What Trump Got Wrong—and Zelensky Got Right—at Pope Francis’ Funeral

When President Trump joined an elite group of international dignitaries, presidents, kings, and queens at the Vatican on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis, he dressed as he always does: billowy but carefully tailored suit (likely from Brioni), wide silk tie, black shoes. It’s the same uniform Trump has worn since the ’90s, and in any other context wouldn’t have drawn much attention. In this case, however, it turned out to be kind of a big deal. That’s because, unlike almost all of the other assembled guests—from the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, to Abdullah II, king of Jordan—the 47th president of the United States wasn’t wearing black. In a sea of dark worsted wool, Trump’s sapphire blue suit and matching tie made him stand out like a guy sitting courtside in full Celtics gear at a Lakers home game.

For anyone wanting to draw geopolitical conclusions from the president’s wardrobe, the suit provided much fertile ground for interpretation. For anyone looking for advice on what to wear to a funeral (or, more accurately, what not to wear to a funeral) it’s an equally useful case study. While it’s true that we live in an era of unprecedented latitude when it comes to dress codes, there are plenty of occasions when you’d be best served to err on the side of tradition. Black-tie events, for one. Funerals for another.

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In keeping with longstanding funerary conventions in the Western world, Saturday’s dress code called for a dark suit (which most attendees interpreted to mean black) with a black tie. Which is as it should be. Whether the deceased is the leader of a major world religion or your great aunt in Reno, what you wear to the funeral should reflect the solemnity of the events themselves. And nothing says stylish solemnity like a perfectly tailored black suit, a crisp white shirt, and an expertly knotted black tie. If you don’t own a black suit, this is just one of several excellent reasons to add one to the rotation (you’ll be surprised how often you wear it). If, however, you don’t have time to go shopping, you still have options. Prince William’s midnight blue suit was well within bounds (note that he adhered to the black tie rule), as was Volodymir Zelensky’s military-style field jacket and matching trousers, which although a definite swerve from convention, was both respectful and on-brand. Both looks managed to adhere to the spirit of the occasion while leaving a little room for personal style, which is exactly the bullseye you should be aiming for.