Planning a Celebration of Life for a dear one or a friend can be incredibly overwhelming. The last thing on your mind is likely what to wear to a celebration of life, but it’s something all must consider. Nobody likes going through anything like this, especially during a sensitive or difficult time. So you should have as few things to worry about for a funeral or memorial service.

You don’t want to overthink your clothing choices during a celebration of life event. When someone passes away, we want to do everything we can to commemorate their memory. This usually includes a visitation, celebration of life event, funeral, or memorial service.

I know that some people know to wear black, but there may be some confusion regarding what to dress for a celebration of life. Read on to find out what our experts on celebrations of life suggest to be dressed appropriately.

Organizing a Celebration of Life

A celebration of life is a gathering to honor a loved one or a friend before or after a traditional funeral service. Planning a celebration of life involves many different factors that must be taken into account.

There are many tiny aspects to consider, including the venue—such as a house —the decorations to use or the food to serve. You should also consider the colors to use, the dress code, the cremation, and additional ceremonies to honor the dead.

Is a Celebration of Life Different From a Funeral?

There are many similarities between a celebration of life and a traditional funeral. However, a celebration of life and a funeral differ in specific ways. Funerals generally follow a set timetable and are more heavily rooted in tradition.

A celebration of life service is typically organized by the deceased’s family or loved ones. It may involve personal touches and mementos from the deceased person’s life, like their favorite sports team, hobby, food, music, or anything else. Everything is displayed in a more relaxed setting.

Suitable Outfit for a Celebration of Life

You usually cannot go wrong when it comes to the correct dress code for a formal event. There are no rules because it is a ceremony or celebration, not just a regular funeral. In most cases, the hosts specify their rules when they invite you if they have any. Most people would want everyone to be at ease and relaxed so they can wear light and breathable clothes.

Choosing what to wear to a celebration of life can be difficult. Attending a more relaxed ceremony could be more challenging when determining the appropriate attire. A nice T-shirt or polo shirt and jeans are acceptable in some situations, but not in others. Keep the following options and information in mind before selecting funeral clothes or outfits to wear:

• The ceremony’s time of day, since morning and evening clothes will be different.
• The place of the ceremony, or whether they will take place at a residence.
• The family members’ suggested clothing code.
• The tone or style of the celebration of life event.
• The activities planned for the ceremony.

Unless otherwise mentioned on the ceremony invitation, everyone should avoid wearing jeans and a polo shirt to a celebration of life or funeral service. Generally, a funeral outfit is more formal clothing, like dress shoes, dress pants, or semi-formal attire, and a dark color.

Although wearing black is still appropriate for celebrations of life, wearing more vibrant hues, no tie and suit, and favoring comfort are advised instead.

In a celebration of life service, you can personalize the event for your loved ones, which is more casual. There is more flexibility in the outfits, shoes, and anything the guests wear. You can have more casual clothing when there are also a few activities planned at the event.

What is Appropriate Funeral Attire?

The objective of a celebration and a funeral of life is to set aside a place and time for mourning and honoring the dead family member or friend. A funeral is more traditional, whereas a life gathering is about celebration and a casual event.

Traditional funeral rules are frequently formal and demand guests to dress appropriately to be courteous to the deceased’s family. This means wearing all-black.

How Should Women Dress at a Celebration of Life?

It can be difficult for women to know what to wear to a celebration of life events. Ensure you should wear conservative clothing while avoiding being rude in their tone or casual attire.

This may have different meanings for other people. Just remember that memorial services are a chance for people to remember and honor a person who has passed away.

You should make sure you are wearing appropriate attire according to the ceremony. For example, wear comfortable shoes rather than sandals if you’re going on a walk or a picnic. Don’t wear sandals; opt for shoes with closed-toe styles like Del Toro Shoes. High heels are not required as they are for more casual occasions.

