This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I will make a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting My Side of 50 blog and newsletter by purchasing through my links.
I entitled this post “What to Wear to a Funeral 2022” because the first time I wrote about what to wear to a funeral was in 2017.
For that post, I teamed up with my friend Jodie from Jodie’s Touch of Style. Her blog features women of different ages from the 50’s (Jodie) to the 80’s (her mom Charlotte) showing their take on different themes. So you’ll want to see her post on showing their style inspiration.
Styles haven’t changed THAT much since 2017. What has changed is the number of funerals I attend every year.
I bought this dress at Talbots last spring, for no other reason that I didn’t have a dress that fit and wanted one in my closet for whatever occasion called for it.
I remember thinking, “This would be a good dress to have for funerals”, but never gave it another thought.
Little did I know that between Mother’s Day and the first of August, I would know 4 women who lost their husbands. Two were good friends. Two were women I used to work with. All but one was a sudden, unexpected death. So… that dress was worn A LOT.
Dress (similar) | Sandals
As a society, we’ve become much more casual in our attire. Even at church. I go to a large suburban church north of Houston and although people look nice and neat, if a man came in one Sunday in a suit, you would definitely know he was a visitor!
What hasn’t changed too much is the level of formality people observe when dressing for a funeral. People still seem to “dress for them”.
This is the same dress from Talbots, but I added this blazer that I bought at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale to it.
Dress | Jacket | Shoes (similar)
This casual black dress from Chicos is another good option. It’s casual but with jewelry, a blazer or cardigan, you can get a more formal look.
I paired it with red flats.
I serve on the special events committee at my church, which includes funerals. So when there is a funeral at church, I am on my feet for a few hours setting up the church and reception area and then tearing down after.
And if you are attending a graveside service, flats are great. I have never attended a graveside service where my heels didn’t sink into the grass!
Dress (similar) | Shoes
For this look, I wore black pants topped with a royal blue blazer. Because you aren’t limited to black for a funeral. You just want to dress in a way that is appropriate for the occasion.
Blazer (similar) | Tee (similar) | Pants (similar) | Booties (similar)
Do people still dress more formally for funerals where you live? Let me know in the comments.
Then head over to Jodie’s post and see how Jodie, Charlotte and Lesley’s funeral attire.