Wearing dark grey or deep blue is just as appropriate as black, while brown and lighter greys are suitable for the vast majority of funeral services. However, unless specifically requested by the deceased or their family, you should avoid any bright colors such as yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds.
Resist wearing bright colors or wild prints. Avoid dressing in casual clothing, such as athletic wear, tank tops, or shorts. Skip the flip-flops, tennis shoes, sneakers, or boat shoes. Remove the neon necktie, purse, or accessory.
First and foremost, dress appropriately. This means no jeans, shorts, or tank tops. Instead, opt for dark, conservative clothing. Women should avoid wearing anything too revealing or flashy, and men should make sure their clothing is clean and wrinkle-free.
Traditionally, funeral etiquette suggests men and women wear black clothing that's conservative and respectful. Black or dark colours are most common, but some cultures expect mourners to wear a less traditional funeral colour.
Dress Conservatively
Because a funeral is often a somber occasion, it's best to choose clothes that reflect that. Your clothing does not have to be all black. It's common for funeral attendees to wear navy blue, dark grey, violet, and many other colors.
Much like with men's funeral attire, color should be used to subtly accent your outfit. Try to make sure that your outfit does not have overly bright colors or wild patterns that draw attention. Remember, you are there to mourn the loss and support the family, you outfit should not make you the center of attention.
What is traditional funeral attire? As you probably already know, it's traditional to wear black to a Western funeral or cremation service. Other dark colors like maroon, dark green, or navy are all considered suitable for funeral clothes.
It's tradition to wear a white shirt at a funeral, but a plain, unpatterned buttoned shirt in a muted colour is okay. Shoes should be dark, clean and polished. Dresses, skirts and trouser suits can be all be worn to a funeral – the focus is on conservatism.
As a neutral color, white should not be considered inappropriate at most North American funerals. Though you should ask the family hosting the service when in doubt, plain, neutral colors are generally acceptable for memorials. Wearing white in conjunction with other dark tones is absolutely appropriate.
In fact, it can be considered disrespectful and unlucky to wear purple if you are not attending a funeral, as the color has a sacred, devotional meaning to it. In Thailand, purple defines sorrow, and is reserved for widows to wear while mourning the death of their spouse.
Women should avoid wearing overly casual or festive clothing. Appropriate outfits for women to wear to a funeral include a skirt suit or pantsuit; a skirt of appropriate length (not a mini skirt) or pants (not jeans) and a top with sleeves, a blouse, or a sweater; flats or pumps (not sneakers).
Women can choose from conservative and polished skirts, dresses, blouses, sweaters, and dresses in dark hues. In hot or humid climates, sleeveless dresses are perfectly okay, though you may want to bring a cardigan to ensure you're dressed appropriately if you're visiting a church, temple, or synagogue.
You may be wondering about wearing new clothes to a funeral, but you aren't supposed to do this, especially shoes. Wearing black in mourning goes back to ancient Roman times. It's likely that the Victorian elite ritualized it. Wearing new shoes to a memorial, in particular, would bring great misfortune.
Pink flowers, including varieties like roses or carnations, represent love, grace, and gratitude. In the setting of a memorial service, they typically express a gentle and everlasting affection for the person who has passed.
Funeral Attire Colors
In color psychology, black often symbolizes death or mourning. Black is still a safe choice for funerals.
You Don't Have To Wear Black
However, colors like dark grey, dark blue, darker green, white, and beige can be appropriate. If you don't own any black clothing, you may always opt for a subtle hue that is appropriate for formal settings. In addition, stay away from anything with distracting patterns or prints.
While black is the unspoken rule for funerals because of the solemnity and formality of the occasion, some people oppose this for that reason specifically. They want their funeral to be less formal, less sombre or even more colourful.
A white dress shirt with dark trousers and a dark covering on your torso, such as a sweater, cardigan, or formal, plain jacket or topcoat. What colors can be worn at funerals? In most Western traditions, dark colors are best suited to the somber tone of funerary events.
In the Western world, black is the traditional color of mourning. Your suit should be a dark color, preferably black. If you don't own a black suit, a dark gray, charcoal or navy blue suit is okay as well. What's most important is choosing a muted color that doesn't distract from the occasion.
Funeral attire is typically classic in style and dark in colour. A navy, grey or black business suit couple with a white collared shirt and a subtle tie is perfect for funeral wear. Try to limit your accessories and maintain an understated style when attending a funeral.
In general, the etiquette for funeral attire is the same for both men and women: business-type attire that is respectful and conservative. Err on the side of dressing up as opposed to dressing down. Black or another dark color is almost always appropriate.
While there is no specific dress code to follow, it's always best to err on the side of caution and pick a conservative outfit. Remember, the most important thing is to make sure your outfit does not call unwanted attention to yourself and away from the service.
Brown shades, lighter grays, and other earthy colors are acceptable for most funeral services. Be sure to avoid bright colors including yellow, red, pink, orange, and white. You can wear white if it's part of an accessory or worn underneath dark colors, like a white shirt with a dark jacket.
Traditional Western Funeral Attire
Men typically dress in black suit, white shirt, and a black necktie (you may also want to view our selection of black ties). Even though the black tie is most common, other conservative colors are appropriate for ties such as maroon, and navy.
Wearing dark grey or deep blue is just as appropriate as black, while brown and lighter greys are suitable for the vast majority of funeral services. However, unless specifically requested by the deceased or their family, you should avoid any bright colors such as yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds.