What Should You Not Wear to a Christening?

While most people understand the general dress code for various important life events like weddings, deciding what to wear to a baptism or christening might not be quite obvious. Christenings are formal occasions, so it’s important to know the dress code for a christening to help you dress appropriately for the event. While it's typical that baby girls will wear christening gowns and boys will dress in christening suits, it's not obvious what to wear as a guest. Whether you’re a godparent, guest or family member, we have you covered on what you shouldn’t wear to a christening.

Baptism Dress Code

Generally, there’s no specific dress code for baptism, but it’s rather an unwritten rule that you strive to dress more modestly. The baptism dress code is ideally formal or semi-formal, depending on the particular christening occasion. Men can wear slacks or dress shirts while women can wear dresses or skirts and blouses.

What Should You Not Wear to a Christening?

So, what should you not wear to a christening? First, it’s best to avoid wearing too revealing or colorful attires for a christening. However, that’s not to say that you should wear dull colors; baptism is a happy event, so you might want to keep bright colors such as white and pastel shades. When it comes to accessories, avoid wearing anything that’s attention-seeking or too flashy because they could be disrespectful, offensive, or distracting. 

What Do You Wear to a Christening as a Male? 

Even though there’s no specific baptism dress code for men, it’s generally recommended that men dress conservatively and avoid anything too revealing or too casual. Wearing formal attire like a suit is an excellent choice. 

Can You Wear Jeans to Your Child’s Christening? 

No. Christening events are considered special; you might want to skip jeans to your child’s christening and instead consider well-tailored pants. Dress to impress to support your little one at their big event. 

What Do You Wear to a Christening as a Female? 

As a female, you can dress in a modest skirt or dress. Avoid wearing short skirts and dresses, low-cut tops, and overly-tight clothing. It’s also advisable that you avoid highly bright colors that are attention-grabbing or too flashy. And if you’re not entirely sure about what is appropriate for the christening occasion, lean towards dressing conservatively to be on the safe side. 

What to Wear to a Christening Occasion in 2022? 

Christenings are formal occasions but are slightly more relaxed than weddings. You can be more playful with prints, colors, and styles. For women, maxi and midi dresses are trending clothing to consider for a christening in 2022. For men, suits are excellent choices for a Christening event.   

Jeans and Casual Clothing

Christening occasions are considered formal, so the dress code for a christening is also kept formal or semi-formal and not casual. However, you might get away with some styles, especially if the christening occasion is in a more low-key venue. 

Can You Wear Jeans to Baptism if You’re a Guest? 

It depends. If you’re attending a formal baptism occasion, you might want to keep off jeans and instead go for a skirt or dressier pants. But if you’re a guest on a more semi-formal baptism occasion, you can get away with wearing jeans, provided you don’t come across as overly casual. If you choose jeans, don’t wear distressed or ripped jeans. 

Can You Wear Any Color to a Christening? 

There’s no specific or standard color that you shouldn’t wear to a christening. You can wear any color you want, but it’s always best to avoid very gloomy colors and instead opt for more pastel colors to maintain the happy mood of the occasion.

Can You Wear Black to a Christening? 

No. It’s not recommended to wear black attire to a christening because most people often consider it a sad color. If you wear black attire to a baptism occasion, consider adding a brighter color, such as a bright scarf or shoes, to help you add life to your outfit. That way, you’ll not come across as offensive. 

Can You Wear a Grey Suit to a Christening? 

Yes. A grey suit will be an excellent choice if you’re heading to a formal christening with a fancier affair. Most people prefer wearing navy or grey suits because they always look good, rather than black, which can look like you’re heading to a funeral. 

Catholic Baptisms 

Are you stuck on what to wear to a Catholic baptism as a guest? We got you covered! When attending a Catholic baptism, it’s important to dress respectfully and modestly. For women, suitable attire includes a dress or skirt that falls below the knee, a blouse, and preferably a sweater or cardigan. Low-cut necklines should be avoided when attending a Catholic baptism.  For men, dark-colored trousers or khaki pants paired with a button-down collared shirt are great. Adding a blazer or a sport coat is also recommended. Avoid anything with offensive graphics, any excessively casual items like tank tops and shorts, or hats because they’re considered disrespectful. 

Bottom Line 

Whether you’re looking for a baptism dress code for godparents or guests, it’s important to dress respectfully and modestly. Do not wear excessively casual attires, items with offensive messages or images, attention-seeking attires or accessories, or anything too revealing. With all these guidelines in mind, you’ll be able to dress appropriately and show support to your child, family member, or friend being baptized.