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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.
These all look like great options. The black pants, royal blue blazer, and leopard shoes outfit is a formula I could easily put together from my closet.
So glad you liked the options, Sally! That royal blue blazer is a new item for me this season and I love it. That outfit has some color but is still appropriate.
I think it is inevitable that at my age (early 60s) attending funerals is going to happen more frequently than in earlier years. You really can’t go wrong with a lovely, understated dress or, as you’ve shown, dressier pants and a jacket. I think it shows respect for the deceased and their family to dress is a more formal style.
I learned from you that it’s best to have options in your closet so you don’t have to go out and shop when it happens.
We tend to take any opportunity to dress up because I consider it a sign of respect for those around us (and ourselves). So while others may be in jeans, we tend to dress up more.
Thanks for joining in with this. I always think it’s a great concept to think about.
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
We have a funeral to go to this weekend and I’m eyeing my knit dress and boots and hoping I find time to buy some tights to keep my legs warm. You have lots of great outfit inspiration here.