In the Victorian era a widow would mourn for two and a half 
years, with the first year and a day in full mourning.  
During that time pieces of the crape covered just about all 
of a garment at deepest mourning, but the crape was 
partially removed to reach the period of secondary mourning 
which lasted nine months.  After that the crape was defunct 
and a widow could wear fancier lusher fabrics or fabric 
trims made from black velvets and silk and have them 
adorned with jet trimming, lace, fringe and ribbons.  In 
the final six months a period called half mourning began.  
Ordinary clothes could be worn in acceptable subdued shades 
of grey, white or purple, violet, pansy, heliotrope, soft 
mauves and of course black.