Communion clothing: communion dress and communion suit

The traditional communion dress

The traditional communion dress for girls is white and is therefore reminiscent of the christening dress . In the past, adults who wished to be baptized wore white clothing for a week beginning on Easter Sunday. On “White Sunday” they were then baptized and allowed to take communion for the first time. Communion has also been celebrated on this day since the 19th century and the white communion dress is reminiscent of the old custom. How the communion dress for your daughter should look, apart from the colour, is up to your own taste or that of the wearer. From simple, modern cuts to expansive princess dresses with lots of frills and lace, everything is conceivable.

Buy the communion dress

The communion dress should fit and sit well, but looks are also important. If you buy a communion dress, it is best to let your child choose it. After all, communion is one of the first big celebrations that your child consciously experiences. So they should feel comfortable in their clothes and look beautiful as they walk through the church. This turns the day into something very special and your child can enjoy their big performance.

Communion dress: what can your child wear with it?

Not only the right communion dress is important for the appearance of your child, but also what they wear with it. When it comes to accessories and hairstyles, you should consider that your child must also feel comfortable with them. So if, for example, knee socks slip or pinch, tights might be a better choice. And if your child can hardly move to keep the floral arrangement in their hair from slipping, that’s also impractical. Even if the bow tie is too tight, you should better leave it out – your son will be happy. Here are more practical tips for you on what you should consider when equipping your child:

• Socks or stockings: Depending on the weather, your child can wear socks, knee socks or tights with the communion dress. If you decide on the tights, you should make sure that you also have a reserve copy ready. Especially thin nylon tights quickly catch a hole or a ladder when playing and romping.
• Shoes: The shoes your child wears should also match the communion dress. Sneakers or dirty winter boots don’t exactly look nice. Depending on the weather, color-coordinated low shoes or sandals are suitable.
• Hair: You can give your child a special hairstyle for communion that goes well with the communion dress. Braided or pinned up hairstyles are popular, with which white wreaths of flowers are then worn. Some girls even wear a small tiara or veil.
• Jewellery: A special gold chain that your child received for christening, a pretty ring from the godmother or something similar are suitable as jewelery for communion.
• Other accessories: Many girls wear other accessories with their communion dress, such as white gloves, a jacket or a small handbag for the prayer book. The following applies here: As long as the child likes it and looks appropriate, everything is allowed. But you should make sure that your child has their hands free to carry their communion candle.

Alternative to the expensive communion dress

If you don’t want to spend so much money on a communion dress because your child will only wear it for one day anyway, there is also the option of buying a used communion dress. Many communities organize a flea market especially for this and you can also find something on the internet. Maybe there is someone in your family or circle of acquaintances who can lend you a communion dress. The used clothes are mostly in excellent condition because they were only worn once. A white summer dress can also serve as a communion dress; your child can still wear this after the big day.

Some parishes have taken to letting children go to communion in a light-colored robe rather than in communion dresses or suits to prevent a beauty pageant. So all children wear the same and nobody has to buy an expensive communion dress.

What do boys wear to communion?

Of course, the boys do not wear a communion dress, but traditionally a dark communion suit, a white shirt, a waistcoat, pretty shoes and a bow tie. In the meantime, however, other possibilities are also permitted. The suit no longer has to be black or dark blue, but can also be a different color. Your son can wear a tie instead of a bow tie, and if he doesn’t want to wear a suit at all, you can simply dress him up in a decent shirt and nice trousers. For your son, too, it is important that he feels comfortable in his clothes.