Written by Tanya Zhang

Funerals are an important time of mourning for the family of the deceased, and the family takes the time to hold a service to remember their lost family member where they invite their closest friends and other family members. 

In order to attend these events, you will need to know some important information about attending a funeral or memorial service and what you should and should not wear in order to offer the proper level of respect to the family members and the deceased. 

By learning the information given here, planning your funeral attire for men will be much less stressful.

 

What to Wear to Funeral for Men

In addition to figuring out the appropriate traditional funeral attire, you will also need to know about proper funeral etiquette. Funerals are events in which you will provide an immense amount of support and sympathy to the families that are affected by the loss of their loved ones.

Dressing in all black has a long time tradition dating back to the Roman Empire. "The ancient Romans would wear a dark toga, known as a toga pulla, to mourn the loss of a loved one," states Wonderopolis. 

 

Type of Funeral Service

The first basic step would be to figure out which kind of service you will be attending since different services require different types of traditional funeral attire. Either way, you will be dressing appropriately and respectfully. 

You would normally wear dark or neutral-colored clothes to a traditional funeral, but to a memorial service or a celebration of life, you would normally wear a black shirt or white dress shirt, dress pants, a decent tie, appropriate shoes, and dress socks.

Always make sure your shoes, accessories, and funeral clothes for men are clean and ready to wear and that you put a bit of time and effort into your appearance. Here's a guide on how to wear brown shoes with black suit. 

In some cases, however, the family of the deceased will provide their guests with specific instructions on what to wear to the service, which may require a change in wardrobe from the standard black, white, or neutral colors. 

 

Respect Cultural Differences

You should also be mindful and respectful of cultural differences and traditions when you are searching for attire. If the family and the deceased are part of a different culture than you, it will be imperative to do research about their culture, their customs regarding services, what attire should be worn, and what attire should be avoided completely. Traditional western funerals can have different attire expectation than eastern funerals.

Some colors hold great significance or offense depending on what culture the family is a part of, so it is important to avoid colors that represent something offensive to their funeral services. 

 

Offer Your Sympathy

Aside from attire, make sure that you can always go to the funerals of the friends or family members whom you are closest to. In a time of loss and grief, it is important to give them your unwavering love and support and assure them that you will always be around when they need you. Showing this level of support in a time of need will make a tremendous impact on them.

Offer your condolences and reassure them about how much you cared about their loved one if they were a prominent figure in your life.

In case you are unable to attend a service for any reason, take the time to send letters of sincere condolence to the family members who were affected by their loss. It is best that you send those letters with your own writing rather than through an email or social media. That is one special way to ensure the family members of your sincerity. 

Offer Flowers or Other Gifts

Flowers are some of the most common gifts that you can give to the grieving family you are offering your condolences to. For Western funerals, you can never really go wrong with flowers as long as you are careful of allergies and you know what flowers the deceased favored. 

In other cultures, however, some flowers and colors hold really strong cultural significance, and they may represent something you are unaware of. If you are attending a funeral for someone outside of your culture, you may have to do a bit of research to see what kind of flowers are acceptable to give to the family in order to avoid offending them by sending the wrong message accidentally.

 

Funeral Attire for Men | How to Dress For a Funeral

Traditional Black Suit

One of the most traditional Western forms of funeral attire is the black suit (not tuxedo) combined with a black shirt or white collared shirt, a slim black tie, black dress pants, and some clean black dress shoes. Men should have at least one traditional black suit outfit in their closets since they are suitable for any occasion.  

This attire is also appropriate for any age, so you can have a formal suit for your child to wear to a funeral service as well. Avoid casual shirts like a polo shirt or t-shirt unless the deceased's family calls for casual funeral attire.

 

Alternatives to Black Suits for Men's Funeral Clothes

Gray, navy blue, charcoal gray, or any other neutral colored suits are also a acceptable funeral outfit if you would prefer to wear any other color over black funeral clothes for men. These are all colors of suits we recommend having. 

As long as the colors are muted and the rest of the funeral outfit matches the full suit, it should be considered as proper attire. Muted colors fit the tone of the service just as well as a black suit would.

