Stylist Advice- What to wear to a funeral

As much as we like to ignore it, death is a part of life and deciding what to wear to a funeral can be perplexing.

Q:

I’m attending a funeral and have decided to wear a 3/4 sleeve navy blue bodycon dress that reaches me just at the knees. I  would like to pair it with a cardigan and belt but have no idea what color to choose. Please help me chose what to wear to a funeral. Thank you. (C.B. via Fashion Advice)

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A:

 I can’t tell yow how often I get asked about what to wear to a funeral, even from friends and family when we are sadly attending one. Besides the obvious feelings of loss, the proper fashion choices can be  difficult, particularly if you were not that close to the deceased, and you are concerned about your appearance.

The thing is, the funeral is not about you.

What it is about is showing respect for the dead and compassion for the bereaved. It’s find to want to look attractive but not to wear something that attracts attention.

What usually happens is that you suddenly realize that you don’t own anything that you feel is conservative enough and start to scramble to find something appropriate in your closet.  I go by the rule that if it is something that is appropriate to wear  in a court of law, it should be conservative enough to wear at a funeral.

Conservative does not mean dowdy.

It means tailored, business-like, fuss-free, and not revealing.

However, I’m not quite sure how you define a bodycon dress. But if it is clingy and suggestive, I would think again. If your dress is a merely a figure grazing, not hugging, knit dress, you’re ok. Layering a belted cardigan over it is a smart choice to tone it down. You want to appear somber, not sexy. As far as shoe color, a nude or black shoe that compliments your belt is fine.

In general, as a guest to a funeral you should wear something that is on the more conservative, modest side. A dark, muted, or neutral color, but not necessarily black or navy. White or cream can be worn as an accent color.  A pants suit or a dress is fine. If you have a collection of little black dresses, one of them will surely work. Just keep it simple.

As a family member, you wear what you feel is right from your heart. Waterproof mascara is essential.

We pulled a variety of silhouettes of out fits that you may have in your closet for you to reference…

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Photo:istock

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