Inside: 7 ideas of what to wear to a funeral visitation.
Funerals are tough. There’s no denying. Whether you know the person that’s passed well or not, the last thing that any of us would like to be doing is attending a funeral visitation for anyone that may be in our circle at all.
When facing devastating times like these, the last thing that you want to be doing is paying too much attention to trivial things like an outfit and what you should wear.
There are some pretty simple and basic rules when it comes to funeral attire and what you’re supposed to wear to celebrate the life of someone you knew, but there’s also the idea that this is changing over time. And if you don’t have the right piece that’s perfect for a funeral visitation, what should you look for in your closet to improvise?
We will discuss styles, colors, and what to avoid here in this post, and we’re going to make it happen.
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What To Wear To A Funeral Visitation
A funeral visitation is something that’s relatively pretty simple to dress for. There are typical kinds of outfits we may or may not have in our wardrobe, but regardless of if you own it already or not, you generally know what it looks like.
If you’re setting out to shop for it instead of pulling something out of your closet, you might be overwhelmed with all of the different pieces that you could choose to make this outfit the right and appropriate one for this specific visitation.
We are going to cover the different colors as options here soon, so we will leave the black, navy, or bright colors question out of it for now. We’re going to be referring to the different styles and pieces that are the right move for a funeral visitation.
Generally speaking, events like these are more on the conservative side. Weddings tend to fall under this same category, at least if it is a family wedding or for a couple that you know it’s too crazy with their outfits and styles, but there’s also an element of fun and celebration that comes with a wedding that leaves a little wiggle room to leave over-conservative styles in the closet.
Funerals do not have the same “fun” clause, and while you’re celebrating someone’s life, you’re still mourning with their family, and creating a place of support to the mourning family members. It’s a respect and honor type of thing. So for this purpose I recommend staying on the conservative and respectful side of the spectrum.
This means looser fits, longer silhouettes, and higher necklines.
While this sounds so dull and boring, you don’t have to combine them all into one and wear a baggy turtleneck midi dress. But simply choosing the black dress that happens to be a little longer than the other, or doesn’t have as deep of a V neckline is the key.
You don’t have to completely cover up but just knowing where the boundaries are with these styles and choosing one over the other feels a little more appropriate.
And there’s no need to draw the line at dresses! You can wear dress pants or a skirt with a matching blouse. Anything dressy, tasteful, and respectful is the perfect outfit for the occasion.
What Not To Wear For A Funeral Visitation
In high school, watching TV shows like Pretty Little Liars that featured the four main characters in high school attending funerals and wearing the funkiest pieces always made me do a double take. While it’s a cute thought to add as much personality and personal style to your outfit for such an event, anything flashy and attention grabbing isn’t exactly the way to go.
Avoid flashy and loud pieces, whether that’s your actual dress or outfit, your jacket you paired over it, or the jewelry that you wore with it, there’s a line of taste that shouldn’t necessarily be crossed when it comes to how to dress up and accessorize your outfit for a funeral visitation.
We’ve already talked about the modesty aspect of the event, so just to add to the avoid list: too short, too low cut, and too fitted. While it might be an antiquated and dated concept, the goal is to be lowkey, non attention grabbing, and respectful, and this is the traditional style connected to this. In such a moment like a funeral visitation, it’s all about honoring and respecting the mourning family. Avoiding these styles is a sure way to do so.
Other than those few and simple rules, there isn’t much you need to worry about avoiding when it comes to what to wear to a funeral visitation. Let’s talk about colors!
Funeral And Visitation Colors
Okay so funeral colors are a no brainer. All black or similar colors like navy, right? Maybe.
While you will never be wrong to wear an all black ensemble to a funeral visitation, there are definitely some times that you could reconsider the validity of wearing all black.
More and more often I hear people say that they don’t want to wear all black and come across as “morbid” at a funeral these days. They’re almost nervous to pull that classic black dress out that would typically be perfect for the occasion.
I have also been to funerals and “celebrations of life” where it is requested that the guests don’t wear black! If that’s the case, I would still stick to the same style of conservative and dressy, just in a color that works with the requests of the hosts and family.
If the colors and the request of no black is not specified, then I always say that you should opt for safe and respectful and choose the black look. I usually never vote to play it safe but in this instance, I never want to be the one that stands out in this scenario.
At the end of the day, your being there for the family and friends (unless you are the family or friend) of the departed is all that matters. Pick something that feels appropriate and roll with it– there are bigger things to worry about today.
What To Wear To A Funeral Visitation
1. Square Neck Dress
2. Dress Pants
3. Black Jumpsuit
4. Tee And Flares
Funeral And Visitation Outfits
5. Long Sleeve Sweater Dress
6. Ribbed Midi Dress
7. Chic Pants And Top
Before we conclude, I would just like to mention my condolences to you for your loss. While you’re sitting here reading a blog post about what you should and shouldn’t wear, you’re facing some really tough challenges and terrible losses.
It may feel trivial, but it’s a part of honoring those that have passed and respecting the family and friends of theirs, by dressing the part respectfully and with honor.
Funerals will never be easy, and finding the right outfit for something like this is never going to have the perfect answer, but you can find the tips and tricks you need in here to navigate the outfit process for such a sad time. A good outfit always makes me feel a little comforted even if just for a little while.
While you’re here, if you’re looking for a quick packing list while planning a getaway after all of the craziness lately, here are 53 easy travel outfits for a summer vacation.