Debunked: Why Are You Not Supposed to Wear White After Labor Day?
You've probably heard the rule that you're not supposed to wear white after Labor Day, but is it just a fashion faux pas or something more?
Labor Day is quickly approaching this year. In case you don't know, Labor Day is September 7, 2020. A lot of things come with the passing of Labor Day. People get excited about fall, they break out the flannel, and they stop wearing white. But why do people stop wearing white after Labor Day? Is it because it's no longer an in-season color? If you ask me, white is the most winter-like color out there. I mean, snow is white. A white Christmas. Believe it or not, the mentality behind not wearing white after labor day is a wealth-generation rule.
According to Marie Claire, the rule of not wearing white after Labor Day was created to separate old money from new money. You know, if you came from generations of wealth that were passed down versus being someone who created their own wealth. Valerie Steele, the director of the museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) said that "It [was] insiders trying to keep other people out, and outsiders trying to climb in by proving they know the rules."
But not everyone agrees that is the reason for the rule. According to Marie Claire, some etiquette experts think that while people often believe that etiquette is synonymous with snobbery, this is not one of those scenarios. Etiquette expert Judith Martin said that "There were many little rules that people did dream up in order to annoy those from whom they wished to disassociate themselves. But I do not believe this is one of them.
However, it could be a seasonal rule after all. Marie Clair reports that Labor Day typically marks the end of summer, as it's the first Monday in September. White is always thought of as resort and vacation wear. So when summer is over, the vacation wear goes away.
Do you wear white after Labor Day or do you think it's just an archaic rule at this point? Personally, it feels a little out of season for me so I don't. I'll go for more creams and tans. Even though white definitely has a winter feel to it, I think it has more of a summer feel. Let us know your thoughts below or on our Facebook.