One of the most characteristic aspects of the many stereotypes of Satanists is that we all wear black. It’s not a totally incorrect assumption. Many of us do genuinely like the color black, myself included. Indeed, the song “Paint it Black” by the Rolling Stones is a very relatable song to a lot of people beyond just Satanists.

The question, then, is why? What is so attractive about the color (or, scientifically speaking, lack thereof) black? The obvious answer is that black is a subversive color; it’s the color metalheads and goths wear. But that is a more recent development in color meaning and psychology. Historically the color black has a more nuanced meaning than just subversiveness.

Black is associated with a multitude of concepts: power, fear, mystery, strength, authority, elegance, formality, death, evil, aggression, rebellion, and sophistication. It is the color of grief and mourning, and also sexiness (every woman loves her little black dress). The bad guys wear black in opposition to the good guys who wear white. And of course, black cats are often considered to be bad luck (though that particular superstition has been a tad warped; the original version is that black cats bring good luck to their owners).

In color magick, black is associated with “dark magic,” necromancy, funerary rights, and Samhain. It is also used for grounding, focus, survival, protection, independence, banishing, binding, separation, and rituals for increasing assertiveness and confidence.

So, obviously, wearing black is about more than just being an attention seeking rebel. Just like Satanism, black is not as simple as those who don’t like it would have the rest of us believe. Black is a powerful color, with a wealth of meaning. Not to mention, it just looks good. So don’t be afraid to don your black robes and throw your horns, and paint your world black!