It’s Labor Day, which means, according to an old fashion rule, it’s time to put away the white.
But when it’s 100 degrees outside, I have to ask: Why?
People wear almost anything today. We mix patterns, wear sneakers with dresses and jeans just about everywhere. Individual style has replaced a lot of the old fashion rules, so why are we still worrying about this one?
The “no white after Labor Day” tradition dates back to the early 1900s, when wealthy families left the city for summer homes and resorts. They traded heavier city clothes for lighter, often white clothing. When they returned after Labor Day, the summer clothes went away. Over time, that seasonal change became a fashion rule.
Even fashion experts say it’s outdated.
In a 2023 Wichita Eagle story, Euri Mead, then a doctoral student in Kansas State University’s fashion studies program, put it simply: “I mean, look how hot it is. Why would it matter if you wear white?”
Tim Gunn, longtime fashion educator and Project Runway mentor, was even more direct: “All those rules need to go away.” He also called winter white “stunning.”
As temperatures cool, I understand putting away white linen, eyelet and those light, gauzy fabrics that scream summer. But that doesn’t mean white itself has to disappear.
The same goes for prints. A black-and-white or red-and-white dress can easily work beyond Labor Day if the fabric and styling don’t look strictly summery. Even florals can carry into fall — though the lightest, most obviously summery prints may start to feel out of season as the weather cools
Winter white — cream, ivory and softer shades — has long been acceptable, but I don’t think we have to give up bright white either. In the middle of all those fall and winter blacks, browns and grays, a crisp white shirt, sweater or pair of pants can look wonderfully fresh.
The bigger problem with white, at least for me, is keeping it clean.
I wore a white dress to a dinner event a couple of weekends ago and went straight for the napkin-as-a-bib method. I wasn’t taking any chances. I once got something on a pair of white pants the very first time I wore them.
Truthfully, that’s why I don’t buy much white anymore.
Still, look for me in my white pedal pushers for a few more days — maybe weeks. Although since they’re hard-to-iron cotton, I probably won’t stretch their season too far.
What about you? Are you still following the no-white-after-Labor-Day rule, or did you throw it out years ago?
