Why we still look smart

Wearing a suit to the office was once a default expectation but, according to data from YouGov, only 7% of workers now say they don ‘business attire’ at work. In fact, the most common work dress is ‘smart casual attire’, which 34% of workers say describes what they wear to work.

The dress code across many professions has certainly become more casual over the years and, since lockdown, a lot of people have abandoned their suits and formal attire for more comfortable clothes.

However, a profession that has largely remained smart is the funeral one – although we have noticed a more casual approach from some firms.

In fact, the tradition of smart dress for the funeral profession dates back to Victorian times, when funeral processions could be extremely grand, accompanied by horses wearing huge plumes.

Here at Tester & Jones we make sure that our bearers and anyone from our team attending a service is smart and our funeral arrangers continue to be smartly dressed in the office too. Generally, families still expect it and we feel that it remains respectful to be well turned out. We feel families wouldn’t want to come into our building and be met by a team of ‘smart casual’ funeral arrangers.

We also know that, in grief, people draw strength from ritual, tradition and symbolism. It gives families reassurance and comfort knowing that their day is being handed with care and professionalism. Formal dress emphasises the fact that we know what we are doing and reinforces a sense of order and trust.

We also know that seeing our team ‘properly dressed’ can put mourners at ease to a certain extent and assured that somebody is there to ‘direct proceedings’.

Look deeper and there is a psychology behind dressing well and, even now, people are judged on what they wear. As Oscar Wilde said: “It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances.”

But, it isn’t just about how we look to mourners. When we put on our ‘funeral attire’ we feel a little more confident and comfortable in our role – it is part of our ‘becoming a funeral director’. We also feel pride that we are representing Tester & Jones and our more than 20 years in business in the best possible way.