Description:Clothes and accessories worn as a sign of grief and respect for the deceased are known as mourning clothes. The tradition of wearing mourning reached its height in the Victorian period, but has been practised since the Middle Ages.
Victorians wore black for the deepest or first stage of mourning, which could last for two years. Grey or mauve was suitable for half or second stage mourning. Mourning clothes could range from simple tokens, such as black armbands or gloves for men, to a widow who may cover herself in a black crepe dress and veil, as seen in this photograph.
The custom of wearing mourning clothes is no longer practised in the twentieth century.