Can You Wear White After Labor Day?

.While fashion rules come and go, one endured for decades in the United States: don’t wear white after Labor Day. Its origins date to the late 1800s of the Gilded Age. During the summer months, the wealthy often left the sweltering city for cooler vacation homes. There, white clothing reigned supreme—not just for its elegance but also for its practicality. White reflects sunlight, making it cooler than darker hued garments. In addition, sweat is less noticeable in white attire. (Fun fact: that’s how the tradition of wearing white at Wimbledon began.) White also served another purpose: it signaled social status. Those who wore the color were not performing manual work that would dirty his or her clothing. Once cooler weather returned—and the upper class headed back to their cities—white attire was no longer needed. And it was impractical for everyday life amid the city’s grime and garbage. Instead, more formal, darker clothing was worn.

In the early 1900s, however, things began to change. As sanitation improved in cities, white garments were no longer unsuitable. In addition, some fashion trendsetters, most notably Coco Chanel, began wearing white in non-summer months. Eventually wearing white after Labor Day stopped being a fashion faux pas. And today it is acceptable to wear white year-round.