Is It Ok To Wear White After Labor Day?

Labor Day: my least favorite holiday “celebration.” Parents and kids are scrambling to get ready for the school season, tourist towns turn into ghost towns and pumpkin spice is everywhere. Why would anyone celebrate these things? Well…technically that’s not what anyone is celebrating. But this isn’t about that! It’s about the dreadful “no white after Labor Day” fashion rule.

Practically isn’t the first word that pops into one’s head when they hear the word ”fashion”. But the “Don’t Wear White After Labor Day” rule may have stemmed from just that. Prior to air conditioning, clothing choices relied heavily on whether or not they would keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Whites and lighter-weight fabrics were more popular during the warm months, and in the winter, people switched to darker colors and heavier fabrics, much like today. *yawn* (This certainly doesn’t help with anyone’s mood.) Perhaps since people already chose light colors to stay cool in the summer, the fashion world ran with it and made this ridiculous rule an official one. Once Labor Day arrived, it was time to put those whites in storage. 

However, others postulate that the rule came from the fashion practices of the wealthy. The “haves”, if you will. In the early 1900s, those who were well-to-do often preferred lightweight, bright clothing—think white linen suits and breezy dresses. Wearing white after Labor Day meant you were someone who had the means to have end-of-summer vacations. Wearing your whites beyond Labor Day?Braggart. Show-off. It’s almost as if the haves wanted the have nots to kind of disappear in their dark clothes. 

I personally have never been one to follow any fashion “rules”, but especially this one. (Rules in general are not something I favor.) White is a classic neutral that adds a Lux vibe to any ensemble. Head to toe white in the winter - coined “winter white” - is one of my all time favorite looks.

White in general is a tough sell at Meraki for obvious reasons. 1. It gets dirty too easily and 2. It shows all the “wrong” stuff. While we may not be able to help as far as how quickly your white wears get dirty, (although we have wondered…are you sitting in filth? Spilling all over yourself when you eat or drink? 🤔🤨) we can help with the “it shows all the wrong stuff” part. Take this AWAN dress for example. Not only does she have a boho goddess vibe, but she hangs just right, so as not to cling to any parts. And if you think you can only get away with wearing her in the warmer months, read our blog about layering. 

I can’t tell you how many gorgeous white pieces I’ve thumbed my nose at because I knew they wouldn’t move. It’s so frustrating! 

I ask that you join me in saying goodbye to a ridiculously antiquated outlook on fashion - that there are rules and that you have to abide by any of them. You don’t. So please, keep (or start!) rockin’ white after Labor Day - and the rest of the year. 

X, 

Vanessa