 

All-Black Attire for Funeral Outfit for Men

An all-black funeral outfit combination is stylish, conservative, and appropriate for the tone of a funeral service. This outfit normally involves a black button-up shirt, black socks, and clean black dress shoes, along with the optional choices of a black suit jacket and tie. A black tie optional dress code can be more lax and may not require a tie or a black suit jacket.

We like to stay away from wearing a polo shirt unless the rest of your funeral outfit is dressed up because a polo shirt can come off as very casual. Adding an accessory to the outfit combination, such as a watch, will add an extra level of style to the whole outfit.

 

Colors to Wear for Funeral Attire for Men

Any kind of funeral attire that involves muted colors can be classy in their own way as long as they maintain the appropriate amount of modesty. Black may be the traditional color for Western funeral services, but you can add a bit of variety into your attire even with more muted colors. 

Black, deep and dark colors of green, charcoal gray, or navy blue offers classiness and elegance while remaining conservative. This should be true of your tie too - black is the best color tie for a funeral - whether it is casual or not. Appropriate tie for a funeral can vary if you wear black - dark gray, charcoal, even a forest green can be okay if it is casual (or in the summer). Also consider proper tie length.

Here's how to wear brown shoes with grey pants or a blue suit. 

 

Nontraditional Funeral Attire

Nontraditional funeral attire may not appear to be as formal as most other types of funeral wear, but they still maintain the tone and elegance that you would have with a traditional full suit. These funerals might have a more casual funeral attire with may allow you to wear jeans - but always check to the host to make sure.

A black cashmere sweater and dark slacks or trousers usually fit the standards of nontraditional attire. Accessorize with a watch or a funeral appropriate type of hat to complete the outfit. Learn more about hat sizes.

 

Funeral Clothes for Men for Warm Weather

Spring and summer funerals normal equate to outdoor funerals, and it can become difficult to keep yourself from being affected by excessive heat. Darker colors will work wonders in regards to hiding sweat stains, and you can opt-out of wearing a jacket to avoid overheating. Simply wear a color appropriate long sleeve dress shirt with matching dress pants and a tie.

 

Men's Funeral Attire for Cold Weather

Since you will be dealing with colder temperatures in the fall and winter, it may be advised to wear black in a few extra layers and accessorize appropriately in order to stay warm in the freezing cold. A black turtleneck with black slacks and a black jacket will be optimal. You can also choose to wear gloves and scarves as long as they match the outfit, and you can also wear boots as long as they are not too flashy.

 

Memorial or Celebration of Life Attire

Memorial or celebration of life services usually happens weeks or months after the original funeral in order to remember the person who passed away, how much they were loved, and how much of an impact they made on the lives of other people. These services are less formal than a traditional funeral service, so it is acceptable to just wear a button-down shirt, gray jacket, and dark dress pants. You may also wish to consult our article on what to wear to a wake and what to wear to a celebration of life.

Make sure your attire maintains the same level of modesty and classiness that you would have at a funeral.

 

Men's Funeral Attire with Dress Codes

Some traditional funeral services will require certain dress codes, whether it be matching outfits or non-traditional color schemes. It is important to find out whether or not the family of the deceased has set up their own dress code for the service before attending so that you can put your funeral attire together in time. 

Make sure to respect the family’s wishes and match the dress code accordingly, even if you may have to go out and buy a new outfit.

 

What Accessories to Wear to a Funeral

When you are choosing accessories to go with your funeral attire, take the weather and the appearance of the accessories into account. If it is warm outside, you may consider bringing a pair of sunglasses with you to protect your eyes from the sun.

If it is cold, you will want to wear gloves, scarves, or a nice overcoat to keep you warm. If rain is in the weather forecast, bring a black umbrella with you to keep yourself dry.

Watches are also a good accessory and can also help you keep track of time in the middle of the service. Hats may not always be needed, but a black or gray fedora would complement your outfit if you choose to wear one.

If you want to place a pocket square into your dark suit as an accessory, be sure to avoid bright and flashy colors and learn how to fold a pocket square conservatively, unless otherwise specified.

Belts are one of the most common accessories to wear with funeral attire. They will add to the elegant or classy look of the rest of your attire as long as they are not too flashy or stand out too much. A simple formal dress belt will work just fine with funeral attire. Here are guides on how to find the right belt size for men and different types of belts.

