Of all mysteries, death may have been the biggest. This was because night, the absence of light, transcended human perception in the same way that the wisdom of God was thought to be beyond comprehension. Many ancient cultures believed that black was 'the color of mystery and of the mysterious ways and wisdom of God,' historian Ellen Conroy wrote in her book ' The Symbolism of Colors' (1921). The colour – or rather adsense of colour– black is often linked with negative associations, such as death, fear or sadness, according to the Journal of international Colour Association (opens in new tab). In many Asian cultures, particularly in China, white is not a traditional used for wedding gowns – red or gold may be more commonly seen wedding colors – but is worn instead of black at funeral services and is a symbol of mourning, according to Yerevan State University (opens in new tab).Īlthough white is often referred to as a “color”, white is actually the combination of all the wavelengths of color that are reflected off an object, according to Encyclopedia Britannica (opens in new tab). However, it wasn’t until Queen Victoria walked down the aisle in a white lace dress to wed Prince Albert in 1840, that wearing white wedding gown became popular. For example, wearing white to a wedding dates back more than 2,000 years when Roman brides wore white tunics to signal a woman’s virginity, according to Ohio State University (opens in new tab).

Throughout history, white has been synonymous with purity and virtue, which lends itself to many religious ceremonies.

Color war costumes