Black

Since the last two posts have been on "good" and "evil" I want to take a closer look at why it is that a lot of people would have a picture in their head of "conservative wear" as black and white....

The history of dyes can be found here and gives quite a comprehensive overview of what was dyed and how. It is interesting to note that black was one of the first dyes to be artificially manufactured. Another thing I noted was that clergy only started dressing in black in the 9th century. So, I suppose black was associated with religion from very early on. Still, if it was reserved for the clergy, how did it filter down to the normal population?

I suppose colour does not have as much to do with it as covering parts that need to be covered. The shifting erogenous zone contributes a lot to what is acceptable and what is not. During the Baroque it was completely acceptable to expose breasts (for women), but you did not dare to expose your ankle. Oh dear!

Problem is, as Christians we need to be aware of the times and understand why people dress the way they do. In a time where anything goes, we cannot dress like the Amish (as below) because of ridicule. However, we are called to be separate from the world. So, how do we project that difference in the way dress?

So, we do not have go and wear black all the time. (YAY) Being a Christian is a somber affair, but there is also a lot of joy to be lived out and shown.