What Women Should Avoid Wearing

You should honor the family and friends of the deceased person even though the life-gathering ceremony is casual. Women should avoid the following items:

• Outfits with low cleavage, jeans, mini-skirts, and low-cut shirts.
• Neon bright colors and bold prints. 
• Flip-flops and athletic shoes

What Men Should Wear

Men, as opposed to women, will find it simpler to choose appropriate clothing for memorial services, celebration of life events, or funerals. Unless it is a more formal occasion or specifically stated that it is a black-tie gathering, a man does not always need to wear a suit with a tie to the event. There are no hard and fast rules for men to wear.

Instead, dress semi-formally. Sometimes, nice jeans or slacks are acceptable. You can choose brighter colors; any other colors will also work for this celebration, including oranges, yellows, reds, greens, and blues. Keep in mind that dark colors are not always necessary.

What Men Should Avoid Wearing

Men have greater freedom and flexibility regarding what they wear, but some considerations must be considered. Certain items should not be worn to a funeral, visitation, or celebration of life, such as:

• Provocative accessories
• T-shirts with inappropriate images on them
• Shoes with open toes, such as sandals
• Swimsuits

What Should Children Wear?

Although they shouldn’t worry as much about what they wear, kids should try to dress like adults if possible. All those experiencing sadness and the difficulty of saying farewell to a friend or family member shouldn’t feel any more stressed by celebrations of life.

Right Dress Code For Celebration of Life During the Daytime

If the celebration is scheduled during the daytime, you do not have to be worried about the dress code too much as it is usually considered more casual than the evening events. Well, wearing jeans and a T-shirt is not recommended, but you can attend the daytime event with a more casual outfit than you would for an evening event. Generally, women wear a day dress or skirt with a blouse or sweater, whereas men can wear khaki slacks or nice trousers with a dress shirt.

Appropriate Attire For Celebration of Life In the Evening

If you have plans to attend an evening event, it would be better to be dressed up more formally than the evening event. Women can consider wearing a dress, skirt, blouse, or even a nicer top. At the same time, men can wear slacks and a sports coat or suit jacket.

Regardless of whether the event is held in the evening or morning, it is important to keep in mind that the event is about honoring the person who has died. Being properly dressed is one thing, but it’s also important to be relaxed and dress comfortably to be yourself and meet the people around you with positive vibes instead of being uncomfortable due to the stress of wearing a reasonable outfit.

What Not to Wear on a Celebration of Life Ceremony

Where there are plenty of options to wear on a Celebration of Life Ceremony, there are some things to avoid while choosing the attire. Avoid wearing anything that might be too attractive, such as extra bright colors or neon clothing, as too many sparkly accessories are a distraction.

In scenarios where it’s a way to honor the deceased, you can wear bright colors and sparkly accessories, but generally, in such events, you should keep minimal accessories otherwise.

Graphic T-Shirts & Dress Shoes

Also, try not to wear flip flops or sandals; instead, wear closed-toe shoes unless. You can also bring a pair of dress sneakers if you’re not sure what the activity for the event is. Lastly, don’t wear graphic shirts, as having any distracting images on shirts might not look appropriate and could stand out in a bad way.

In an event where there is a specific request on an invitation, pay close attention to it. There is always a reason why family asks you to dress a certain way for a reason.

Exceptions

There are always exceptions to the rules on the dress code for a celebration of life or other memorial services. In other cases, the family may choose a theme based on their loved one’s favorite or personal memories.

Celebrations of life are not the same as funerals or memorial services. You should carefully read the instructions on the invitation since they will specify what to wear if the hosts organizing the celebration of life have a preference. Some families want to pick a dress code or theme for the event, which could entail wearing things like:

• One or two of their preferred colors
• Certain clothing for a group activity
• Movie costumes or other themes
• A uniform
• Sports team t-shirts
• Clothes from a specific era
• A certain color

Planning a Celebration of Life

Preparing a memorial service or a celebration of life can be overwhelming, and you may need help with this process. You can use a full-service organizer that specializes in the celebration of life. They will help you create unique and personalized memorial events for families and friends.