White After Labor Day

[Foofoogal]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090908/us_time/08599192068400

Good article on this sometimes mystery.
http://sandysfancypants.blogspot.com

 

[KittyT]

Thanks for this article, very interesting! Now I feel less bad about my plan to wear white to a show I'm attending in a couple of weeks. While I DO care about traditional fashion rules, in the end, I think I care MORE about looking amazing

 

[Inky]

Thanks for that article. When I was growing up on the east coast in the 60's, my great grandmother and my mother would never wear white shoes or handbags after Labor day. I remember it being a big deal to put all those summer things away and bringing them out again the following late spring/summer.

I wore black and white saddles all year round, so I guess that didn't count, lol, and I've never held to the "no-white" rule myself, perhaps since we lived in California since 1974 and it's more casual here and the climate warmer.

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

I didn't even think of this when I put on my white cotton Marilyn halter dress this morning; what I did think was how hot and humid the day was going to be, and I wanted comfort.

 

[Vanessa]

I don't think I could ever do it - I'm positive my grandmother would kill me.

 

[Geesie]

There are traditions worth keeping and then there are traditions that exist from certain cultural dominance. This one is a relic of the time when New York/New England dominated American cultural norms. Setting Labor Day as a time to eliminate summer wardrobe items is absurd south of Mason-Dixon and west of the Rockies.

 

[Foofoogal]

I don't think I could ever do it - I'm positive my grandmother would kill me.

lol lol lol

Born and bred in the South it is something that is ingrained for sure. For me though it is the shoes and handbag that I have the most trouble convincing myself that is all now phooeey...
So if I cannot hardly bring myself to wear said white shoes then that leads to not wearing some of the pretty Summery pink outfits.
A vicious cycle indeedy I tell you...lol
http://sandysfancypants.blogspot.com

 

[SayCici]

I don't follow any rules I don't make up myself. I can understand not wearing white shoes after Labor Day, though. You are probably more likely to scuff or dirty them in the fall and winter months.

 

[KittyT]

I don't follow any rules I don't make up myself. I can understand not wearing white shoes after Labor Day, though. You are probably more likely to scuff or dirty them in the fall and winter months.

See, I kind of feel that way about suede too. Suede shoes are considered a fall/winter item, but they are so easily damaged by water that I wonder how this came to be.

 

[Tourbillion]

I'd like to get feedback on this rule from ladies in other parts of the world. What is the rule in Europe or Australia? Labor Day is May 1st in most of the world.

My understanding is that even in the US, white was worn in warm weather resort areas after labor day. Dark, heavy wools seem wrong for a trip to Havana in September.

It makes sense to me in New York or Boston, but not so much in Miami, Southern California or Hawaii. If you live in the Yukon, and it is snowing in August, white linen seems like a bad idea too.

 

[Miss Golightly]

I'd like to get feedback on this rule from ladies in other parts of the world. What is the rule in Europe or Australia? Labor Day is May 1st in most of the world.

We don't have that rule here in Ireland and I don't think it's observed throughout the rest of Europe either. I see so many women wearing white in the Autumn/Winter whether it be a white shirt or coat or bag - although a lot of white items worn would be a more Winter White than Summer white if you get me! I was only speaking to my friend (who is originally from Chicago) recently about this rule and she would never wear white after Labour Day.

 

[Medvssa]

Yep, I'm from Southern Europe, and apart from the fact that Labor Day is 1st of May (imagine not wearing white after Labor Day lol), I never heard of this rule until I heard it mentioned in some Hollywood movie.

 

[Tourbillion]

To clarify, the original rule was apparently no white dress shoes or purses after labor day. Then it became no white clothes, sometimes not even off white.

Except it has never applied to white shirts or wedding dresses, they are appropriate year round. Also, sportswear, i.e. tennis dress and shoes are ok in white.

 

[Foofoogal]

no white dress shoes or purses after labor day

I have always known it as this in the South. My entire life it was "the rule."

http://www.sandysfancypants.blogspot.com

 

[goldwyn girl]

I had never heard of it before coming to the US. We don't have any rule like that in Australia. I definitely think it's uniquely an American tradition

 

[texasgirl]

I put my white sandals up on Monday. I just can't do it... I will wear tennis shoes, and I guess my saddle shoes- I hadn't thought about those. They would be worn year around wouldn't they?

 

[LizzieMaine]

I've never thought of sport shoes as being part of the Rule, so saddles, gym shoes, and such as those would be exempt.

It's 53 degrees here right now, and wearing white is about the furthest thing from my mind. If anything, I'm wondering where my wool stockings are.

 

[Miss Sis]

Labour Weekend in New Zealand is the end of October, which is Spring, so the rule there might read 'No white before Labour Weekend' - except I've never come across the rule there at all.

To me it just makes sense not to wear light coloured shoes in Winter. They're more likely to get spoilt in bad weather if you live in a part of the world where Winter means rain/snow!

 

[goldwyn girl]

It will be 103 degrees here today so if I want to wear white I think I have every right to

 

[Miss 1929]

It's 53 degrees here right now, and wearing white is about the furthest thing from my mind. If anything, I'm wondering where my wool stockings are.

BRRRRR!!!!! Is it usual to have your seasons turn so early? We don't get our fall in the SF Bay Area until November (September and October are really the nicest weather all year round).


Definitely resort wear and southern areas (like tropical zone) were still OK with wearing white, this rule is all about the north. But the ladies of the South embraced it as a sign of gentility. Seems pretty silly of you love in say, Louisiana, and it's still steamy...