Black And White And/Or Silver

[poliphilo]

 I dreamed I was hanging out with a bunch of people dressed in black and white- or maybe it was black and silver. These were my friends. And when I woke I thought, "I should remember this." but then I went back to sleep again and when I got up in the morning all but the basics had gone.

Who in history dressed in black and white (and/or silver)? The Dominicans? The Knights of Malta? Spanish courtiers in the age of Velasquez? Actors in productions of The Duchess of Malfi...?