Why Can’t You Wear White After Labor Day? (2024)

FAQs

Why Can’t You Wear White After Labor Day? ›

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.

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.

The answer is NO. For most, the rule no longer applies, so you can style white in your outfits into fall and winter and then back into the spring. And the lack of rule applies everywhere, even the South. According to the Emily Post Institute, white can be worn 365 days a year now.

If you could wear white, it often was an indication that you had means and that you didn't do manual labor and you could afford a vacation.” But who exactly started this rule and established it? Sinclair said it was the wealthy women who came from old money who wanted to separate themselves from society.

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.

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.

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.

Typically, you can't wear white to a wedding because this color is reserved for the couple tying the knot. In Western culture, it's tradition for the bride to wear head-to-toe white on the wedding day, so wearing anything that matches this shade might unintentionally steal the spotlight away from her.

Winter whites can work wonderfully. It's merely a matter of employing snow-tones with care.

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.

Can I wear white jeans after Labor Day? ›

Just because Labor Day has come and gone doesn't mean you must pack away your favorite white jeans or slacks. Contrary to the old-fashioned “rule,” we're here to tell you that white pants can absolutely be rocked during the colder months.

You can absolutely wear white after Labor Day if you want. Better yet, there's a historical precedent for your trend-thwarting ways: Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, who insisted on swanning around in bright white outfits year-round (so stylish). So go forth and wear what makes you happy!

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. But they also couldn't wear them.

There is an unwritten rule that you're to put away your white clothes after the Labor Day holiday, and some theorize that this belief has classist origins.

Of course you can wear white after Labor Day, and it makes perfect sense to do so in climates where September's temperatures are hardly fall-like. It's more about fabric choice today than color.

Because winter, summer, spring, or fall, white jeans are always a fashion “YES” in Florida!

The last thing you want is for someone to mistake you for the bride or be in photographs where guests think you're trying to steal the spotlight. All in all, it's respectful and customary not to wear white as a guest to the wedding unless the bride specifically asks you to wear white or she says it's okay to wear it.

In many different countries, wearing a certain color on New Year's Eve is an age-old tradition. For example, in Brazil, people wear white to bring peace into the new year. In Italy, red is the color to don for success.