DON’T wear polka dots to a funeral without these 5 rules! (real photos)

When it comes to funeral attire and etiquette, we all know that we should wear decent dark colors.

However, what about the patterns like polka dots? Can you wear polka dots to a funeral?

My quick answer is YES but you have to follow some basic rules and be intentional about that.

Here are the 4 tips to wear polka dots to a funeral.

1. Figure out how formal and traditional a funeral is

Polka dots are a pattern that conveys a happy spirit so you really want to wear them carefully.

An easy way to tell if the funeral is formal or not is the location where the memorial service is held.

If that is held outdoors like a park or beach, you know the vibes will be relatively casual and relaxed.

However, if that is held in a church or other formal places, you should always wear it in a more conservative way.

But of course, the safest way is to ask the family member for the specific funeral attire so you won’t look stand out and inappropriate during that day.

If the funeral is the traditional one, I’m afraid patterns like polka dots are not a good choice.

But if that’s a casual one, you can now move to the tips below!

2. Avoid big polka dots that draw too much attention

Alright, now you’ve confirmed you can wear polka dots but does that mean you can wear them in loud and attention-drawing patterns? Not really.

When we attend the funeral or memorial services, we are dressed to blend in instead of drawing others’ attention.

While a big polka dot pattern makes your outfit look playful, go for the small lowkey polka dot pattern in a more appropriate and respectful way.

3. Avoid polka dots with bright color contrast

Besides avoiding all the high saturation and bright colors like neon green, shocking pink, yellow, and more, we also have to pay attention to color contrast.

For example, black polka dots are fine but when the background color is white, the dots become really obvious.

In order to look less standout, I always wear polka dots tone on tone like the picture below.

4. Wear polka dots in a modest yet comfortable way

Even with the less obvious polka dot prints and colors, we have to be aware of the cutting of the clothes.

If the funeral is held in the church, you may need to wear a long dress or top with long sleeves.

If your polka dot shirt is sleeveless or too revealing, always wear a cardigan to make sure your outfit looks respectful.

Added to this, for some formal funeral services, jeans are too casual. Instead, you can always style your polka dots with long dresses or other types of pants.

Last but not least, let’s not forget to pair your polka dot top with a pair of comfortable yet decent shoes.

A pair of black or dark-colored flats or pimps are always the best as a funeral involves too much standing and walking.

As for any type of open-toed toes or sneakers, it’s a bit marginal so always reconfirm with the funeral family members.

Q & A Time

Can you wear white to a funeral?

You can wear white to the funeral but you should always wear other dark colors like black and navy to offset it.

If you’re wearing a whole white, it’s a big no-no as you are too attention-grabbing. You can always incorporate white when you are wearing suits or other outfits as long as you know how to take the balance.

Can you wear leggings to a funeral?

While it really depends on how formal the funeral is, in most cases, I would say no.

Even if it’s the all-black leggings it’s still too casual to attend a funeral. The alternative way is to wear formal on top and a decent pair of shoes like pointed flats instead of sneakers to balance that vibes out.

But still, wearing leggings to a funeral is not recommended.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Can you wear polka dots to a funeral? If you follow these 4 tips above, the answer is yes. Let’s have a quick checklist first.

• Figure out how formal and traditional a funeral is
• Avoid big polka dots that draw too much attention
• Avoid polka dots with bright color contrast
• Wear polka dots in a modest yet comfortable way

Time has changed and the funeral is not as traditional as before.

However, it’s still a big day for people to remember and honor their loved ones so it’s crucial to wear appropriately to show our respect.

If you realized your polka dots aren’t really applying these 4 tips, save that for other days!

Looking for more funeral outfit ideas? Check out my other popular article down below!

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