Are you attending a funeral or burial? The below guide can help you figure out what to wear.

The most important thing to do: Read the obituary.

The details about the service will tell you what kind of attire is appropriate for each type of service. If the family wants everyone to wear something specific, they will usually write that directly in the obituary. It will also provide details of when and where the service will be taking place.

Types of services and their attire:

Celebration of Life - A celebration of life, is exactly that, a celebration. Wearing colour is perfectly appropriate, especially if the person who passed was a vibrant person. Perhaps they had a colour they loved, wearing something in that colour is a nice touch that the family might appreciate. These types of services tend to be more casual, but jeans are something to stay away from.

Church service - Churches have a more conservative element. Typically wearing darker colours and staying in business formal attire is fitting. A minister once said “by all means, wear your jeans to church.  But they better be the best pair of pants you own.”

Funeral - If the service is taking place in a funeral home, like Beechwood, wearing a mixture of business casual or business formal would be appropriate. If the family does not request something specific in terms of colour, then the choice is yours.

Burial - Similar to a funeral, the attire is business casual or business formal. The colour of your clothes is your choice unless specified. Keep in mind you will be walking on grass. Shoes with stiletto heels are sometimes tricky. Also, if the grass is wet, it can ruin suede shoes. Be sure to consider the weather conditions when choosing your outfit. ex: In minus 40 degree weather, the function of the attire is more important than the fashion.