You probably grew up knowing the fashion “rule” that you can’t wear white after Labor Day, but why?
Even though most follow the unspoken order, many fashion lovers don’t know the history behind this unofficial mandate, or the fact that, believe it or not, it began in the Gilded Age, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
During the summer months, upper-class New Yorkers would flaunt their finest all-white attire when they ventured to oceanside locales to cool off, such as Newport, Rhode Island, and Southampton.
At that time, it was not appropriate to wear shorts or minidresses, despite the increasing heat waves, so white was practically used to reflect light and keep users comfortable outside.
When fall came and it was time for New Yorkers to return to the city, the whites locked themselves away, for the streets of the Big Apple were filthy with their garbage, horse manure, and mysterious stains and smells.
Dunne, Nader, Xandra Pohl and another woman posed for a selfie at Michael Rubin’s famous White Fourth of July Party at his Hamptons mansion.
You probably grew up knowing the fashion “rule” that you can’t wear white after Labor Day, but why?
Even though most follow the unspoken order, many fashion lovers don’t know the history behind the unofficial mandate, or the fact that, believe it or not, it began in the Gilded Age.
Fashion historian Amanda Hallay shared with Harper’s Bazaar:’In the late 19th century, upper-class Americans escaped the summer heat of the city by retreating to the countryside or the coast, where their linens remained free of the inevitable grime of increasingly industrialized urban centers.
‘This was a social division in terms of clothing: only those who could afford to wear white, could wear white.
‘Not only did the rich spend the summer in a much cleaner countryside, but if their beautiful white dresses got dirty, they had servants to wash them.
‘It was a snobbish way for top brass to differentiate themselves from the rising nouveau riche.’
To wear white or not to wear white: that is the question many TikTokers are leaning towards or against in this modern era.
For some content creators, bad habits are hard to break, so many consciously wear their best white suits only before Labor Day.
One content creator’s overlay text read: ‘I’m wearing an all white outfit for the second day in a row, because I need to cover the cost per wear of my white outfits before Labor Day!’
Another influencer’s overlay text read: ‘Wearing all my white before Labor Day.’
During the summer months, upper-class New Yorkers would flaunt their finest all-white attire when they ventured to oceanside locales to cool off, such as Newport and Rhode Island.
When fall came and it was time for New Yorkers to return to the city, the whites stayed put, because the streets of the Big Apple were filthy with their garbage and horse manure.
A third content creator’s overlay text read: ‘Using as much white on white as humanly possible before Labor Day.’
A fourth influencer’s caption read: ‘Dressed in all white before the Labor Day elves come and take my summer clothes when the clock strikes midnight on Monday.’
However, other influencers are taking a stand against this unspoken “rule” of fashion.
One person’s overlay text read: ‘It’s almost Labor Day and here’s your reminder that it’s okay to wear white after Labor Day!’
A second person said: ‘Wear white before Labor Day, on Labor Day, and any other day I please.’
While a third influencer added: ‘Pretending my window of time wearing white jeans is fleeting, when in reality, I actually wear white after Labor Day, because you can’t break rules that don’t actually exist.’
A fourth content creator’s overlay text read: “When you decide to wear all white after Labor Day.”
