Corrine StokoeI originally ordered these dresses from Nordstrom Rack for a post I wanted to create on what to wear to a wedding this summer. Almost all of these dresses I’m sharing today would work great for a wedding, but life had different plans for us when we heard Neil’s aunt passed away. When we found out we were going to a funeral I researched “what to wear to a funeral,” and honestly there weren't a lot of great guides out there! So I decided to share some ideas on what to wear to something you never really want to plan for, and the reason behind what we wear!
Why we don’t wear black at funerals
In both Neil and my families’ faith traditions, we choose to not wear black at funerals because we want the funeral to be a celebration of life!
Rather than focusing on the death and loss of that loved person, we try to focus on celebrating their life. Because of that, people in our culture typically like to wear color, or something other than all black, to focus on the joys had in life with that person. I love that tradition.
What to wear to a funeral, if you choose to wear some color:
Orange wrap dress
Out of all the dresses, my favorite was this orange wrap dress because of the fit and feeling it gave me! The color made me so happy and it fit really well. Thankfully it was light enough to wear in Hawaii’s hot and humid weather. Right now, this dress is 58% OFF and has a beautiful ruffle hem that has a high low effect from front to back.
I ended up wearing the orange dress with an amazing pair of cross band sandals in an ivory color. These come in a bunch of color choices and the leather was superrr soft! They have a lot of 5-star ratings and are comfortable and easy to wear. I loved the oversized flared block heel, too! Easy to walk on any surface.
My shoes and Kate Spade purse complimented the orange dress really nicely – this cream bag was a nice offset to the orange and a super good deal. It was the perfect medium size for my trip and I’ll continue to use it over and over. It’s just big enough for a few substantial things like a water bottle and sunscreen, but it’s not wildly big making it feel inappropriate to bring to a funeral or church. This exact bag is sold out but I found this similar bag that would be the perfect addition to any dress! It comes in 3 colors and is the perfect size. Plus, right now you can get it for under $100!
Great summer shoes for all occasions
I also really liked these heeled sandals and tried them in the camel color – an amazing neutral. These come in a bunch of color options and are perfect if you want to do an all-monochromatic look! These are up to 50% OFF right now and will definitely be a staple in your closet all summer long.
I'm also OBSESSED with these clear strap stiletto sandals that are on sale for under $20 right now! I really ended up loving these even though I wasn’t sure at first, but they had so many great reviews I’m glad I made the purchase. These square-toe sandals are actually really comfortable and made picking what shoe I was going to wear so much harder!
More dresses to wear to a funeral or other summer occasions
I tried on and ended up loving this ruffled short sleeve print dress – it’s so light! I ended up wearing this to church a few days later and it can also be the perfect vacation dress. This didn’t hold a single wrinkle in it for me with no steaming. The middle wrap is elastic with a polished look, it's comfortable to wear for hours. AND it's 64% OFF right now!
For this trip I also brought with me this cap sleeve tiered maxi dress that I wore on the last night in Hawaii. Despite some mixed reviews, I’m ALL in! I absolutely love this dress, especially in the white color. It would've been great in any of the color choices, but the white looked really pretty and summer-y to me! I paired it with a nude belt I already had from home, but here’s a great option from Nordstrom Rack.
This dress is nice and flowy, a great option if you don’t want something form-fitting. If you pair this with a belt accessory, you’ll give yourself some shape definition but still an overall comfortable and cute look! This is another dress that’s on SALE and I definitely recommend picking it up for the summer months ahead. It's mostly sold out in white but you can get it in a really pretty rose pink!
What to wear to a funeral if you choose to wear black
If you choose to wear the traditional black to a funeral, these are some of our favorite picks. They're super pretty options you can wear many times after the funeral, too.
The perfect sale to refresh your summer dresses
I’m thankful we could celebrate Neil’s aunt's life last with joy and cherish her memory, and to share a part of our family that I believe takes the sting out of death, that we can see our families again someday in the next life.
If you need a new dress or two in your life right now, you're going to find the cutest stuff at the most incredible prices right now at Nordstrom Rack. Don’t forget to shop Nordstrom’s Clear the Rack Sale from May 27 – 30th and find great deals all weekend long!
