Pick an occasion
What to Wear by Occasion
Start with the plan in front of you. Each guide gives a short answer, tells you what to check first, and separates rules from our suggestions.
Attending a funeral? Start here
What to wear to a funeral
Wear clean, dark, understated clothes.
Read the family’s instructions first. Use the guide for colors, options without a suit, and adjustments for the setting.
Find your invitation or appointment
Choose the gathering or appointment you are attending. For jury duty and passport photos, check the official requirements; for a gathering, start with the host or family’s instructions.
- Baby showerWe suggest treating a baby shower as a daytime party that sits between smart casual and semi-formal.
- Celebration of lifeMost guides suggest smart casual for a celebration of life: chinos or trousers with a collared shirt, a midi dress, or a skirt and blouse, in calm colors, with shoes you can stand in.
- Jury dutyCheck your jury summons and your court's website first, because courts set their own rules.
- Passport photoThe U.S. Department of State rules out only a few things.
- WakeFor most wakes, viewings, and visitations, wear neat, understated clothes in dark or neutral colors: trousers or a skirt with a collared shirt, blouse, or sweater, or a simple dress, plus clean closed shoes.