I've been living in light-colored sundresses and rompers all summer long, but with Labor Day approaching, I've been thinking about packing away my white attire. I've always heard that you should not wear white after Labor Day but I've never heard a convincing explanation for the rule. So ahead of the late summer holiday, I did some digging—and decided my white clothes and shoes will be staying in my closet year-round.
The tradition began back in the 1800s, and its origins are a little cringe-worthy. As Marie Claire reports, the rule was invented in the nineteenth century by an elite group as a way to use fashion to separate those with money from those without. When the summer months were over, affluent residents would leave the city for warmer vacation spots. Wearing white represented that you could afford to get out of the city and vacation elsewhere when summer ended.
Since Labor Day typically represents the end of summer, a 'rule' was established that you shouldn't wear white after Labor Day if you didn't have the money to take fall and winter vacations.
It was also used as a way to identify those who needed to work and those who didn't. Those who didn't have to work could wear white because it wouldn't get dirty, while those working would wear dark clothing to hide the dirt they'd pick up working or walking through the city.
So while you may have grown up hearing about this outdated tradition, there's really no reason you shouldn't wear whatever you please before and after Labor Day.
The exact origin of the “no white after Labor Day” rule is debatable, but many have put forward theories on where it came from. In this instance, the most obvious explanation may be the changing of the seasons, and the evolution from a light summer wardrobe to darker, warmer winter clothes.
To wear white was a subtle way of showing you weren't doing the landscaping, cooking, or cleaning—or, well, manual labor at all. When fall came, the wealthy packed their whites away. They didn't need to wear them: the temperatures had cooled, the tennis tournaments had finished.
It's actually more interesting than you'd think. According to the Farmer's Almanac, the concept of not wearing white after Labor Day started in the 19th century as a way for the upper class to separate themselves from the working class.
Is it a bubbameister, an urban legend, a fashion myth that white after Labor Day is a faux pas? The answer is FALSE. You can absolutely wear white after Labor Day. However, there are some ways to wear white that help it transition to fall more easily.
While there are many who still choose to live by the tradition-based guideline that you must wait until Memorial Day to wear white, there are others who favor a different date: Easter. In fact, Easter is sometimes seen as the true mark of being able to break out your best whites, and it does make sense in some ways.
Etiquette expert Elaine Swann is on board: “It's perfectly fine to wear white after Labor Day whether you are on the West Coast in California or southeast in Florida or in the northern part of our nation in New York.
In general, it is considered disrespectful or tacky to wear white to a wedding — after all, the last thing you want to do as an attendee is upstage the happy couple! Think of it this way: there should never be a question about who is getting married. By wearing white, you may cause confusion for the other attendees.
Who started the no white after Labor Day rule? There is no one person or group who started the practice. Instead, there are a few historical explanations that started in the 1800s. For one, wearing white was a way to stay cool in hot summer months.
However, nowadays, most people—style icons or not—pretty much agree that you can wear white at any point throughout the year. So, don't worry about some outdated, unspoken rule.
The old rules about wearing white only between Easter or Memorial Day (depending on your tradition) and Labor Day are out the window. Really. You absolutely can wear white jeans and pants anytime you want and look very in the know. But I generally just enjoy the novelty of them more in the warmer months.
If you're uncertain about the cultural norms or preferences of the funeral you're attending, sticking to universally accepted colors like black, gray, white or navy is a safe bet. These colors are subdued and respectful, making them suitable for most funeral settings across different cultures.
Chances are you have heard either in conversation or online that you should not wear white after Labor Day. It's so widespread some consider it settled law in the world of fashion. Sure, wear those white jeans to the barbeque, but as soon as the September weekend has passed, you better retire them, the dogma instructs.
Nothing is quite as chic as wearing head-to-toe white in the winter, and luckily, street style inspiration is abundant. Whether you're dressing up for the holiday season or looking for ways to brighten up a bleak, cold day, winter white outfits deliver not only in style, but in functionality, too.
In the early 1900s, those who were well-to-do often favored lightweight, bright clothing—white linen suits and breezy dresses. Wearing white after Labor Day meant you were someone who had the means to have end-of-summer vacations. Wearing your whites beyond Labor Day was just, well… showing off.
3. White jeans. Once confined to the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, white jeans—along with their bone, ecru, and ivory cousins—have become year-round staples. We're expecting to see more of them than ever in 2024, considering how much they're popping up in street style.
The old-fashioned decree bans us from wearing white during the winter and spring, from Labor Day in September till May Day (another day designated to celebrate workers' rights). One popular theory dates back to the early 1900s.
By the 1950s, women's magazines started making this “no white after Labor Day” rule more public. Wearing white only between Memorial Day and Labor Day now signified that a lady was part of the in-the-know fashion club.
In fashion, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day when it is acceptable to wear white or seersucker. The source of the tradition lies in part with the migration of wealthy 19th century New Yorkers back from their summer-home Newport Mansions and accompanying change back from summer clothes.
White represents purity or innocence. While a bride wearing white was often thought to convey the bride's virginity, blue was once a traditional color worn by brides to symbolize purity. White is bright and can create a sense of space or add highlights.
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