QoD MDE on Trying to come up with a reason for the black robes and red shoes

The problem with trying to come with an answer for why Outer Order members wear black robes and red shoes is that the answer also has to fit the Inner Order robes and shoes; it must also cover the uniform of those past the Adept Grades (whether or not they have a different color of robe and shoes). Any answer that focuses just on the Outer Order is probably missing the boat; and considering that there are few indications of how those past the Adept Grades appear, it is probably best to say that all answers about this subject are merely guesses given the incomplete information that most students have.---Morgan Drake Eckstein