What to wear to church
It depends on the church. Some expect a suit or a dress, many are smart casual, and some are fully casual. Neat and modest works everywhere. Below: what to wear for each kind of service, and Sunday colors for each of the 12 color seasons.
By Jane MitchellCertified color analystPublished
The short answer
- Look at the church’s website or social media to see what people wear.
- Dress neat and modest: shoulders covered, and skirts at the knee or longer in a traditional church.
- Smart casual works in many churches: a dress, or trousers or a skirt with a nice top, or a shirt with a collar.
- Some churches ask women to cover their head. Follow the custom of the church.
- Wear colors you feel good in. Church is a fine place for color.
What to wear for each kind of service
- A traditional or formal service: A suit, or a dress or skirt with covered shoulders.
- A contemporary service: Smart casual. Jeans are often fine.
- A wedding, a christening or a holiday service: One step dressier than a usual Sunday.
Sunday colors for your color season
Clear, mid colors from each season's own palette: color, but not loud.
Sunday colors
- Apricot#F7A76C
- Warm rose#FFA6BE
- Light turquoise#6FD8D0
Nothing to skip in this palette.
Sunday colors
- Warm sky blue#42A5F5
- Golden tan#B5854A
- Turquoise#00BCD4
Skip: bright tangerine, golden yellow.
Sunday colors
- Clear pink#FF80AB
- Vivid blue#00B0FF
- Bright jade#00BFA5
Skip: bright violet, vivid orchid, bright orange.
Sunday colors
- Soft raspberry#C2739A
- Soft denim#6C97BF
- Soft lilac#B8A4CC
Nothing to skip in this palette.
Sunday colors
- Cool lavender#9575CD
- Dusty pink#C97B9B
- Teal blue#4A8FA8
Nothing to skip in this palette.
Sunday colors
- Soft berry#A5677A
- Dusty lilac#8E7C9E
- Sage#8FA88B
Nothing to skip in this palette.
Sunday colors
- Muted rust#B5654A
- Soft gold#C4A76A
- Soft mulberry#A86F7E
Nothing to skip in this palette.
Sunday colors
- Sienna#A0522D
- Fern green#4F7942
- Warm plum#A0637C
Nothing to skip in this palette.
Sunday colors
- Burnt amber#C0703C
- Bronze gold#7D6608
- Cinnamon#8A5A44
Nothing to skip in this palette.
Sunday colors
- Icy pink#F8BBD0
- Icy lavender#E1BEE7
Nothing to skip in this palette.
Sunday colors
- Bright sapphire#0091EA
- Cool emerald#00BFA5
- Cool turquoise#00B8D4
Skip: vivid purple, royal violet, cobalt.
Sunday colors
- Bright sapphire#00B0FF
- Icy pink#F8BBD0
- Icy lilac#E1BEE7
Skip: bright violet, electric purple, vivid orchid.
For a memorial, see what to wear to a celebration of life. For a party after a christening, see what to wear to a baby shower.
How we picked the colors
Each season card reads that season's own palette and neutrals on this site, 300 named colors across the 12 seasons, measured in CIELAB: lightness (L*), chroma (C*, how strong the color is) and hue angle. A shade is on the card when it is clear, mid colors (L* 40 to 82, C* 15 to 55), 35° of hue apart: color, but not loud. When fewer than two shades fall in that range, the card adds the shades of the same chroma closest to it in lightness.
The skip line lists up to three of the neon-strength colors of the palette (C* 80 or more). Where a palette has too few shades that far apart in hue, the gap narrows to half, then to 12°. No color is typed by hand, and no brand or store is used. The same rule runs on every season, so two cards can be compared.
What this page cannot do
This page lists colors from each season's palette. It cannot tell you the custom of a church: its members or its website can. It cannot tell you which season you are either. Our free analysis reads your season from one selfie, in your browser.
How this is different from other color analysis tools
- 01
Your photo stays on your device
Many photo apps upload your selfie and read it on their server (see our comparison). Ours measures it in your browser. There is no upload.
- 02
The result is free
Your season and palette, with no account and no email. At least one app in our comparison takes payment before you see any result.
- 03
A close call says so
Every result names the runner-up season and how close the call was. Borderline is a result we print.
- 04
We publish our accuracy
We tuned the method on faces that experts had labelled by season, then tested it on 410 celebrity photos we collected. The results, misses included.
Questions
Can you wear jeans to church?
In many contemporary churches, yes. In a traditional service, trousers or a skirt are the safer choice.
What should a woman wear to church?
A dress, a skirt, or trousers with a nice top. In a traditional church, cover your shoulders and keep a skirt at the knee or longer.
What should a man wear to church?
Trousers and a shirt with a collar suit many churches. Add a jacket and a tie for a traditional service.
Which colors suit me for church?
Pick from your own season. For example, a Soft Autumn can wear muted rust, soft gold, soft mulberry, and a True Winter bright sapphire, cool emerald, cool turquoise. This page lists Sunday colors for all 12 seasons.
What you can do on this page
This page explains what to wear to church: neat, modest clothes, from Sunday best to smart casual depending on the church, with what to wear for a traditional service, a contemporary service and a special service. It then lists, for each of the 12 color seasons, clear mid colors from that season's palette with hex codes, picked by a stated CIELAB rule. The free photo analysis finds a season from one selfie in the browser, with no upload and no account.