When selecting a shoe for the funeral, it's best to go with one that matches your suit or dress clothes. For example, if you have a light grey suit or brown slacks, it would be best to pair them with brown shoes. However, if you have a black or dark blue suit, black shoes would be more appropriate.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
In regard to funeral attire for men, make sure you match your shoes to your suit color. Brown shoes go best with a blue, brown or light grey suit. Black shoes match with a black suit, dark blue or dark grey suit. Women should also make sure that they prioritize comfort over fashion.
Flat shoes or pumps are your best choice for shoes. Open-toed shoes or sandals may be appropriate depending on the venue and climate. Depending on the culture, a hat may be worn. Unless there are special circumstances, jeans are usually considered too casual.
For the shoe color, avoid those shades which are too bright for your good. Colors like neon pink or bright yellow should be off your funeral fashion list. Instead, opt for neutral shoe colors. Black, brown, grey, and white are great options.
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.
When picking attire, darker colours are equally acceptable as black at funerals for men and women. Dark suits, lighter shirts and darker ties are best. Usually men who are immediate family will wear dark suits, white shirts and black ties. Ladies may wear black dresses or dark coloured apparel.
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.
The most popular choice is black, as this signifies the mourning period. In a similar vein to what to wear to a job interview, opting for smarter pieces such as your best shirt dress or a great blazer and tailored trousers offers a mark of respect to the occasion too. However, that's not to say that color is forbidden.
If you're having trouble selecting shoes (or any type of funeral attire) it's a good idea to think about what you'd wear if you were attending a job interview. As a general rule, the types of footwear that would be acceptable at a formal job interview is usually considered appropriate for a funeral.
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.
Most common funeral etiquette practices for women to wear include a dark or black skirt suit or pantsuit; a skirt of appropriate length or pants and a top with sleeves, a blouse, or a sweater; flats or pumps. In some cultures, and religions women wear hats to 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.
Like your outfit choice, you want to stick with black, greys, browns, and navy. You could also wear shoes in another deep colour—like maroon—or a light neutral colour—like beige.
Nobody will consider it disrespectful if you turn up in a subdued colour that isn't black. That's especially true if you were close to the deceased, as people will understand the tough time you're going through. In terms of alternatives, a deep navy blue or dark grey is equally appropriate.
When attending a funeral, it is important to dress in a way that shows respect for the deceased and their family. However, you don't necessarily have to wear black. If you're not sure what color to wear, consider a dark shade of blue or green. These colors are often seen as more respectful and dignified than black.
A black suit and brown shoes can be the perfect outfit for semi-formal events. Black pants and a dress shirt can be worn to the office for less formal meetings, daytime outings, and casual dinner parties or events. It can also be worn if you are going for a business formal look.
A nice shirt and skirt in dark colors. Shirts that aren't low-cut and that also have some sort of sleeve are usually considered appropriate for funerals.
Your primary concern should be ensuring that your footwear is as non-descript as possible. No matter what kind of funeral you are attending, your socks should always be extremely dark and plain. Black socks are the most correct, but you can also wear dark gray or dark navy if necessary.
The general rule for clothing at funerals is to be respectful to the family's wishes. If the family have requested bright colours or a particular theme, this is fine. but in most cases it's best to avoid: ripped jeans.
Again, either the funeral director or embalmer typically performs the cosmetic procedures necessary for the presentation of a body. Depending on the cause of death and whether an autopsy has been performed, you may need to shape or reconstruct parts of the deceased's body.
Fascinators & Hats for Funerals
A black funeral hat or black hair fascinator is a popular accessory to wear at funerals, but how we dress for a funeral is often dictated by the wishes of the deceased so it is always best to check first.
Funeral directors and embalmers are skilled in the best ways to dress a body for a funeral or burial. They know how to handle the body with respect and care.
When bright colors are encouraged. Although funerals are generally held to mourn someone who has passed away, if the service is a celebration of life instead, then bright colors aren't just acceptable, but the dress code. With these services, it's not about wearing black, formal attire and being somber.
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.
The most common answer is that jeans aren't considered appropriate funeral etiquette unless requested by the family. However, dark, unembellished jeans paired with a shirt, tie, and blazer for men or a blouse and a blazer for women can be appropriate for a casual service.