The Long-Standing Fashion Rule 'No White After Labor Day' Explained
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BY CAROLYN OSORIO
Whether you adhere to not wearing white after Labor Day or enjoy thumbing your nose at tradition, let's dive into the original fashion rule and see if it still applies today.
The origin of this rule is rooted in classism; old money elites, who were upset by changes in social mobility, instituted it as a way to separate themselves from the newly rich.
They thought the growing middle class would be ignorant of the rule and stand out. There's also a practical element to wearing darker colors in fall, as white can be easily soiled.
Modern society has mostly moved away from these strict class-based dress codes, with fashion icons, celebrities, and magazines all breaking the white rule on a regular basis.
While white is still definitely seen as a predominantly summer color throughout Europe, in the U.S. in 2023, the best rule of thumb is to wear white whenever the hell you want to.