Funeral clothes

Opening up a charity shop one morning found our first customer, a man in a rush on the way to a funeral. He had forgotten to put his suit jacket and black tie in the car. No suit in stock but he bought a dark blue blazer and a black tie. We were happy to be able to help.
Last week I went to the funeral of a young man who loved his football team, we were invited to wear the appropriate colours instead of black. So I did, trousers and top in those colours. Many of the young man’s friends wore football shirts, the coffin bearers had especially ordered ones with ‘Forever 25’ on the backs. However all the older women , and several younger ones, were in smart deepest black, I may have stood out a little…

I’m sorry for your loss. As others have said, funerals today don’t always require black. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. A smart outfit in muted tones like grey, navy, or other neutral shades, perhaps trousers or a skirt with a coordinating jacket, strikes the right balance between respect and practicality. It’s perfectly acceptable to avoid buying something new you’ll seldom wear. Above all, your presence and support in this difficult time matter.

Does it really matter what colour or style you wear ?
The fact that someone has turned up at the funeral is respect enough to my mind.

I've been amazed at what people wear to a funeral, anything seems to go nowadays. Jeans I've seen being worn, as some have suggested look on Vinted or a charity shop as often I don't want to wear the item again.

Go to a charity shop?

I wore black to the last funeral that I went to .but I was asked to wear a bright floral dress to the funeral of a dear friend to celebrate her love of flowers just a few months before .One of my friends had to buy a floral dress as she didn't have one in her wardrobe .
Sadly as we get older funerals occur more frequently .
I'm not fond of jackets ( they make my bottom look big )and have a black coat and wear a dress underneath .
I have a few black ones though they do have some embroidery on them .
I've stopped panicking about what to wear as I've spent lots of unnecessary money and found that other people are more casual .
Have a look on ebay .

Just buy something from Vinted. Wear it to the funeral then sell it on.

How terribly sad thisismyname.

I’m attending my nieces funeral tomorrow. Nobody has mentioned a dress code but I’m wearing a black and white summer dress which I bought recently, with a black bag and black shoes . I just hope it doesn’t rain as I can’t carry an umbrella.

My DH died during covid so there were only a dozen or so people who could come and noone was allowed to sit near eachother or hug!

It was streamed so I can watch it whenever I want to be miserable

I can't even remember what I wore for my husband's funeral, and have no idea at all what everyone else wore. It was in August, so I may have worn a lightweight black jacket with a white pattern, and black trousers. My oldest friend's husband died during Covid so it was a socially distanced funeral, and hastily arranged so I think we all just wore something easy.

sue421

I have been involved with funerals all my life. So glad it is more relaxed now. Usually you are told black, or a certain colour etc. The funeral to me is not about what I wear but my feelings about the person and finding out about their lives that I never knew. I hope mine is a colourful affair and misery.

Sorry meant no misery.

I have been involved with funerals all my life. So glad it is more relaxed now. Usually you are told black, or a certain colour etc. The funeral to me is not about what I wear but my feelings about the person and finding out about their lives that I never knew. I hope mine is a colourful affair and misery.

Sorry about your friend watermeadow.
I think you've made a good choice.

I once had a funeral and a wedding on the same day on opposite sides of Scotland. I bought a black dress with an inset of sequins on the bodice. I felt quite comfortable at both and I still wear the dress.
I also bought a dark wool coat a couple of years ago because funerals are nearly always cold. I have bright scarves to add if called for.

I'd wear a darkish coloured top/jacket but the rest of outfit could be just a bit subdued. A dress would be dark with no glaring pattern. Very few funerals are attended wearing the all black outfits nowadays. Fir my daughter's funeral I wore black trousers, a pale blue top with sparkles and a pale grey small checked jacket. For DHs it was black trousers, pale blue top and a light blue jacket. Both my sons wore mid blue suits.

Most funeral these days are a celebration of life, so you do not wear black unless requested. I like black and feel odd in colours, but if that is what your host is requesting that is what you do. Ask them for their dress code if you have not been told.

That sounds eminently suitable watermeadow. Sorry for the loss of your friend .

I wore dark grey to my father’s funeral and purple to my mother’s. I gave the eulogy on both occasions at a Catholic service.

Unless the bereaved family has specified a dress code, I think it is respectful to wear a,dark colour, not necessarily black.
At my DH's funeral, I was upset when one of our close friends turned up in the sailing clothes which he habitually wears. All the other men had seen fit to put on a suit.
Am I silly rmto feel upset?

Thanks for your suggestions.
I’m very sad and will miss my dear friend hugely. I don’t want to wear bright colours which suggest fun and laughter.
I bought smart dark blue trousers and a plain cream top, which I’ll wear again.

The two funerals I have attended most recently both requested colour - BiL asked everyone to wear a garment in their favourite colour, friend said he wanted lots of butterflies attending his funeral. But if not told otherwise I would wear a dark colour

I have a simple black drape dress that I keep for such occasions. Depending on the person I may wear a colourful scarf.

Clothes in modern fabrics don’t attract pet hairs in the same way that they used to, I know that as a long time pet owner. You could look for an outfit, or a smart jacket in a ponte type fabric?

I went to a funeral not long ago and wondered why most people were wearing blue, then realised it was for Alzheimer's. No-one had said. I've seen others coming out of the crematorium in bright yellow (for Marie Curie).

I'd try to find out from someone who's attending if there's a suggested dress code.

Why not wear smart clothes in the colour you usually wear and just add a black armband?