Can You Wear White Jeans (Or Any White Clothing) After Labor Day Or Not?
I recently rediscovered a pair of white jeans in my closet that I had purchased 6 years ago and never wore. I bought them on a whim because they were marked down 80% and I can’t resist a good sale but just never had the opportunity to wear them until recently. Anyway, with fall on the horizon, it got me thinking. Is it okay to wear white jeans after Labor Day or not?
What about white clothing in general? What about wearing white after Labor Day in Florida or other places with a tropical climate? I’ve often wondered about the origins of this so-called rule. Does it still apply or is it a thing of the past?
What do fashion designers say about it these days? Does it depend on what part of the country or what climate you are in?
The summer to winter clothes switch makes sense to me but the arbitrary date of the first Monday in September does not.
Let’s face it, the weather doesn’t just flip a switch and change to sleet and blizzards overnight. It’s normally a gradual change. In fact, where I live, September can be one of the hottest months of the year! It is literally still summer on the calendar, right?
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So why not keep wearing your white jeans or other bone-coloured pants into September and beyond? You are still in the season and can enjoy a comfortable summer feeling with the right pair of white denim pants.
Here’s the rub. If you do live in a climate that has rainy, snowy, cold weather in the offseason, rainy equals muddy, yucky wet leaves. Sleet, snow and ice equal dirty road salt.
Fall and winter bring messy weather and white clothes can stain easily. So always check your local forecast before you throw on your white jeans in October!
This part of the whole no white clothes in fall and winter thing makes perfect sense to me. You just have to dress according to how nasty and messy it is outside. High boots are your friend!
Pairing your white skinny jeans, like these from Levi’s, with knee-high boots can protect them nicely from inclement weather. Also, it’s smart thinking to get yourself a great laundry stain remover along with some bleach. You could even carry a Tide pen in your purse when you wear your white pants just in case.
White Jeans After Labor Day: Is It Okay To Wear Them Today?
Ok, so let’s move on to the question at hand. Is wearing white jeans after Labor Day a fashion faux pas or not?
Like all things, I suppose it depends on your mindset and possibly where you live climate-wise. Are you a rule follower or a rule breaker?
From everything I’ve found in my research, I say that this is an outdated rule that is made to be broken. You most definitely can wear white jeans or other white clothing after Labor Day as long as it’s done correctly!
This makes me so happy knowing I will now get some use out of my white jeans. Personally, I rarely (as in never) wear jeans during the sweltering days of summer.
And don’t worry, it’s not that hard to figure out what works. Just use your best judgment and common sense.
White jeans worn the right way can be transitioned easily into your fall wardrobe. Combine them with loafers, boots, or suede ankle booties and style them with a trendy cardigan or a fleece vest. The main thing is to not wear them in combination with hot weather items like tank tops or flip flops that are most definitely out of season.
Of course, this mainly applies to those of us who live in places where we experience all four seasons. I suppose if you live in Florida or a tropical climate, different fashion rules may apply since it may feel like summer all year long!
Like so many odd fashion traditions and fashion “rules,” the no white allowed after Labor Day guideline is not an actual rule, but a “rule of thumb”. It may be ingrained in some people’s psyches, but I think it’s safe to say that you can break this rule today without being thought of as some kind of non-conformist, uncouth, or plain ignorant person.
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What Do Fashion Experts and Influencers Think?
The fashion experts agree that it wearing white after Labor Day is an antiquated “rule” and I wholeheartedly agree. In fact, a quick Google search asking this shows the consensus is clear and unanimous. Celebrity stylist Ilaria Urbinati calls the rule “pretty silly” and says a white pant is ok to wear “whenever”.
Most top stylists say that it is absolutely fine to wear white jeans after Labor Day. They also agree that there are some guidelines to follow as far as do’s and don’ts, and which fabrics work best. But as far as a hard and fast rule, those no white after Labor Day days are a thing of the past.
Basically, the fashion experts concur that the no white pants after Labor Day rule is bogus.
who started the Whole no white after labor day Thing?
Most of us have seen photos from the late 19th century. Women mostly wore long-sleeved, full-length dresses. As far as women’s fashion is concerned, pants weren’t even acceptable as everyday clothing for women in those days, let alone jeans.
So originally the “no white clothes after Labor Day” rule had nothing to do with jeans, just white clothing in particular. There are two explanations of where this rule comes from.
Wearing White From Only May-September Was A Sign That You Came From Old Money
In the late 19th century—long before you could wear jeans to a 5-star restaurant—the society ladies were engaged in an invisible battle with the nouveau riche, one that could only be won by the subtle manipulation of fashion. Historians say that the “you can’t wear white after Labor Day,” rule was created to separate the old-money elitists.
The elites decided to deem it uncouth to wear whites and linens outside of the May Day (the 1st of May) to Labor Day window. According to them, anyone who did so was not in the “old money” crowd and must lack funds to buy a new winter wardrobe. They looked down upon and definitely didn’t want to be mistaken for the “new money” people. Heaven forbid!
These incredibly classist elites created the rule as a sort of stumbling block for newcomers.
The turn of the century came and went and as time wore on, some women like Coco Chanel had other ideas about the whole not wearing white after Labor Day tradition. Coco flouted the custom as early as the 1920s. She didn’t follow trends, she created her own and basically flipped off the “rule”. White clothes were a part of her year-round wardrobe.
Not Wearing White After Labor Day Due To The Change In Seasons
The other explanation about why we dress differently after Labor Day is much simpler. It is season-related. Obviously, white cotton and linens are more lightweight and help a person to keep cool and comfortable in hot weather.
After Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894. It came to mark the end of summer.
As colder weather loomed ahead, vacationers packed away their breezy white dresses and linen button-downs in favor of darker-hued clothing, like navy suits and gray sweaters. Labor Day became “the day” to pack up your summer clothes.
Decide for yourself if you want to wear white jeans after Labor Day
Personally, I will wear white come September and October. Beyond that, I will use the weather as a guide in order to keep my white jeans relatively free of mud splatter and road ice. So will I wear them in a downpour or a blizzard? Likely not. But as far as any other dry, sunny day I think I’ll give winter white a chance. Some fashion rules are just made to be broken!
For some great fashion tips and everyday looks on how to wear white jeans after Labor Day, check out this post by fashion and lifestyle blogger Jo-Lynne Shane.
Until next time, K.
Kelly Blakely is the founder and creative force behind Just Our View From Here. As a first-time mom over 40, she brings a fresh perspective to parenting and family life on her blog. Kelly also explores a wide range of lifestyle topics in her writing, including fashion, beauty, self-care, and well-being.
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