Do you keep a "funeral outfit" on hand?

[Meriweather]

Sorry for your loss.

Not for funerals, but my nicer clothes tend to be black anyway so I have several
DH's suit is black.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I am sorry for your family's loss. I hope your FIL was able to know how much he was loved -- that was evident by all the planning and care you were taking to prepare in your other thread.
As for funeral outfits, we do have them. DH had quite a few older relatives, so we foresaw a need for some basic things which would work at any time. Fortunately, dark, conservative basics can work in other situations, too, so we can get more use from these clothes.

 

[skittles67]

We don't have a specific "funeral" outfits. We go to church every week, so all of us have dresses and suits.

 

[mrodgers]

I was going to say the same as others - You don't have to call it a Funeral Outfit - but yea you should always have a nice outfit on hand that fits well and looks nice...
Funeral, Wedding, Social Event, Interview... there are several reasons to have one. Everyone should make that investment in themselves
Edit - Meant to also say So Sorry for your loss!

Issue is by having this stuff on hand for the very rare occurrence that I have such an event, they don't fit anyways.

I've been to 2 other funerals since my father's in 1992. None of the clothes I had for each of these events would have fit.

I've been to 3 weddings since my own in 1997, and my opinion is that is 3 too many (4 actually as there is my own as well.) One (well, 2 since I said my wedding for the total of 4) I was in so I had to rent and wear a tux.

I don't know what kind of social event I would go to, certainly not one where I had to pretend to be a rich city pretentious snob. Sorry if a pair of kaki's and a polo shirt is too much for your (general, not you as the one I quoted) judgement and offends you, that's something you have to live with, not me.

I have zero reasons to spend a lot of money on clothing I'd never wear just to impress shallow people that I care nothing about.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, I have a "get married and get buried" suit

 

[disneyseniors]

No I don't. But I am kind of strange about that. I have never, ever gotten closure from a funeral!
I don't' go to funerals anymore at all. I give my condolences to the loved ones elsewhere.
I'm probably in the big minority here, but it is what it is.

 

[design_mom]

I'm sorry for your loss. I'd be in the same boat here. I haven't worked in an office for 8+ years and most of the occasions that I've had to dress up are more celebratory in nature (weddings, christmas parties, cruise ship dinners, etc).

DH and DS each have dark suits (not black) that they could probably wear. I might be able to cobble together an outfit from my closet, but it wouldn't be something I was happy with. (I own black dress pants, but they are a number of years old and probably out of style. I *think* they'd still fit well enough that I could wear them in a pinch, but I probably wouldn't feel like I looked nice.)

We'd have to shop for DD. She has a pair of black dress pants (required for concert band) but the blouse she has to go with it would make her look like a waiter (and I know she'd balk at wearing them for anything except band even though they are regular dress pants not "uniform" pants.). At minimum, she'd need a new blouse. She owns several dresses, but again, they are either too casual or too "celebratory." Nothing funeral appropriate.

 

[tzolkin]

I wouldn’t worry so much about the kids. No one should be judging them on what they wear, and it’s hard when they’re still growing. IMO, a dark polo shirt and khakis would be fine for a young boy or teen, and dark skirt or pants with a white top for a girl.

Yes, every funeral/viewing/wake I have been to the kids were all just wearing normal "nice" clothes. Like a floral dress or a polo shirt that they would wear to church/school picture/party. Nothing dark or black that you would think "funeral outfit".

Honestly, I think the vast majority of adults I have seen are also just wearing regular "nice" clothes in whatever color or pattern they have. It's definitely not "the norm" to wear all black at least in my family/social circles.

When my sister passed the family requested that everyone wear yellow, her favorite color. I think more people had to shop for the cheerful color than if they were going to a funeral where somber colors were the norm.

I have also been to funerals where the family specifically asked for people to wear bright colors or something that the deceased enjoyed. (My favorite was when the mom of the deceased asked everyone to wear some "bling" because it would have made her daughter smile.) I think sometimes the family requests brighter colors because they want a more casual/upbeat feel, but I think sometimes they say it to avoid people worrying about dressing up or finding a black/funeral-type outfit.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Yep. And when I was a kid we always packed our funeral outfits. On more than one occasion we has to go to a funeral while on vacation.

 

[JenBush]

First of all, I’m so sorry for your loss.
Secondly, I don’t have clothes specifically for funerals, but I do have a couple simple black dresses and nice outfits that I can wear for funerals.

 

[Kitty 34]

I have a pair of nice black pants.....that I wear to funerals but spruce it up a bit with a festive shirt I have worn the same pants to my (nephew's) wedding.

So sorry for your loss, tho.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I have Funeral Slacks. Change them up with different dark-ish sweaters or blouses that I get at Ross. It's my only dressy piece of clothing. I'm a t-shirt and sweats person. At my uncle's funeral in February, my aunt wore red, his favorite color for her.

I am sorry for your loss. I remember your thread asking for advice about moving your father-in-law into your house not too long ago.

 

[crazylady]

I kept a few things when I cleaned out my closet with the intention of wearing them for funerals but in reality, I ended up buying new things for the funerals I've attended since then. I do however have two coats I'm keeping specifically for funerals. I won't wear them any other time.

 

[antmaril]

Yes, I always have something to wear to a funeral. Usually black slacks and a nice top. As a matter of fact, I am going to a viewing this afternoon.

 

[quandrea]

My husband and I are ready, but my kids are not. My youngest dd has a dress that would do, but just because it’s a hand me down from her sister. My son and eldest dd don’t have anything. They don’t dress up much and I don’t always have a fancier outfit on hand. For their grandfather’s funeral many years ago, I had to go shopping.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

Yep! DH a couple suites and different color shirts depending on the time of year. I also have a black dress I usually wear if it's a warmer month and a black "dressy" suit that I wear in the colder months. But I guess DH does use the suits when we cruise or for weddings. I would still wear my suit for an important business meeting in the winter months.

 

[lovin'fl]

Yes.

 

[NYCgrrl]

My taste in clothing is very classic so I’m pretty much always prepared for most of life’s social occasions. Black and navy blue are always within my wardrobe no matter the time of year.

I made sure the man kept a suit, a few dress shirts and ties along with dress shoes when he retired so that was no problem for him.

DGD wears a uniform to school so it’s simple keeping an appropriate outfit on hand for her.

My Condolences to @1GoldenSun and family.

 

[LadyntheTramp]

We have dress clothes but not funeral specific. For us most of the guys don't wear suits (just a nice shirt, tie, and pants..not a jacket) and I have never worn black so I just wear one of my nice dresses or skirts.

Also sorry for your loss.

 

[NotUrsula]

I always make sure that I have an all-purpose "everything" dark dress that fits and is conservative enough for a funeral. Normally it is navy blue, so that I can also wear it to church weddings. (The one that I have at the moment is actually dark hunter green; also wedding-capable.) They come in handy in a pinch for job interviews as well. DD also has one.

For the last 20 years I've always taken the dress/shoes with me when we travel to visit family, ever since I got caught without a decent dress with me when my mother died. (IME, it's all too common for elderly people to die near a holiday -- they seem to somehow will their bodies to wait because they know family members are likely to be gathered anyway. My mother passed in the wee hours of Dec 26th.)

DH wears suits to work, so he's covered, and DS has a dark grey suit that he wears for all major occasions including job interviews, weddings, graduations and yes, funerals. (He got it for his 8th grade graduation and is still wearing it 10 years later, I had it tailored with some growth in mind so it could be altered.)