Mourning Colors

Many colors are used around the world to signify mourning. Important information to know when traveling to avoid a potential faux pas.

In South Africa, red is the color of mourning.

In Iran, blue is the color of mourning.

In Egypt and Burma, yellow signifies mourning.

The ancient Egyptians and Romans used black for mourning, as do most Europeans and Americans today.

Filipino people wear black or white for mourning.

Japanese wear  black traditional Japanese clothing at funerals and Buddhist memorial services. Other colors, particularly reds and bright shades, are considered inappropriate for mourning dress.

In Thailand, black is the traditional mourning color. Purple is worn by widows mourning their husband’s death.

In continental Europe and the UK, black is the mourning color. The color of deepest mourning among medieval European queens was white.

In Asia many people dress in different colors such as indigo, ruby-red and many more. In China, during the period of mourning family members of the deceased wear a piece of cloth on their arm for 100 days. A color of the cloth tells the relationship to the deceased. The children of the deceased will wear a black cloth, blue by the grandchildren, and green by the great grandchildren.

In the Middle East it is the norm that white symbolizes time of mourning and funerals.

In India the members of the mourning family and the people who come to participate in mourning all wear white clothes.

Violet and purple became the color of demi-mourning, worn after a widow or widower had worn black for a certain time, before he or she returned to wearing ordinary colors.