What To Wear To a Funeral
We make cards and prints in the UK. There is nothing to sell here beyond a sympathy card, and this guide is written to be useful rather than to sell you one.
The default in the UK is still dark and plain, but families increasingly ask for something brighter, and the request is meant seriously.
Follow what the notice says. Where there's no instruction, the rules below are safe.
A sympathy card
Take the card with you, or post it the week after.
The standard dress code
- Men: dark suit or dark trousers and jacket, plain shirt, dark tie. A tie isn't compulsory any more.
- Women: dark dress, trousers or skirt, nothing short, nothing bright, flat or low heels.
- Avoid logos, bare shoulders, trainers and anything you'd wear to a party.
- Coats matter - much of a funeral happens outside, in the cold, standing still.
When the family asks for colour
- Do it. It's usually the person's own wish and the family notices who took part.
- One bright item is enough if full colour feels wrong to you.
- Football shirts, walking boots or a particular hat are common requests and entirely sincere.
- If you can't face bright, wear dark with one coloured item. Nobody will comment.
Practical points
- Burials mean grass, mud and standing outside. Choose shoes accordingly.
- Crematoria run tight schedules and can be cold; layers help.
- Children can wear school uniform or plain dark clothes - nobody expects more.
- Pockets, or a bag with tissues in it.
How to write it so it lands
- Dark and plain unless told otherwise.
- If they ask for colour, wear colour.
- Shoes for grass, coat for standing.
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Where to shop next
- Funeral etiquette in the UK
- What to do when someone dies
- Flowers, donations or neither
- Helping someone in the weeks after
- Condolence gift ideas
- Arranging a funeral: a practical guide
- What not to say when someone is grieving
- How much to give for a funeral collection
- Funeral songs
- Difficult moments guides
- All guides
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to wear black to a funeral in the UK?
Not strictly. Dark, plain clothing is the default, but navy or grey is fine, and many families now ask for bright colours instead.
Do men need to wear a tie to a funeral?
No. A dark jacket and plain shirt is acceptable at almost every UK funeral now.
What should children wear to a funeral?
School uniform or plain dark clothes. Comfort matters more than formality.