In the late 1500’s, among the people of England, sadness became fashionable. People practiced and preened in the art of acting melancholy. To dress all in black was common.

During the late 16th and early 17th centuries (the late Elizabethan and Jacobean eras), England experienced a distinct cultural phenomenon that historians call “the cult of melancholy” or “fashionable melancholy.”

1. Sadness as an Aesthetic

In Elizabethan society, affectation of sadness was transformed into a sign of intellectual depth, sensitivity, and artistic genius. Inspired by Renaissance philosophy, being “melancholic” meant you were a deep thinker, a poet, a tortured lover, or an introspective scholar—not merely sad. Young men in particular would perform or exaggerate this mood in public spaces, lounging in dramatic poses, sighing, and avoiding cheerful company to appear sophisticated.

2. The Black Wardrobe

Dressing in all black became the ultimate uniform for this trend. Black served a dual purpose:

• Symbolism: It physically represented the “black bile” (humor) believed to cause melancholia, signaling a somber, brooding interior world.
• Prestige: Rich, deep black dyes were notoriously difficult and expensive to produce. Wearing high-quality black velvet, silk, or wool was a major status symbol imported from Spanish and Italian court fashions.

3. Pop Culture Echoes

This trend heavily influenced the art and literature of the time:

• Shakespeare’s Plays: The archetype was satirized and immortalized in characters like Hamlet (who famously wears his “customary suits of solemn black” while moping around court) and Jaques in As You Like It (who boasts about his unique, personal brand of melancholy).
• Portraits: Figures like the poet John Donne were painted in brooding black outfits with unbuttoned collars, slouched hats, and folded arms to signify their fashionable, melancholy state.
• Music: Lutenist and composer John Dowland built a wildly successful career writing mournful, sorrowful lute songs (even adopting the motto “Semper Dowland, semper dolens” — Always Dowland, always grieving).