Why do the Dark Brotherhood wear uniforms?

Anumaril

This question has irked me for years, so I figured I would ask it here in case anyone has an in-lore explanation for it. It doesn't make sense to me that an organisation of assassins would wear uniforms when outside of their sanctuaries, even more so because we know that if a single assassin is caught or compromised it could mean the death of the whole sanctuary (whether because the assassin reveals its location, or because the Purification ritual needs to be performed to safeguard the Brotherhood's secrets and other branches).

So why bother with clearly-identifiable outfits out in the world? Fear? It seems like the fear associated with being able to identify which organisation a fleeing assassin belongs to would be far outweighed by the fact that you can clearly identify that fleeing assassin in the first place. Surely if the Dark Brotherhood wants their assassinations to be identifiable to them they could just leave a calling card of sorts next to the body.

Outfits make sense within their sanctuaries, such as robes or whatever else, but outside it seems to make most sense to use whatever is necessary to blend in. If you're infiltrating a castle, perhaps a suit of armour to blend in with the guards, or the clothes of a handmaiden to get close to the target. What doesn't make sense is to be gallivanting around with a sinister-looking black and red leather outfit that covers your face and has knives and daggers on it.

Obviously assassin outfits look cool, I know, so the out-of-lore explanation for this is clear (although they still could've at least vaguely made the outfit blend in with the environment, like the classic Assassin's Creed outfits vaguely do if you squint your eyes). But I'm wondering if we have an in-lore explanation for why the Brotherhood go out of their way to make their lives harder.

Braffin

The in-lore explanation regarding their uniform is indeed, that they usually don't use it:

Heed me, Initiates: we are not soldiers, and do not wear a uniform—it would be a difficult thing indeed to do our jobs if we had to wear gear that identified us as members of an order of assassins. But just because we don't typically use uniforms when on assignment doesn't mean we don't have them: we do. When it is necessary for you to represent the Dark Brotherhood in a manner that leaves no doubt as to our involvement in an affair, you will wear guild armor and wield guild arms as described below. (text is out of their motif book)

Zos did a good job displaying the brotherhoods methods by Mirabelles actions and disguise during the quest "A Special Request". They didn't seem to care as much during the rest of the related quests tho

Anumaril

Interesting! Thanks for sharing

CameraBeardThePirate

Just adding onto this: in Skyrim it's explicitly stated a few times that the Dark Brotherhood is purposefully trying to make their presence known in that Era (since the common knowledge was that they no longer existed). It makes sense in that they want to be seen as a threat, want to make their presence known, and of course, want more contracts. Best way to do that is occasionally being seen wearing Dark Brotherhood armor.

kumenit_taeynav

back in tes4 one the dark brotherhood members, telaendril, is scheduled to leave the sanctuary every now and then and when she does she wears plain clothes.

Belegnole

So ZOS can sell you something?