It's been awhile since I've watched the commentary but, if I remember correctly, it's because in Southern tradition, kids don't wear black. They don't say why, just that they don't. They also liked it because they felt it further symbolized Lily's separation from everyone else, who were in black.
When we, as an American with Mexican heritage, were little kids, they dressed in white for funerals because they said babies and small children represent innocence and it was a way to connect us to God (as angels, or something along those lines). But typically, by age five or six, kids are dressed in black for funerals.
Raj: Ah, the premature "I love you."
Wolowitz: I guessed premature. Does that count?
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kayleewheat
11 years ago
I don't think children would really wear black to funerals and I think that could have been the tradition in South Carolina at the time (probably even now). To me, white represents innocence and children symbolise this in their nature. They are innocent and pure, I feel. Lily was the only child/young teenager there. Therefore, I think black would have been inappropriate.
Nevertheless, Dakota looked stunning in that dress :) I loved it when she was standing near Latifah and Keys. Latifah and Keys were singing. The character of Lily thought she had caused May's death because of what happened with Zachary at the theatre, even though August and June hadn't told her sister the full story. Latifah (who played the character of August) later reassured Lily that it wasn't her fault. The scene, for me, separated Lily from the Boatwright sisters because of what she was wearing. But I know it's meant to represent her purity and this scene is about them all grieving for May together. May liked singing. August and June wanted to sing a tribute to her. Dakota's character had a different way of dealing with it by reflecting on what happened in her mind. I'm so glad there was a climax between Latifah and Fanning. They bonded even more when August found out what Lily was going through. August could tell Lily a lot about her mother. August showed Lily a handful of objects her mother left when she went back to get Lily. This was the bedroom scene between Latifah and Fanning. I saw this as the climax to their relationship. It was like August became Lily's mother figure in that moment, supporting Lily through this hard time and showing her how much her biological mother loved her. That was how much August came to love Lily. This love and purity between them made me think of Lily's white dress at May's funeral. They were united. Not actually separate.
I hope I'm making sense here. Xx
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