How to dress a loved one for their funeral

A lot goes into arranging a funeral and during the stress of it all, something that may be overlooked is the difficult task of picking out burial or cremation clothes. We all want to ensure our loved ones get the funeral they deserve, right down to the smallest details, and how you choose to dress them for their final goodbye is an important part of that.

Having provided heartfelt assistance to grieving family and friends for decades, our funeral directors understand that making these choices can be emotional and overwhelming. That’s why, in this blog, we are going to take you through all the things you may want to consider when choosing the right burial clothes for your loved one, so you can ensure every last detail is handled with careful thought and consideration.

Why is it important to consider how they will be dressed?

One of the details that must be arranged is carefully selecting burial clothes for the departed. Doing this is an important step because it is a sign of respect and love. This is true regardless of whether the funeral will be an open casket or closed casket, burial or a cremation, attended or unattended, as the importance doesn’t just stem from those viewing the body before the funeral (or during if you opt for an open casket). Instead, most family and friends find some solace in knowing that the one they held dear is leaving this world ready, with all finishing touches accounted for.

Who dresses the deceased for a funeral?

Usually, a funeral service operative or the embalmer will dress the deceased, however, some families may want to be involved in the process. This can vary from getting the loved one completely dressed, to helping to put on the final touches by simply adding some jewellery or buttoning up their shirt. How much or how little you do for this part of the pre-ceremony preparations is up to you, and you can discuss the process with your funeral director or organise everything.

In some cases, you may not be able to help depending on circumstances, such as if they had a traffic accident, as it may be too distressing for family members, so speak with your funeral director first.

Things to consider when dressing the deceased

Traditionally, people would dress their loved ones in a funeral gown, however in the modern day more and more people have begun to dress their loved ones in clothes that suit their style, or perhaps their favourite dress or suit to resemble how they dressed in life.

Whether you want them to wear something they wore in everyday life, a particular piece of clothing from a special occasion, or prefer to rely on the more traditional funeral gown, it’s ultimately up to you. However, if you’re struggling to come up with the best way to dress them, then keep reading and discover tips and advice below to help make the decision easier.

Follow the rules for cremation clothing

Depending on whether you choose a burial or cremation, the ways you can dress them need to be considered. In particular, for a cremation, your loved one cannot wear a watch or anything with batteries. Similarly, shoes and glasses can’t be worn for this process and must be removed before cremation – they can still wear them during the chapel of rest but they must be removed before the coffin is sealed.

Take inspiration from their wardrobe and photos

The best place to start when selecting an outfit is to look in their wardrobe to find all their favourite clothing items. Old photos can also provide inspiration for particularly memorable outfits they wore on happy days.

If you don’t want to be a part of the clothing selection process, that’s completely fine. You can bring clothes from their wardrobe or photos of them wearing their favourite outfits to the funeral director and this will help the person dressing your loved one understand their style and ensure they look their best. Simple snapshots of personal memory, like whether or not they paid careful attention to their shirt being tucked in or if they always wore a hat, it will make all the difference and will keep their outfit more true to their personality, so share that with your funeral director if you can.

Photos are also a great way to get inspiration for how they styled their hair and which accessories to include for their look. Every little detail will help ensure that your loved one is looking their natural self on the day.

Consider their religion

Some religions have specific directives for dressing the deceased, so it’s crucial to consider their religion and what rituals should take place for dressing them. For example, Hindus follow a ritual that requires shaving their heads and being wrapped in a funeral shroud.

Make sure to tell your funeral director their religion and any specific practices or rituals that need to take place. They will be able to sort any special arrangements your loved one will need. Some funeral homes also have washrooms for washing rituals if that’s something your loved one will require.

Match the service theme or style appropriately

The clothes should be appropriate for the type of funeral service and location. The last thing you want is for your loved one to look out of place at their own funeral, so take into account location and themes if you’re holding an open casket service. If it’s a more traditional funeral, they should be in more smart, formal attire, however, if it’s a more casual funeral theme you can dress them in something less formal, comfortable or unique.

If you’re unsure what’s appropriate then the funeral home can provide gowns as well, which will make the process of deciding what they should wear a lot easier. If you want to learn more about funeral gowns then you can contact our funeral directors for more information.

What clothes are unsuitable?

If you’re stuck, sometimes a good place to start is to think not about what they should wear, but instead pay attention to what they shouldn’t. You can rule out options that run the risk of upsetting friends or family members or anything that could be considered inappropriate for their funeral. Some funerals or loved ones may wish to be buried in fancy dress to turn their funeral into something less sombre, and others may wish to stick to more traditional methods – it’s all a matter of personal taste, but it’s best to know the expectations of your fellow funeral attendees and what will go down well and what won’t.

So, if you find yourself unsure of what clothes to dress them in, start by ruling out outfits that may get a bad reception. Think about the type of people who will be attending and who your loved one was during their life. For example, you don’t want to dress a more traditional person in funky, bold colours as this may upset some guests.

Practical considerations

The last thing you can consider for dressing your loved one for their funeral is the practicality of the outfit. This can look like many things from colour coordinating their outfit with the rest of the funeral, or choosing long-sleeved options to hide any evidence of the embalming process.

Avoiding tight clothes is another practical consideration as it will accommodate any swelling – so if you’re choosing a garment they used to wear in life be sure that it will be big enough. If you wish to know more about some practical choices for funeral wear you can ask your funeral director for more advice.

Discover more guidance when planning a funeral with Heart of England

Finding the right clothes to dress the deceased in for a funeral can be a challenging task, with plenty to consider and many options available. If you need more guidance and advice on how to dress your loved one for a funeral you can contact our friendly funeral directors at Heart of England for more support.