Wearing White After Labor Day

Believe it or not, there are still folks who will wag their finger at you after September 1st and say, "You're not supposed to wear white after Labor Day! ha ha!" I suppose they're trying to be humorous, but I want to wag my finger back at them and say, "This isn't 1955 anymore!" Different sentiment...different finger.  But where did that saying come from?  I looked it up and it turns out there's a practical reason for the admonishment. Labor Day, celebrated on the first Monday in September, marked the end of winter and white, being a summer color for clothing due to its ability to reflect light and heat, was no longer practical in the cooler weather. The saying became popular during the 1920's as a fashion warning to the nouveau riche who may have the money but not the sense enough to know that it's time to put away the lighter colored linens and cotton clothing they wore on summery escapes. During the mid-50's, the saying was meant to only apply to white bags and shoes. A practical application to the rule may have meant trying to avoid wearing light colored shoes during the cold and slushy winter months and getting them soiled. Like so many fashion rules, this one is also out-functioned and outdated. The weather here in Houston requires its own rules. When it's still 90° on Halloween, but the stores are selling wool turtleneck sweaters, you just have to throw the rulebook out the window.  Even etiquette guru Emily Post has long ago abandoned the white after Labor Day rule. In fact, wearing "winter white" is considered very "fashion forward." Ask Michelle Obama, who wore a beautiful white gown to the January Inaugural events. And just try wagging your finger at the...Pope. Okay, too far!  I'm trying to be more tolerant of the fashion-misinformed. I just can't promise that I won't slug the next person who tries to pinch me for not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day.