I wear a lot of black anyway, but I do keep in the back of my mind what I have on hand that fits and is appropriate to wear to a funeral if necessary without having to go shopping on short notice. Especially if it is someone close, you don’t need the added stress of having nothing suitable to wear. My mom is 93 and MIL is 86. You never know. I know if something happened to my Mom, I’d have enough on my plate without having to worry about clothes. Kind of like knowing where all the documents and things are, and having financial things in order.

I don't usually wear dresses. When my MIL was in the hospital in this summer I was worried that I might need a funeral dress so I did some frantic shopping. For most funerals I wouldn't have a problem wearing nice black slacks but DH's family is pretty formal.

I have two young adult daughters. One has a professional job and I know she would have appropriate clothes. The other one spends all her time on boats so I do worry that she might not have anything to wear if we have a quick funeral.

I try to make sure we have something that would be appropriate. We have some relatives in poor health and I don’t want to be scrambling for flights and clothes for the family all at such a difficult time.

Dh is always fine because his job requires conservative suits sometimes.

I have a couple of dresses that would work as long as it isn’t too cold. I do also have a black pants suit.

The kids are harder because they wear very casual clothes all the time (we go to the early, casual church service) and they are still growing so they need something new every 6 months to a year. We just bought 15 year old ds a new pair of dark trousers that he could wear with a black polo. Dd has a black T-shirt dress that she could wear with dark leggings—a little causal but I think okay for an 8 year old. Neither of them has dress shoes that fit though. I guess we’d make a quick trip to Payless if we could and they’d just wear black tennis shoes if we couldn’t.

It seems people don’t wear all black they way they used to. I see a lot of muted colors, purples, grays, blues, as long as they’re not brights. And more casual, too, unless the family is accustomed to being more formal or it’s a big event with a lot of people outside the immediate family expected.

I realized what you are now realizing a few years ago. I went down a size this past year so I had to start replenishing my staples. I also wanted to have a few options ready for the inevitable wake or funeral.

I agree that unless you are a close relative, you don't have to wear black. But, I find most people do and you can't go wrong with black slacks/skirt and a black top.

I just got my college son to buy a suit for just such an occasion. His grandparents are all in their 90s, so I expect he will wear it before he outgrows it. And of course, hopefully, for a job interview. Do they even wear suits for job interviews anymore?

I bought a black poly dress twenty years ago for an anticipated funeral and still have it - a shirtdress style with collar and 3/4 sleeves, formless enough to allow for weight changes. It has seen several funerals. It packs beautifully, never wrinkles and has pockets. I also have a pair of black pumps that are comfortable for standing for an hour or two, and pantyhose to complete the outfit.

Depends on you ideas of what is proper. Some religious folks see a funeral as a "homecoming" celebration. At my cousin's recent funeral, her grandson wore a pink flamingo adorned jacket since it was one of her favorites. At another recent one I went to, everyone was asked to wear the school colors of the deceased favorite team of which he was a huge athletic supporter. For most funerals, I wear something somber. Since black is a good neutral for me, I have a lot of black jackets and sweaters I can mix with other things. If I always wore light bright colors I might invest in some somber colored things for funerals, but since I tend to wear somber colors anyway, it hasn't been an issue for me. I have more trouble on the opposite end, what to wear to a fun summer event!

I wore a black pants suit to officiate my grandmother's funeral, and a taupe dress when I officiated my stepfather's. My mom wore black pants and a black long sweater to my stepfather's funeral. Many people wear regular church clothes now. Funerals aren't always for mourning, they are often a celebration of the life.

Funeral decorum is so subjective, depending on a variety of factors. I don't have "funeral clothes", but I have a number of outfits that would be fine to wear. Black isn't necessarily a requirement, even for family members. While I'm still old enough to appreciate when folks make an effort with their appearance at such functions, I'm modern enough to also appreciate it when people just come, no matter what they have or don't have to wear. I was just going to say that I wouldn't care to see tank tops and cut-offs at a funeral, but for a good number of funerals, that sort of attire would be perfectly fine. At a funeral for a distant relative, the requested attire was Hawaiian shirts / "Jimmy Buffett fan" attire, and the special music was a doo-wop group.

I always keep at least one outfit that I consider proper for a funeral.

I bought a navy blue dress at Talbots last year for my BIL's memorial service. That is what I would wear to most funerals.

I always have a dark dress or pants suit for such occasions.

OHHH......I thought you meant clothes for your OWN funeral put back for just in case. Don't people do that too??

Oh ladypat! I'm so sorry now that I wasn't clear! That totally never occurred to me--but now I see (in re-reading my post) that what you thought would make more sense...

Yikes! Never heard of having your own funeral outfit picked out...

From reading this thread, I clearly need to get some better clothes in general...

I had that thought as well as I was reading it - picking out your own clothes for your own funeral. I thought I had no response on that one as I plan to be cremated. Then as I read on I decided that wasn't what you were asking after all.

I always have a black suit or a black jacket on hand for all somber occasions.

Another who has a good bit of black and gray in her wardrobe. As I was editing a lot of work clothing last year after retirement, I made sure to keep a few things appropriate for certain occasions, one of which was a funeral.

no..

it's pretty casual too. in most cases. I usually find something..

also if you're a close family..in our tradition, they rip your clothes.. a bit

you'll never wear it after

here, they put a black band on the clothes and cut it, as I've recently learned. Symbolically only. Maybe depends on a community..

also here there are coffins..so whoever is buried he has clothes on

where I want to be buried there are no coffins. I don't think there are clothes involved either..they wrap you..I mean, me..or whoever..in this white cloth..and you just go in the ground, like that

I must say that I, being a bit like Tom Sawyer, did think of what I'd rather wear..if things don't go as planned..

I have several black suits and one knee-length jacket that I wear with pants that are appropriate for funerals. Of course, I also tend to wear one to back-to-school-night. Hmmm...wonder what the message there is?

At a neighbor's funeral, there were three of us wearing pearls with our black suits. We had to laugh-seems it is something we all grew up with.

I think there’s casual and then there’s casual. My everyday clothing is jeans and a T-shirt. My ds’ everyday clothing is basketball shorts and a dry fit t-shirt. That’s just too casual for most funerals in my opinion. I know my mother would be horrified at the thought of me showing up for her funeral in jeans and a T-shirt. If your idea of casual is wool trousers and a silk blouse, you are probably set. Or if you work outside the home in most office settings, you are probably set. Me, not so much. At least not without some prior planning.

When my SIL passed away earlier this year, I wore my black pantsuit. Most people wore black or other clothes that would be appropriate for church if not black. So, as long as you go by that, you are probably OK. I recently found a couple of black dresses on clearance, both with long sleeves.

I have a couple of black dresses that would work as well as a black jacket, dk gray slacks and such. But the last funeral I went to, there were some in shorts, I think only a couple of the old guys (including DH) who wore ties and everyone else wore what they wore. Some were in black jeans. So while I have some things that would work, what people wear these days is 'anything goes.'