The color Purple

[Jonathan Pessin]

No: HPFGUIDX 57082

OK, so somebody, I don't remember who, recently mentioned the color
Purple and what significance it might or might not have in the HP books
or the Wizarding World in general.  So: here goes.

The color purple has been connected to royalty since ancient times. 
The ancient Phoenicians created purple dye for cloth out of a certain
shellfish from the area.  The shellfish was extremely rare, and thus the
dye, and the cloth produced with it, was incredibly expensive.  Thus,
the only consumers who could afford to wear purple were those of extreme
wealth, such as royalty.

The Wizarding World is, as we all know, a very traditional place.  This
traditional connotation might have persisted into the modern Wizarding
culture from ancient times.  We learned in school that one form of
advertizing is "snob appeal," basically meaning that the ads say "This
product's so good, only the best people use it."  The prevalent use of
the color purple might be a type of snob appeal - "This product is fit
for royalty!  buy it!"  

Or JKR might just like the color.

Hobbit_guy, who has GOT to get out more.

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"You haven't been getting into the Gaffer's home brew again, have
you?"
"No... Well, yes, but that's beside the point."
-Frodo and Bilbo Baggins, Fellowship of the Rings Extended Edition DVD