When a loved one passes away, you may need to make arrangements for their funeral or memorial service. This is an important and sensitive time, and it can be helpful to select clothes that reflect your loved one’s style and personality. Burial gowns are an option that allows you to do this in a comfortable and beautiful way.
The choice of attire for a loved one’s casket or burial plot can also be a beautiful final act of love and respect. Choosing outfits that speak to their hobbies, interests and lifestyle can help those who attend the service come to understand more about the person they are honoring. If your loved one was a dedicated baker, for example, you might dress them in their favorite apron. If they were an avid fisherman, a pair of fishing pants and hat adorned with their favorite lures might be just right.
Many people choose to dress the deceased in their own clothing for a burial or memorial service. This is often a tradition in many cultures, and it can provide a comforting sense of familiarity for family members and friends. However, in some situations, a person’s own clothing isn’t suitable for burial because of a change in body weight or the stiffness caused by rigor mortis. In these cases, a funeral home or other burial facility will typically provide an appropriate garment to dress the person in for the service.
A burial gown is a garment that covers the head and shoulders of a dead person. It has an opening in the back that allows a mortician or funeral director to easily place it over the body and slip the sleeves over the arms. These garments are made in a variety of fabrics and colors that coordinate with various types of casket interiors.
While most burial gowns are designed for adults, a few companies specialize in crafting tiny, burial-ready garments for infants who are stillborn or died before they were fully developed. Sewing artist Beverly Duckett, for example, makes and donates custom angel gowns to hospitals and other organizations around the world. Duckett says that for many parents, the loss of a baby is especially painful because they aren’t able to bring their newborn home. Having a custom-made angel gown to bury their child in provides them with some measure of closure.
Depending on your loved one’s wishes, you can include other items to go with the burial clothes. This might include a necklace, a bracelet, a book or other personal items. However, it’s worth checking with your chosen funeral home or burial site about their policies on such items before you purchase them.
Creating burial gowns isn’t an easy task, but it is a labor of love that can be very meaningful for the families that use them. If you’d like to get involved, there are several organizations that accept donations of fabric and sewing machines. You can find a list of organizations that are looking for volunteers by visiting the Sew & Tell blog.