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What to Wear to a Funeral Or Wake

The proper funeral wake attire can range from casual to semi-formal, such as a suit and tie for men or a dress for women, in a darker color (usually, gray, dark blue or black).

If you are going to be attending a funeral or wake it is important to remember that these occasions are heart breaking and sad for the family of the deceased and for close friends as well. The focus of the day is in paying your respects not only to the person who has passed on but, to their family members as well. That is why it is important to dress properly when attending these occasions.

Black has been the traditional choice of color to wear to funerals for centuries. While it is no longer necessary to stick strictly to this tradition it is always wise to wear dark colors when attending a funeral or wake. If you don't own anything black or if black simply doesn't suit your coloring then other good choices are navy blue, charcoal gray, forest green or even dark brown. You can either choose to wear a dress, a dress pants suit, or a business style suit. If you wear any type of suit then choose a shirt that is white, or a lighter shade of the suit color however, make sure that you avoid any bright colors.

Wearing bright colors to a funeral is seen as disrespectful where that bright color is in an outfit or an accessory such as a scarf. Most people in morning simply do not want to see cheerful colors when they laying a loved one to rest.
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You are also going to want to avoid wearing anything that is too low cut or too dressy looking. Avoid ruffles and other additions that will make your outfit look more like party wear than serious business.

Women should wear dress shoes with closed toes. The choice of shoes may be flats, pumps, or heels but, spike heels and fancy dress shoes are not advised and neither are sandals or tennis shoes.

Keep your jewelry simple and your make up to a minimum. You want to look well put together but, you don't want to attract attention. This is one occasion when you really do want to stand out from the crowd.

Men should wear a dark business suit or a dark pair of pants and blazer that is sedate. Teaming a pair of charcoal gray pants with a navy or black blazer is perfectly acceptable. Make sure your dress shoes are in good condition and have been polished recently. A tie is a must.

If you keep everything simple you will be fine. Just keep in mind that today all your focus should be on the bereaved and what you can do to comfort them and if that means foregoing your usually bright cheerful clothing that's okay. There will be other occasions where you can wear that red dress, or bright green skirt.

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