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Tips Of Choosing Funeral Attire
At one time, all mourners were expected to wear formal black dress, complete with hats, ties, veils and gloves. Nowadays the rules have become somewhat more relaxed due to the many cultural, religious and personal influences on burial arrangements. For times when no special requests have been made, there are guidelines for appropriate funeral attire.
The traditional black suit and simple dress are very much still considered the best choice. The modern version is a semi-formal look that is just slightly more relaxed. The new normal is a bit more casual and comfortable, incorporating the additional accepted colors of gray and dark blue.
Men may continue to wear the traditional suit and tie, or they have the option to go with casual slacks paired with a collard shirt and sports coat. Black dress shoes are expected for all options. The primary rule is to keep things conservative, foregoing bold patterns, wearing light colored shirts with dark ties, jackets and pants.
Women are expected to dress conservatively in slacks or office worthy dresses and skirts in dark colors. The outfit should not draw attention because of a high hemline, a low neckline, bare shoulders or flashy patterns and design elements. While heels are acceptable, flats may be more fitting for graveside services.
Children's rules are more relaxed. Their clothing is similar to that of the adults in that boys should wear a suit or dress slacks with light colored shirts and ties, dresses for the girls. Though black is not the staple for the young ones, they should stick with darker or neutral hues and the bare minimum of patterns and ruffles.
Though the basics of appropriate funeral attire are a safe guideline, there are exceptions to the rules. Some cultures or religions have specific ways that mourners are expected to dress and those should be followed out of respect. Occasionally the deceased will have left behind special requests as to the type of clothing they would like guests to wear and final wishes always take precedence over tradition.
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