No one wants to be chilly at a funeral, but you also need to wear something appropriate. We've got lots of ideas for what to wear to a winter funeral to help you stay warm and comfortable while respecting and honoring the deceased.
Get inspired with funeral outfit images and ideas for men, women, and nonbinary people. In most of these outfits, you can even build off of the clothes you already own.
Women's Winter Funeral Outfit Ideas
What a woman should wear to a winter funeral isn't really that different from what women wear to funerals in other seasons; you just have to stay warm too. You'll want to make sure you're dressed in warmer fabrics and wear shoes that work for walking in snow or ice.
Every winter funeral outfit could use a dress coat, since you may spend a lot of time outside. We like to keep a black, navy blue, or charcoal gray wool coat in the closet for all kinds of formal occasions, including funerals.
Pant Suit
Anyone who has worn a skirt in cold weather knows that a pantsuit can be a practical choice for winter funerals because it covers your arms and legs. Pair the suit with a turtleneck sweater and closed-toe shoes or booties to keep it practical.
Mid-Length or Long Skirt Suit
If you prefer skirts over pants, you can still wear a skirt in winter. We like to opt for a midi or maxi skirt that hits below the knee, at the calf, or at the ankle to keep warm. And layer up. Pair the skirt with a blouse, suit jacket, tights, and closed-toe shoes or tall boots.
Long Dark Dress With a Scarf
A long dress that has long sleeves works great for funerals too. Check your closet for this one because you might already have it. You're looking for a more casual, solid-color dress that won't look too formal. Add a fashion scarf in a dark color using one of the many ways to wear a scarf for warmth and to dress up the outfit. Add tights and a winter-friendly shoe option.
Black Jumpsuit and Flats
A jumpsuit is a great one-piece option to simplify your funeral outfit. The key here is a great fit. Make sure you love how you look in it so you can feel confident. Add flats for walking on snow and ice.
Long Sleeve Dress With Tights
If the only dark-colored, long-sleeve dress you have is knee length or a little shorter, pair it with warm tights or leggings for winter. The tights or leggings should be dark. Add some booties or cute closed-toe flats.
Nonbinary Classy Winter Funeral Outfits
You can wear anything warm and classy to a winter funeral, but there are a few ways to keep your look more gender-neutral. Skip the flowy or feminine accessories or shoes, as well as traditional masculine elements like neckties. Instead, show your personality and plenty of respect for the deceased at the same time with one of these outfits.
Classic Sweater With Dark Pants
Sweaters can feel formal enough for a winter funeral if they are dark colors and classic fabrics like merino wool. Pair the sweater with dark pants in wool and ankle boots to complete the winter look.
Flowy Skirt or Pants With Tailored Suit Coat
Choose a long skirt or slacks with lots of drape and movement and pair them with a tailored suit coat that has a super structured look. It's good to stick with a tone-on-tone color scheme here, so try to match the top and bottom as closely as possible. Any dark color works, but black, navy, and charcoal are winners.
Dark Button-Down Shirt With Black Pants
A black or charcoal grey button-down shirt adds a formal touch, and you can pair it with simple black pants to create a classic look that works for absolutely everyone. It's important that you like the fit of the pants. It's also good to choose a shirt that has a formal cut or is made of a dressy fabric like satin.
There's no shame in wearing a base layer under your funeral outfit in winter. Leggings or long underwear will keep you warm under pants, and a thermal top will add warmth under a sweater or shirt.
Men's Winter Funeral Outfit Ideas
As with women, what men wear to a winter funeral isn't all that different from what they wear to a funeral in summer, spring, or fall. Men can also wear dress coats, like peacoats, as outerwear or use their sport coat or suit coat as their outerwear.
Suit Without a Tie
The dark colors worn at a funeral give any suit a more formal feel, so a tie can push the outfit into the too-formal zone. Wear your dark suit with a dark button-up shirt, but lose the tie. You can also wear it with a turtleneck. Pair the outfit with dress shoes or dress boots.
Long Sleeve Button-Up Shirt With Slacks
If you plan to wear a dress coat, you can lose the sport coat or suit coat. Pair dark slacks with a dark button-up long-sleeve shirt. The outfit will look a little more formal if you tuck in the shirt and wear a nice belt and a tie. It's okay to wear lighter slacks if that's all you have, just make sure your shirt, belt, and shoes are black.
Slacks With Sweater and Dress Shirt
If you want to keep really warm, you could opt for a nice sweater. Pair your dark slacks with a dark sweater. For added warmth and a formal touch, wear a button-up shirt under the sweater.
Slacks With Button-Up Shirt and Cardigan
If you want the option of tailoring your outfit to the temperature as you move from indoors to outdoors, a cardigan is a great option. Again, you'd wear a pair of slacks and a button-up shirt as your outfit base. Throw on a dark cardigan and button it all the way up for a more formal look.
Button-Up Shirt With Sport Coat and Dark Jeans
At some events, men can get away with jeans at a funeral as long as the jeans are a dark wash and are in great condition without tears or stains. To make this look work, you pair the jeans with a button-up shirt that is tucked in, a nice belt, a sport coat or suit coat, and dress shoes.
Jeans aren't always appropriate funeral attire, but if you are going to a casual event or wearing jeans to a funeral is customary in your community, break out the denim. The key here is to make sure the rest of your outfit feels formal.
Winter Funeral Outfit Tips
Proper funeral attire for everyone is all about showing your respect and putting effort into how you look. You can't go wrong dressing in business casual to business attire in black. To check if your outfit is funeral-appropriate, make sure it follows a few simple unspoken rules:
- Stick with darker and muted colors, such as black, gray, or navy blue.
- Blue, gray, and navy are all neutral dark colors you could pair with other dark accent colors such as eggplant purple, hunter green, or maroon.
- Look for pieces that will keep you warm. Remember to layer if necessary.
- While you want to wear nice shoes, safety is important. If you need to change your shoes upon arrival at the funeral home, that is okay.
- For any outdoor funeral activities, make sure your winter accessories like gloves, scarves, and hats are dark colors too.
What Not to Wear to a Winter Funeral
Knowing what not to wear to a funeral is almost as important as figuring out what to wear. General funeral etiquette indicates you should avoid anything flashy or revealing.
- Don't wear dirty winter boots. If you need to wear your winter boots for safety, at least give them a cleaning first.
- Don't expose a lot of skin. For men, shirts should cover your chest. For women, avoid a lot of cleavage if you can help it.
- Don't dress for a ball. Funerals are somewhat formal and you want to be covered for warmth, but gowns aren't appropriate.
Funeral Wear for Winter
As you dress for a funeral, remember the main difference between a wake and a funeral in terms of outfit choice is that it's more acceptable to dress casually at a wake. Keep your funeral clothing more formal. Whether you have snow or just colder temperatures in your region, maintaining comfort is important, especially at funerals. They can already be emotionally challenging, so make sure your clothes are cozy.
