Even though summer does not officially end until September 21st, many girls store their summer whites (especially shoes) when Labor Day arrives.
For as long as I can remember, I have always heard people say "White after Memorial Day and before Labor Day." If someone was seen wearing white shoes after the first Monday in September (especially in the South), fashionistas and traditionalists were horrified. How dare she wear white!
As for me, if the weather is still hot, I will wear white shoes. Here in the DC area, it can stay very warm until late September. I usually put the whites away when October 1st arrives.
My mother-in-law is from South Florida and she says the year-round warm temperatures make the "no white rule" null and void.
So, do you follow the "no white after Labor Day" rule?
I don't really follow this rule--I consider Arizona to be a "tropical" locale, and the fashion etiquette I've read indicates that this rule doesn't apply in this type of climate. However, once the weather really cools off and starts to feel like fall/winter, I do shift my wardrobe to items that don’t go with white shoes (knitwear, heavier weight suits and dresses, darker “fall” colors, and so on), and so they do get put away for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI should also add that since this is such a casual place, most people dress down and don’t follow any sort of fashion rule (though they do seem to have a uniform that includes an awful lot of flip flops/sandals!)
In SF it's Autumn pretty much all the time. Following seasonal fashion rules doesn't make a lot of sense around here. Our Summers can sometimes be colder than our Winters! I wear white shoes whenever it seems like they are the best fit with a particular outfit, not just between Memorial and Labor day.
ReplyDeleteI'm in St Louis and in Missouri we say "If you don't like the weather, just wait 10 minutes!" It's true. It can snow in May, It can be 90 degrees in October. You never know! So, I keep my entire wardrobe at easy reach all year. I do pack up the winter coats and heavy sweaters and get those out around Halloween. For white shoes, I only have a few pairs but if I feel like wearing them, I do it, regardless of the season.
ReplyDeleteIf white shoes look best with the dress, that's what I wear, before or after labor day!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the Rocky Mountain Area -- and I really don't think anyone cares out here!
ReplyDeleteNow that you mention it, I don't think I own anything white other than old t-shirts for sleeping in.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother Stella would always remind me about this rule....so as a homage to her, I will stick to it, even though I will still be wearing summer clothes for another month or so :(
ReplyDeleteI soooo luuuuv Autumn!!
Hi! I just popped in. I don't wear white shoes, carry straw bags, or wear linen outfits after Labor day..... I'm in "Vuginia", honey! However, as long as the weather is warm out, I still wear cotton sundresses and flip flops. :)
ReplyDeleteWell as I'm in the UK no rules here! I wear white shoes if the weather is ok and the outfit calls for it, although of course we take every opportunity in the UK to wear white that we can as it's not always good enough weather here!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your thoughts and insights, ladies! It seems like most of you do not really stick to the "white rule." I tend to stick to it somewhat out of habit. Most traditional, southern ladies shudder at the thought of wearing white after Labor Day! lol I say if the weather is warm and the outfit looks great, do it! I have seen some gals in NYC pair white shoes with dark tights (like a mod look) and it looks cute.
ReplyDeleteFondueGoddess, I had no idea you were in the Rockies! Where? I am trying to move to the High Country of Colorado with my husband! We love it there!
Hosanna, you are in Virginia too? I am from Richmond but I am in NoVA. Even though NoVA differs so much from the rest of the state, it is still traditional when it comes to fashion.
Straight Talking Mama, I know what you mean about the UK weather! My mum is from Dublin and whenever it rains during the fall and winter here, she calls it an "Irish bone-chilling cold rainy day." When my sister and I were kids, we would visit Ireland and the UK during the summer. Our aunties, uncles, and cousins would take us to the seaside and my sister and I couldn't believe how cold it was! Also, we were floored our cousins would actually get in the water! She and I were so accustomed to the hot summers back the States so there was no way we wanted to get in the water! It must have been 18 degrees out and all my cousins were swimming! lol
oh yes we're a hardy lot here! I'm from the North East of England and I didn't know the sea could actually be warm until I grew up and started travelling, I thought the sea was always cold :o)
ReplyDeleteStraight Talking Mama,
ReplyDeleteYes, you lovelies from the UK and Ireland are a hardy lot! My aunties can take the cold, but boy, they really cannot handle the heat!
When I graduated from high school, a few of my aunties were able to come to the US for a visit and to be there for me on my big day. It must have been about 90 degrees with full humidity on the day of my graduation. Due to the heat, one of my aunties got heat exhaustion. She was okay after being looked over by the paramedics on scene.
Notionscapital,
ReplyDeleteI saw that crazy scene in Serial Mom years ago. Poor Patty Hearst. lol!