As far as shoes go, always wear dress shoes or loafers. Footwear is just as big of a focal point to your funeral attire as the rest of your outfit is. Furthermore, the socks you wear should match the color of the outfit you are wearing in order to maintain the overall coordination of your outfit.

The general rule of choosing funeral attire is to avoid anything that is too flashy. The only exception would be if the deceased's family specifically requests a certain color scheme either in your funeral clothes or your accessories.

 

Funeral Attire for Men: What to Avoid

Avoid Wearing Jeans and Casual Attire

Clothes such as jeans, normal t-shirts, shorts, chino pants or khakis should be left in the closet or inside of your vehicle to change somewhere else once the service has ended. Avoid embellished pants, graphic tees, tank tops, polo shirts, and cargo shorts as well. You may think that casual clothes can be completed with a good blazer or a nice button-down shirt, but casual clothes like jeans will never have a place to belong during a funeral service.

Along with clothing, casual accessories should also be avoided at all costs. Baseball caps (or dad hats) and beanies should not be worn to a funeral service at all, along with most other types of hats. If it is too cold, however, some families may allow their guests to wear a beanie but they should be removed if they are holding an inside funeral. Try one of these naturally warm beanies for men.

No type of casual attire will ever be appropriate for funerals. They also would not even be appropriate to wear to memorials or a celebration of life. They will be a distraction to the other guests and would not make a good impression upon the deceased's family.

 

Avoid Wearing Bright Colors

Colorful blazers, polo shirts, ties, or other forms of clothing set the correct mood for a wedding, but they most definitely do not do the same for a funeral service. You should typically avoid bright colours and noisy clothing when selecting a funeral outfit for men. One exception to this rule is that the family may sometimes request their guests to wear a certain significant color somewhere on their person in order to honor the deceased. Otherwise, stick to darker, more muted color schemes for your outfit.

 

Avoid Flip Flops, Boots, Sneakers

Flip flops, boots, sneakers, and any form of open-toed shoes should never be worn to a funeral. Flip flops and sneakers are too casual and most boots are too flashy. An exception for boots might be made for winter funerals since they normally help you keep your feet warm (as long as they are not too flashy or distracting), but there are absolutely no exceptions for flip flops or sneakers.

 

Avoid Colorful Jackets or Blazers

Blazers and dress jackets are some of the most prominent pieces of funeral attire, but you should always keep the color toned down to more muted colors. 

Additionally, if the jacket or blazer has any strange designs on them, do not wear them to a funeral at all. You may wear them for any other special occasion that calls for flashy colors, but not for somber occasions like funerals.

 

Avoid Flashy Accessories

Flashy accessories such as wristbands or brightly colored wristwatches should also be avoided. Keep the accessories to a minimum and keep them as simple as possible so that they do not become too much of a distraction. 

Metal bracelets that are meant to be worn in multitudes could make a lot of noise, which could cause frequent disruptions during the funeral service. A nice wristwatch should suffice to complete the overall elegance of your funeral attire.

 

Conclusion

Understanding what kinds of attire to wear for a funeral attire will also help you understand the importance of making a good first impression. The family will appreciate that you went to the service to honor their loved one and that you dressed appropriately for somber occasions. As long as you stick to muted colors and elegant or classy funeral attire, in addition to toned-down accessories, you should be fully prepared to dress properly for a funeral.

 

Frequently asked questions about men's funeral attire

• What should a man wear to a funeral?
• Men can wear dark or neutral colored clothing to a traditional funeral or memorial service. A white dress shirt or formal shirt is appropriate as well. Men can also accessorize with a simple tie and dress socks with a belt to match.
  
  
• What do you wear to a funeral in 2023?
• Depending on the dress code, funeral attire for men can range from khakis to dark colored dress pants with an accompanying collared shirt. Make sure to inquire about the funeral dress code to be respectful of different cultures and traditions when selecting colors and clothing.
  
  
• What do men wear to a modern funeral?
• Men can wear a black or dark colored suit and tie to a more modern funeral. Wear a collared shirt or bottom down shirt and wear dark dress pants with as a safe choice.
  
  
• What color shirt should a man wear to a funeral?
• White is a safe and choice for formal occasions when it comes to colored shirts for a funeral service. Black or neutral colors are also good options for men’s shirts