Shopping for funeral attire can be a stressful and emotional business. In the back of your mind you may find yourself doubting whether your chosen suit is appropriate or respectful enough.
One very key piece of advice before heading out to the shops is to pay close attention to the invitation. While the absence of any mention of dress code will more often than not mean that dark suits are the order of the day, sometimes it is the express wish of the deceased or their close family that you should wear bright colours to celebrate life, rather than commiserate death. This article will look at both sets of circumstances when it comes to men’s funeral suits, although being more common more time will be given to classic, dark options.
Any colour, as long as it’s black
The classic funeral attire being all black, it would be remiss not to spend a decent portion of time on some of the best options for black men’s funeral suits. Some of the best options come in the form of Brook Taverner Suits, notably the Black Aldwych Three Piece Washable Suit Jacket, which is incredibly smart without breaking the bank – an important consideration for most, considering the infrequent use it might (hopefully) get. This can be paired with a good pair of black suit trousers. A traditional black funeral suit must be complemented with the right accessories. In traditional funerals men’s accessories should come in the form of whites, greys and chrome. A conservative white shirt is expected, but can be substituted by grey or black. In terms of footwear, black Oxfords will be your safest bet. Make sure they are well polished and in a good state of repair. In terms of ties, black or grey will be best and a grey belt is essential if you are wearing one. Keep any other accessories like cufflinks in chrome or silver to complete this formal, traditional look.
The in-betweener
When black is not essential, but a respectful, sombre tone is desired, a nice charcoal or dark navy suit can be worn. The charcoal Zeus men’s funeral suit from Brook Taverner is excellent. This choice allows for a bit of diversity in shirts and accessories, keeping a traditional colour palette, but allowing for navy blues, for instance.
The happy wake
The funeral that comes with the instruction – “wear happy colours”, or “please do not wear black” is often the trickiest one to dress for. You should not mistake this for carte blanche to go mad with your attire, but neither should you play it too safe and strike too sombre a chord. Instead, perhaps go for a lighter coloured suit, or a nice, bright, crisp quality shirt and a sports jacket. It is easier here to highlight some things you should definitely avoid. At all costs, bold patterns should be avoided, unless there is some sort of Hawaiian theme, which is more than unlikely. Think happy colours, elegant style and you will not go far wrong at all.