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Where Did That Pesky
“No White after Labor Day Rule”
?
Come From
fect, my best guess is that it had to do with snobbery in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The wives of the super-rich ruled high society with an iron fist after the Civil War. As more and more people became millionaires, it was difficult to tell the difference between old money, respectable families, and those who only had vulgar new money. By the 1880’s, in order to tell who was acceptable and who wasn’t, the women who were already “in” felt it necessary to create dozens of fashion rules that everyone in the know had to follow. This way, if a woman showed up at the opera in a dress that cost more than most Americans made in a year, but had the wrong sleeve length, other women would know not to give her the time of day.
By Joan Lincoln The post–Labor Day moratorium on white clothing and accessories has long ranked among etiquette hard-liners’ most sacred rules. But ask your average etiquette expert how that rule came to be, and chances are that even she couldn’t explain it. So why aren’t we supposed to wear white after Labor Day? One common explanation is practical. For centuries, wearing white in the summer was simply a way to stay cool — like changing your dinner menu or putting slipcovers on the furniture. Not only was there no airconditioning, but people did not go around in T shirts and halter tops. They wore what we would now consider fairly formal clothes. In addition, white is of a lighter weight. How to wear white year round: Every wardrobe needs that classic white mens shirt, T-shirt, and tank. These items are essential to create that classic polished, professional outfit. Introduce white in a more seasonal fabric, so stash the linens and cottons and bring out the white leather! Fall is about getting back to work and back to school, and your clothing should reflect the seasonable vibe. This time of year is all about “toughening up” clothes. While no one is completely sure exactly when or why this fashion rule came into ef-
Not wearing white outside the summer months was another one of these silly rules. White was for weddings and resort wear, not dinner parties in the fall. Of course it could get extremely hot in September, and wearing white might make the most sense, but if you wanted to be appropriately attired, you just did not do it. Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, and society eventually adopted it as the natural endpoint for summer fashion. Not everyone followed this rule. Even some socialites continued to buck the trend, most famously Coco Chanel, who wore white year-round. But even though the rule was originally enforced by only a few hundred women, over the decades it trickled down to everyone else. By the 1950s, women’s magazines made it clear to middle class America: white clothing came out on Memorial Day and went away on Labor Day. These days the fashion world is much more relaxed about what colors to wear and when, but every year you will still hear people say that white after Labor Day is unacceptable. Fashion designers and runways every season are filled with extraordinary fashion must-haves in every shade of white. Coco Chanel wore a white suit after Labor Day in the late 1960’s, giving the green light to adorn ourselves in the purest of modern dress shades. Joan Lincoln owns Panache Vintage and Finer Consignment in Brighton Commons. She can also be heard Thursday mornings during Wake Up With Tony on WARM 101.3 discussing all of the latest fashion trends and styles.