The origins of the "No white after Labor Day" rule are shrouded in mystery and confusion.
It's possible that the rule was conceived simply as a reminder not to wear lightweight, easily stained white clothing outside of the summer season, which was book-ended by Memorial Day and Labor Day. It's also thought that in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the white after Labor Day rule was part of a vast and complex set of fashion and etiquette rules meant to separate older land-owning families from the nouveau riche population in the U.S.
However, since the 1950s and 60s, when the white after Labor Day custom reached its peak and then began to decline, it's become entirely acceptable to wear white into September and right through the winter. Some fashion icons, notably Coco Chanel, never even conformed to the rigid rule -- so follow these fashion ideas to flaunt white after Labor Day.
- Gen Z
- Gen Alpha
- Gen X
- Millennial (primary audience)
