#LiterallyNoIdea Why You Can't Wear White After Labor Day

Ah, Labor Day. The final #threedayweekend signaling the last days of summer and making summer lovers everywhere sob tears of despair that cooler weather and shorter days are just around the corner. #winteriscoming

As I sat on my back porch Sunday night, I realized I had #literallynoidea why we celebrate Labor Day anyway. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, "Labor Day, the first Monday of September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and exonomic achievements of American works. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country." #bam #nowyouknow

But then that led my mind to wonder about the age-long rule: why can't we wear white after Labor Day?

Turns out: no one really follows this rule anymore. Valerie Steele from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology told Marie Claire that wearing white was often a sign the upper class would use to basically declare their wealthy status. If you were rich and went on #vacay, you wore white on the beach... in Bora Bora... holding your #GreyGoose martini. #brb #checkingmytravelfund Another article from Business Insider added that wearing white during the summer months was for function; "back in the days before air conditioning (gasp) white attire was simply cooler to wear (in temperature, not in vibe). When it wasn't appropriate to don skimpier, skin-baring, casual looks in scorching temps, one simply had to rely on lighter, less heat-absorbing clothing. If you had to be fully dressed, a paler palette would at least help prevent sun stroke." Makes sense to me!

So, why can't we wear white after Labor Day? Most sources say... that rule is dumb and we are strong independent people who don't need stupid fashion rules like that. #dgaf To sum up what I've read, you're supposed to put away your summer clothes (white clothes are usually included), bring out your fall wardrobe, and prepare to "get back to work." People typically avoid white clothes when their working (except painters - what's up with that?) and trade in for more #autumn colors.

There you have it. I say: do whatever the f$ck you want but I'm looking at the day after Labor Day as the opportunity to break out my fall boots.

Cheers,

Karen

Resources

Co, Brit . “The Secret History of Not Wearing White after Labor Day.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 1 Sept. 2018, https://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-should-not-wear-white-after-labor-day-2017-9.

Fitzpatrick, Laura. “Why You Can't Wear White After Labor Day.” Time, Time, https://time.com/5658699/white-after-labor-day/.

“History of Labor Day.” U.S. Department of Labor, https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history.

Peng, Chelsea. “The Real Answer to ‘Can I Wear White After Labor Day?".” Marie Claire, Marie Claire, 12 July 2019, https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/news/a22483/white-after-labor-day/.