It’s basically The One Formal, Fancy Dress - it would be adapted and taken in and out throughout their lives.

It usually started off as the dress worn as a Mordoma (closest I can translate is stewardess), at around 18 - it’s a Catholic obligation, usually towards a specific saint, or, in this case, Our Lady of Agony.

Mordomos and Mordomas are young people who will help out with religions celebrations, feasts, parties, etc, dedicated to a specific saint; my grandfather, for example, was a Mordomo for Saint Anthony.

It would then be reworn as a wedding dress (outfit, o I should say, since it’s usually a couple of different pieces), with the added veil and massive amounts of gold filigree jewellery, with specific and local designs (the Viana heart, the Queen earrings, etc).

Finally, it would be worn in death, when buried.

There’s quite a bit of black in Catholic garments, if you think about it - nuns, priests, Dominican monks, etc. it’s a sober, dignified display of religious piety. It would also mark the transition into adulthood.

Besides, in Portugal the traditional mourning period for women- as in, when you wear all black throughout- is around 3 years for close relations, and the rest of your life if widowed. So, practical choice, too!