Funeral attire

Um, a charcoal suit? Seriously, though, a black suit is standard fare for a funeral. Why are you adverse to the idea? There are lots of shades of black, btw. You want something sombre and muted - no high contrast tuxedo black here. Match that with a white shirt (no cuff links, mind you; and if you insist, at least let them be the plain silver type), and a black or grey tie. Black shoes and belt. No sunglasses. You are not one of the Reservoir Dogs.

White shirt. If you wear cufflinks they should be classic and not flashy. Conservative tie. A funeral is an occasion to dress conservatively and respectfully, and not to draw attention to yourself. All in my opinion, of course.

re: Any additional tips on purchasing a first suit would also be appreciated. instead of black, try midnight navy, which is very, very close to black and will be more versatile in terms of future occasions and present needs.

If all you need is a black suit for a funeral I would advise you to go to a department store clearance sale and get something in the $200-250 range (US dollars - I guess that's something like $10,000 in Canadian ). That might be heresy around here but I believe there's no need for a student to blow his budget on a suit that will rarely be worn. If you get it tailored well 99.9% of the population will have no idea of its quality. On the other hand, if you will need a suit for interviewing and other purposes then you should look for a dark navy suit, which will work for the funeral as well. Try to get the best quality suit you can afford because in the case of interviewing, as opposed to the funeral, you are trying to impress someone. I concur with the rest of the advice to go with a plain white shirt and a subtly patterned tie. Dress conservatively to show respect and not draw attention to yourself. Scott

Does he really even need a suit? I mean he is a student and young with no major income; won't most folks at the funeral understand that he is relatively poor and not currently able to afford a suit? Couldn't he just wear a white shirt, dark slacks, and a conservative tie? Maybe add a dark sportcoat for "formality"? Isn't that enough to show respect to the deceased? I think "A" for effort given his financial situation is good enough, IMHO. He'd be better off spending the money on textbooks (whose prices are outrageous.) at this time in his life.

Im with vero_group on this one: what's to say he necessarily needs a suit, given his current situation (college student)? Save the money and spend it on books/paryting. You would be surprised what some people wear to funerals though...and I think that as long as you don't stick out and keep it minimal you should be okay. If you were looking around for a suit before all of this happened, then by all means you can kill 2 birds with one stone - get a suit, which you can use for an interview upon graduation. Dont spend if you dont have to.

Yeah, you guys are right, as a student he has better things to spend his money on. He did say he needs a suit though and a good interview suit would be a great investment. If he is inclined to spend that money then a dark shade of charcoal gray or navy blue also works for the funeral situation. And yes, people wear all sorts of things to funerals nowadays. If he just picks up a $99 navy sport coat and pairs it with khaki pants, a white shirt, and a plain tie he will probably look fine at most funerals. It's not a fashion show, it's a somber and respectful occasion. No one should fault a student for wearing less than an expensive tailored suit. Scott

I whole-heartedly disagree. What you've described is proper attire for a cocktail party, not a funeral. I do, however, see your point. Dressing appropriately and dressing expensively are certainly not the same thing. Thankfully, navy or charcoal suits (navy would be my recommendation, if not black) can be found at a wide range of prices. Chaps by Ralph Lauren, Nautica and Tommy Hilfiger can be bought for a few hundred dollars - less if you shop discount. While not Huntsmann or Kiton, they should serve a college student well for the rare instances (funerals, weddings, interviews) he must wear a suit. And, in my opinion, one must wear a suit to a funeral.

appropriate attire for a man (which is you), at a funeral (which is where you're going), is a black suit. get one. as long as it's 100% wool and fits you well, you will be presentable. it doesn't matter what other people are wearing at funerals theses days. do the right thing. you don't have to spend much.

I concur with matadorpoeta and PeterMetro. Certain events (weddings and funerals) require the respect and dignity that only a suit can provide. Unless your 12 years old, you should appear at neither in anything less than a suit.

I agree in principle that he should wear a suit and that it is most respectful to do so. But, I think he can "get away with" less, and that most Americans -- probably the world's most casual people and the slouchiest dressers -- would forgive his going with less, given his student status. If it truly is important and it will embarrass his family, then his family should cough up the change required to suit him more appropriately.

I think charcoal would be your best bet while still looking very appropriate. You won't stick out like a sore thumb in a navy suit, but charcoal would be more appropriate. I just purchased a charcoal suit as my third suit and its remarkeably versatile. Good luck.