What Is it with unrelieved black clothing at Christmas parties?

I attended a Southern Christmas social and was hopelessly over dressed for the occasion. I would say that well over 90% of the women were in black, often unrelieved black with tiny bits of silver trim. I have seen more color at a funeral. The men were equally dark, black on black with dark maroon or hunter green ties, Or cream turtle necks with black sports jackets. They may have believed they were sophisticated but what they was dull. In an audience of seventy or more there were less than 10 outfits with color in them. We stood out like flaming beacons and were avoided like the fashion police were about to burst in the doors. These were Not Emo kids, these were adults in a large city. I doubt I wil be back. We had less in common than I had hoped,