Corduroy at a Funeral?

Mon Dieu! The Lord High Executioner slipped on his admittedly comfortable corduroy pants as we dressed for a funeral on Long Island.

"Corduroy at a funeral?" I asked. "Surely you jest."

"Is there a rule for it in your Book?" I thought about it for just a long minute. "Of course there's a rule for it in my Book."

I do have a lot of rules. I'm deeply and passionately in love with proper behavior. And frankly no one should wear corduroy to a funeral. Or shorts to the theater.

I still marvel at the chutzpah of a relative showing up at my grandmother's funeral in elasticized waist pants with a sweater that needed a good de-pilling. What was she thinking? This is a woman who sports a three carat emerald ring so she certainly could have worn something a bit more soigne.
But no...it was her whatever moment.

When you attend a funeral your clothing sends a message about how you respect and share the grief. You don't have to don "widow's weeds" but you certainly need to reflect the seriousness and gravity of the situation. Sport jackets, ties, pressed pants and good shoes for men and skirts or dresses for women. Can there be any more formal occasion than celebrating someone's life?

I looked around at Sunday and saw people in track suits, jeans and yes, corduroy. (You can't win every battle.)