Understanding Funeral Attire
Deciding what to wear to a funeral can be a conundrum. Certainly not everyone wears black these days. You can often be led by the wishes of the bereaved family or the wishes left by the person who has died, who may stipulate brighter colours wanting to reflect their love of colour and their personality.
At traditional funerals black clothing, suits, ties, dresses, is commonly worn. The Romans wore dark togas for funerals and Queen Victoria made black attire so much the norm that many funerals are still attired in Victorian style with frock coats and top hats, even the black horses with plumes. Also there was once a belief that any spirits visiting when death is around couldn’t see you to lure you away if you wore black. Dark or muted colours are generally considered appropriate as well.
Brighter colours are no longer seen as disrespectful but you might look out of place in a sea of black. But if you wear black and everyone else is wearing bright colours you might feel just as out of kilter.
In other cultures, for example in East Asia and in Buddhist and Hindu religions, the colour of mourning might be white, symbolising purity, even red has become a colour of mourning in South Africa to symbolise the bloodshed of Apartheid. Purple is seen as a colour of spirituality and appropriate in some Catholic cultures.
At Heart and Soul Funerals, we understand that attending a funeral is a moment to show respect and honour the person who has died. If you have any questions or need advice, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to support you every step of the way.
