What is serious IMC anyway?
The wx is either ****e or its lovely.
Your either flying IFR with your instrument head on be it IMC or VMC or your flying VFR in VMC.
When you start dicking about trying to take the easy VFR option and then getting caught with your privates hanging out is when your likely to screw it up.
Its a lesson I learned years ago always plan for the worst and 99% of the time it never happens. The 1% you end up in the poo you more than glad for putting the effort in on the planning side.