Rules for Wearing White

[Kodiak]

I purchased a very classy—though not vintage looking—white suit for my graduation slightly less than two months ago. It consists of a linen-cotton blend (about 70/30 I think), peaked lapel, single button jacket and a pair of non-cuffed, plain front linen trousers. I've worn it a fair amount so far this summer, but I head off to college in about a month and am trying to decide which suits I'd like to take. I'm going to Georgetown, and will probably attend several semi-formal events (cocktail parties, meet-and-greet with diplomats, etc.) and hope to be very sharply dressed for all of the above. I'd also like to wear my white suit to some of the occasions, mostly because it is probably the best-fitting of all of my suits. However, I'm worried that wearing white after Labor Day is still a major style faux pas. Can anyone give me advice on this subject?

 

[Feraud]

My only rule for wearing white is to keep it clean.

After Labor Day you will see much worse fashion faux pas in college than a white suit.

 

[MisterCairo]

Any etiquette or style guides I've ever read on this subject come down to a simple guideline about wearing lighter colours in the summer (to reflect light and thus stay cooler) and consequently wearing darker colours in the winter (presumably to absorb light and thus stay warmer).

Other than that, I've only come across theories about where the "rule" about Labour Day (often set out as "after Labour Day and before Easter") cut-off for white comes from. My favourite is about "GRITS" (girls raised in the south) having innate knowledge about rules and etiquette, and their frowning on white after LD.

Of course, guidelines are meant to be followed, not obeyed, so I generally do what feels right to me, and not necessarily what the fashonistas demand!

 

[Kodiak]

Any etiquette or style guides I've ever read on this subject come down to a simple guideline about wearing lighter colours in the summer (to reflect light and thus stay cooler) and consequently wearing darker colours in the winter (presumably to absorb light and thus stay warmer).

Which makes sense, if you're living in more temperate northern climates. Obviously it makes little sense to wear a thin white suit in the snow haha. But here in Kentucky, where we have virtually the same weather I'll experience in DC, September and sometimes even October gets very hot.

And Feraud, I'm sure I'll see quite a few... ahem... interesting choices of attire.

Thanks!

 

[dhermann1]

My parents were in the USMC during WW II, and my mother told me that at that time, before widespread use of A/C, all British personnel were authorized to dress as if DC were a tropical post. In other words, khaki shorts were permissable during the warm months. So I would guess that you'd be prefectly correct to wear that suit any time between late April or early May, and at least the end of September. It can be MURDEROUSLY hot in Washington.

 

[Chasseur]

When I lived in the DC area, many men worn "summer dress clothing" after Labor Day. September and October in DC are often a long "Indian Summer" period with pleasant, warm weather (as opposed to that horrid, humid, swamp heat of July and August, though early September can still be hot). Generally the few people who wear summer suiting stop wearing it when it gets colder in late October and early November, then start again in April or so.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Kodiak, suck rules are pretty archaic these days. That you would even entertain following them shows a higher sense of style than most men have today. However, the world has changed, the seasons are less reliable, etc, etc, etc.

I am not the sort to wear white when it's cold, but a date is just a date... and an inaccurate one cosmically speaking. But without being overly deep, it's like wearing a straw hat. You do it when it's hot, not when it's the right date.

In winter, white will probably be viewed as too costume-like. Or at least out of place. But if you think you'll get use out of it during the early part of the semester, then that's when you should use it. If you can add an autumn colored tie or shirt to the mix, all the better.

 

[kuwisdelu]

Use the weather as your guide, not the calendar.

I don't care what time of year it is, if it's 80 degrees in December, I'm not going to be walking about in 13oz flannel. If it's 60 degrees in the summer during a rainstorm, I'm not walking outside in linen.

Just keep it clean. Absolutely perfect for cocktail parties. Not sure about diplomats these days.

 

[Fletch]

In New York, where tight public spaces make it hard to keep clean, wearing white is no longer done much. But there's no real rule, other than don't wear it to the office.

Another good rule about whites is to avoid making too much of a statement with them. Graduation would be fine, but avoid them at meetings, church, or a wedding where you're not family or leading the band.

I don't know about Southern social affairs, but white may have some code of etiquette in that context, seeing as it is worn more often. I know a white suit and black 4-in-hand is formalwear in New Orleans under certain rules.

 

[Boodles]

I cannot say for sure about white but...

When I lived in the DC area, many men worn "summer dress clothing" after Labor Day. September and October in DC are often a long "Indian Summer" period with pleasant, warm weather (as opposed to that horrid, humid, swamp heat of July and August, though early September can still be hot). Generally the few people who wear summer suiting stop wearing it when it gets colder in late October and early November, then start again in April or so.

...beaucoup people around DC wear seersucker after labor day. Further south of DC, around Charlotte, Wilmington, Charleston, Hilton Head, Savannah and so on, many old guys, like myself, will stretch the window of time, for both white linen and seersucker, out to something as imprecise as the "end of the hurricane season." The acceptable startup time seems more rigid at right about Easter. Still, this past labor day thing might be tacky in DC nowadays, with that Illinois crowd in the White House. Seersucker may be a no-no period. We need a ruling on this from Mr CharlestonBows, or perhaps Mr Atticus Finch could explain to us what is acceptable around the court house in South Port.

 

[Chasseur]

...beaucoup people around DC wear seersucker after labor day.

Yep, thats what I remember.

 

[Kodiak]

I don't know about Southern social affairs, but white may have some code of etiquette in that context, seeing as it is worn more often. I know a white suit and black 4-in-hand is formalwear in New Orleans under certain rules.

In my experience, white is the go to color for Southern weddings, just for informational purposes.

And I think I'd skip it for all but the most informal meetings with government people and the like. Of course, then again, diplomats in DC probably aren't wearing suits very often for informal occasions.

To be honest, I'm planning to join a fraternity and from what I've gathered that will involve some semi-formal engagements, both in and outside the Greek world, basically social engagements that I want to be prepared for.

Thanks again for all of the input.