We’ve all heard it. Along with ‘don’t wear brown with black’ and ‘never wear hose with open toed heels’, we’ve been told it’s a major fashion faux pas to wear white after Labor Day (especially if you live in the South). It’s a silly rule, really. For some reason, I always thought it was a religious thing and never questioned until recently. A friend sent me this article from last week’s TIME. Turns out, the myth has nothing to do with religion.


In fact, we don’t really know where the ‘rule’ came from.


Perhaps it just became a signpost for the end of Summer. Wearing white in slushy Winter streets isn’t so practical and traditionally, white clothing was made with light fabrics. So, wearing white after Labor Day, or after Summer, just didn’t make sense.


According to the TIME article, most historians think the rule originated as an elite ‘uniform’. Wearing white became the look of leisure at resorts and beaches during the Summer. But, when folks returned to the cities for work, they left their white linen suits behind. Over time, it became a social more–members of the upper class held onto the rule to maintain the feeling of exclusivity within their social groups. Those who weren’t in the know were outsiders while “those savvy enough to learn all the rules increased their odds of earning a ticket into polite society.”

It’s no longer a fashion faux pas

Whatever the reason for the rule, it’s not the case anymore! White clothes are no longer limited to the forms of light, airy sundresses or linen pants. White suits and dresses can now be found in heavy, Winter worthy fabrics such as wool. And, white denim is way too trendy to only be worn 6 months out of the year! Most women don’t consider wearing white ‘out of season’ to be a faux pas unless what you’re wearing is clearly for Summers on the beach. And then, it doesn’t matter what color it is!
If anyone is going to criticize you for wearing white, they probably have very dated social etiquette beliefs.

You’ll stand out in a crowd

Picture a holiday cocktail party…all of the women standing around are wearing what? Little black dresses, of course! When you walk in in a fabulous Winter white dress, you’ll draw great attention and be the belle of the party.
White stands out amid the drab skies of Winter and the dark fabrics we typically go for. This is why Coco Chanel loved to wear white in Winter. If she could do it, so can you!

It’s a sophisticated, fresh look

Wearing white gives you a very clean, polished look. Even white denim is such a contrast to the usual dark blues and blacks we’re used to.

It’s fashionable

White coats, dresses and suits were all major trends on the Fall/Winter runways. Wearing Winter white is more than just okay–it’s stylish!

It expands your wardrobe

Packing away your white items every Labor Day seriously limits your wardrobe. Once you forget about this outdated, nonsensical rule, you’ll find you have tons of items that can be brought into Winter when worn with climate appropriate pieces. This idea of year-round pieces seems to be getting more and more popular in this economy. It’s far better (and more practical) to find classic pieces you can wear for more than just one season than to buy a new wardrobe every 6 months!


Do you pay heed to the rule and put your white away after Labor Day? Or, are you a rebel who’s always broken this fashion faux pas? Maybe you’ve always followed the rules and are now inspired to wear white into the Winter? Leave your story, comments, thoughts, etc. in the comments!

Related Posts

• Planning Your Spring Wardrobe
• Top 10 Nail Colors for Fall 2008