What to wear to a Catholic funeral?

[EclecticShock]

I haven't been to a Catholic funeral before. What is acceptable attire?

Definitely black. Try to make sure your dress covers your knees and shoulders. Smart shoes but if you're not good with heels go for flats, a marble floor is quite slippy. Can't remember if there are collections at funerals, but best to take a couple of pound coins if they pass round a plate. Sorry for your loss.

Thanks everyone, was wondering about overinf knees and shoulders etc. no worries about the humorous posts, I realise I didn't make it clear that I was part of the funeral party. Plus there will be some quite conservative (elder) Famuly members who are Catholics there, so just wanted to check the protocol :)

Having been to several RC funerals in the last couple of years, I can advise that all black is no longer the done thing.
The retiring collection may be for a charity chosen by the family.

I've always worn black, and once navy for a requiem mass. But as others have said, dark muted colours would be fine.

Must be regional sauvignon, all black still very common up here. White shirts of course, though.

Yes, it must be, my recent ecpxperience is all only of the North west of England and the west coast of Scotland.

Really? I'm in the Central Belt too! Wherever you are OP, the effort to go trumps the dress (within reason.)

fedupworking youare very naughty! Took me a minute to 'get it' !

Black is always the best colour for a funeral (unless the family have made other wishes known, in which case you follow those). The traditional colours for second mourning are grey, white and (non frivolous) purple/lavender. Dark navy is widely worn too.

I'd aim for plain, but good, "Sunday best" type clothes. Dark glasses are the modern equivalent of a veil of covering tears.

I think it depends where you are rather than the flavour of Christianity.

If it's the south of England, then anything smart-casual to frumpy is fine (any colour); if it's Scotland, then black (incl black ties for the gentlemen) - black trousers is fine for a woman.

If you are not sure, then black.

Don't you have to cover your head with lace at a catholic funeral?

My father's side are catholic and all the women had lace scarves/ shawls on their heads.

My (catholic) family insist on black and with mantillas (black scarves) on heads. I look a muppet with one so I wear a little black headband instead. For the women obviously! But I know not all Catholics do.

Well for my mums funeral (and we are Catholic) I wore grey trousers, black jumper and a winter cream coat with a fake fur stole/scarf thing. I think the whole 'black only' thing is more an English thing than Catholic. Irish funerals are more informal, just smart clean clothes is the standard.

For MIL's Catholic funeral, women didn't cover their heads at all.

OH MY GOD I love the lace things.
I'd go FULL. Jackie Kennedy.

Have been to quite a few Catholic funerals in N W England and Home Counties (DH s family v Catholic) and I'd say black no longer necessary even for close family and have never seen mantillas. Muted colours fine.

FGS do not wear a mantilla or any kind of headgear. Way over the top.

There was also a useful thread on here recently about how to behave/ what happens at a Catholic funeral. I'll see if I can find it.

Sorry for your loss.

I'm reliably informed by Irish Catholic friends, that bright colours are all the rage at funerals there.
One was embarrassed at at CoE funeral in the midlands recently as she wore a bright pink jacket and felt she really stood out.
She said that 'back home' no one wore black.

Not a mantilla. I haven't seen one in church since the sixties.

Thanks everyone. No mantilla for me. Appreciate your advice, feel much more confident. Now just got to help dp with his bidding prayer, hard when he's neither of us are catholic.

I have never seen a mantilla in real life. Didn't everyone take the piss out of Cherie Blair for wearing one.

I have been to loads of Catholic funerals and the dress isn't different from other funerals imo. There is more stand/sit/kneel than other churches so make sure you wear something you can move in.

Most Catholic churches have carpet. We generally aren't posh enough for marble outside major churches/cathedrals. We haven't been emancipated for long enough.