Colors mean different things in different cultures. See this post from this Mudcat thread thread.cfm?threadid=91064#1729865

Wearing Red-or another color
From: Azizi - PM
Date: 29 Apr 06 - 08:53 AM

Some common verses to the African American spiritual "Wade in the Water" include color references:

Wade in the water
Wade in the water, children,
Wade in the water
God's a-going to trouble the water

See that host all dressed in white
God's a-going to trouble the water
The leader looks like the Israelite
God's a-going to trouble the water

See that band all dressed in red
God's a-going to trouble the water
Looks like the band that Moses led
God's a-going to trouble the water

-snip-

I believe that these verses refer to different religious groups that are represented by a specific color. In this instance, red is a symbol of life and white a symbol of spiritual purity.

There is historical & present day documentation that in certain African American [post emancipation]religious denominations women wear certain colored dresses or robes. Wearing certain colored clothing is an intregal part of traditional {if not contemporary} African religious beliefs and practices