themselves often wore black. This was a form of rebellion from the mainstream. They not just wear dark clothes though. They also dyed their hair black, wore black eye makeup, and even used black lipsticks.
Black is the New Black
We often hear the phrase “… is the new black.” Black in fashion has exploded in recent years and has become the benchmark for new trends in fashion. But no matter what others say Black is still the New Black. It has never been dethroned as the color of choice for fashion designers. It is used to frame the person wearing it. Designers have created wardrobes based on the shade. The shade also shows sexiness and sophistication.
Defining Black
Where Light Comes From
Light, as scientist have defined it, is essentially electromagnetic radiation. Almost every star in the universe emits this radiation. This electromagnetic radiation propagates in a wave-particle duality. Sometimes it acts as a wave but sometimes it also acts as a particle—the photon.
Let’s think of light as a wave, for now. Each wa...