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Black dresses were first popularised in 1926, in the Vogue magazine when the designer Coco Channel publicized a picture of it. Since then the dress has gone through many changes and been adopted by women through its history for different reasons and different purposes. The Black dress represents pure simplicity and elegance. This is mainly because of its single colour, black. The plainness expressed through the beautiful monochromatic flair of the black dress does not show that it is to be worn by a simpleton and not suitable for the women of an elevated class. It has rather over time become more and more associated with women of higher statuses, sophistication and plenty of elegance. Initially, black dresses were associated with sadness and grief. It used to be the colour of the melancholy, expressing sadness in times of grief. It used to be worn by people for funerals and by mourners who have lost loved ones in recent times. It also represented other forms of sadness, including times of economic depression and natural disasters. Throughout history and in literature as well, black clothing has been a symbol of sadness. Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s protagonists, attired himself in black after his father was murdered. These pieces of literature are one reason the black dress was popularised amongst the population. During the 20th century, dresses in black slowly became popular not because it major part of that century’s fashion but because it was frequently used by women in the many disasters and melancholic times. The first and second world wars, where many people passed away, gave rise for many others to be mourning for them. The wives of those who passed away and other relatives used black in their clothing to mourn their deaths. The reflection of mourning through black dresses also was shown in the great depression because of the severe hardships they caused to middle class families and the many suicides that took place during that time. In modern times however, the role black dresses play has dramatically changed. They now represent positive things and are used to make strongly positive impressions on people. They have become a major part of modern fashion and are used by women in these times for many other reasons other than mourning. They are used as a symbol of power, authority and respect, and are becoming more and more associated with women of elevated class.
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