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Tips For 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 can wear the traditional suit and tie or they may opt for the slightly more casual ensemble of slacks, sport coat or blazer and collared golfing shirt. The general rule is that the look be conservative and always paired with dark dress shoes. Shirts may be light colored but pants, jackets and ties should be dark with little to no pattern print.
Women may wear office worthy slacks and dresses in dark colors and conservative styles. The primary rule is not to choose something with a low neckline, high hemline, flashy patterns or bare shoulders because one should not draw attention to herself at these events. Heels are still appropriate though if attending a graveside service, flats may be more comfortable.
The rules for children are far less rigid. Generally speaking, their style should be an age appropriate version of what adult's clothing with boys in suits or a collared shirt and tie, and girls in dresses. Though the little ones are not expected to wear black, their colors should be dark or neutral with patterns and ruffles kept to a minimum.
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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