The family of someone who dies wears white mourning, in the hope that their loved ones are reborn again. The idea of white mourning, otherwise known as deuil blanc in French, was formed during the 16th century when white was worn by bereaved children and unmarried women.
Dressing appropriately for funerals around the world
In the West, showing respect at a funeral typically requires conservative attire in black or dark colors. However, white is the color of mourning in China, and for Sikh, Hindu, and some Muslim services.
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.
Purple: dignity, elegance (often chosen for the funeral services of grandparents) Red: courage, love, respect. Red, Dark: grief, love, sorrow. White: humility, innocence, purity, reverence, spirituality, youthfulness (often used at the funerals of children) Yellow: devotion, friendship, loyalty.
White is meant to signify purity and rebirth and is a popular colour of mourning for many East Asia countries. It also has strong connections to Europe as well. Starting in France in the 16th century, white was worn by bereaved children and unmarried women.
Carnations (all carnations signify sympathy and grief)
Pink signifies remembrance. White represents innocence and love.
The color white often evokes ideas of purity, simplicity, and cleanliness.
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.
Black is still the safest color for funeral attire, but you don't have to wear solid black. A black suit with a white shirt is acceptable or a dress that's mostly black but has a subtle color in the pattern is also fine to wear.
What is appropriate clothing for a funeral? 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.
A dark suit is most appropriate for a funeral, worn with a tie. If you don't have a black tie, a plain or muted-patterned tie in a dark colour is acceptable these days. It's tradition to wear a white shirt at a funeral, but a plain, unpatterned buttoned shirt in a muted colour is okay.
While dark clothes are traditional in many religions, white is worn to Hindu and Buddhist funerals.
In cultures where white is a common color for funerals, it is typically worn by those who are closest to the deceased. However, wearing white pants to a funeral may be considered rude if you are not a close loved one.
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.
Dark grey or dark blue suits are also appropriate colors you can either go for let's say a dark grey suit with a white shirt. This combination is slightly less formal than the black suit, but it will still convey respect and solemnity.
In the context of a funeral service, white roses symbolise purity, humility and innocence, whereas red express love and respect and pink represents gratefulness to the deceased.
Some religions and traditions have set attire for the family members, but if you are just a visitor to the funeral, colours like black, white, or muted shades are acceptable. As red is a colour of celebration in the Chinese culture, it is highly offensive to wear red at a Chinese funeral.
The wearing of black clothing has been a long-accepted funeral tradition intended to show respect for the deceased. Wearing other colors is in fact seen as a major social faux pas, or an out and out slap in the face to mourning family members, regardless of how subdued or otherwise formal the offending clothing is.
Grey, navy and brown are all formal, non-black colours. Muted floral patterns can also be a good choice for women, such as a floral dress or blouse.
Why you shouldn't wear red to a funeral. Wearing red to a funeral can be a sign of disrespect. It will give others a completely wrong impression if you wear a bright and bold colour to a funeral, as this goes against the dark, muted colours associated with sadness and mourning.
While shorts are never appropriate, for men or women, and miniskirts are frowned upon; bare legs are acceptable if your skirt or dress falls to your knee.
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.
Why is white a powerful color? White has a variety of symbolic meanings, including its associationg with purity, freshness, and sterility. Visually, it can often be used to convey a sense of simplicity or cleanliness, or can be used along with darker colors to create a sense of contrast.
Sadness. “Gray” was the most frequent color indicated for sadness, followed by “indigo” and then “black” (Figure 1).
White: White color itself is a symbol of peace and purity, humility, innocence and silence. It represents the heavenly, pious and sincere feelings.