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Black:TheCrypticColor

CameronBailey
FacultyMentor:AndreaVarga
THE239:HistoryofFashion
Fall2014
Thepurposeofthisresearchistoexploretheusageofthecolorblackasit
pertainstofashionthroughoutthehistoriesofWesterncultures.Themodernstigmas
associatedwithblackaredeath,wickedness,anddepression,allofwhichhavingnegative
connotations.Butthiswasnotalwaysthecase.Historyhasportrayedblackasdiabolical
andmournfulequallyasmuchasacolorofluxury,highfashion,andahierarchaltool.
Evenincontemporarysocietaldress,blackhasbecomeasymbolofpersonalexpression,
sometimesreachingobsessiveheights.Itisimportanttorecognizethatnormsandideals
today,donotalwayscoincidewiththoseofthepast.Blackcanbeasintimidatingas
saddening,religiousasmuchassecular,ornateorbleak.Thisresearchseekstoidentify
theeffectsofthemysticalshadethroughouthistory,andtounifythecomplexand
mysteriouselementsofthecolorblack.

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