Manners Monday - No Need to Shy Away from White After Labor Day

The old adage of 'no white after Labor Day' no longer holds water.  Fashionistas and trendsetters in the know don't fall prey to such archaic beliefs.  They beat to their own drum turning a cheek to the majority and shunning convention.  Coco Chanel, one of the greatest fashion icons of all time, balked at the notion of banning white after Labor Day and made it a permanent staple in her wardrobe. 

Historically, white garments were associated with a look of leisure reserved mainly for the privileged.  They were a status symbol for the fortunate souls who were able to change their clothing with the season.  Many of the well-to-do adorned themselves in white linen pant suits, light cotton shirts and white Panama hats as they escaped their sweltering city dwellings for more appealing climates.  When they returned from their vacations, they would deposit their summer duds and circulate a wardrobe that consisted of darker, heavier material.

Nowadays, we hold a different perspective.  Rather than scramble through the closet searching for white dresses, white pant suits, white flowing tops, any significant white piece of clothing to get our hands on as a last ditch effort to make sure it is worn before the clock strikes midnight, we may regard the cleansing of our white clothing almost as a symbolic ritual.  It is a purging of sorts that helps transition both mentally and physically from the light and carefree days of summer into the more industrious and diligent days that make up the fall season. 

But white is, in fact, embraced and acceptable any time of the year.  You'd be hard pressed to find a closest that doesn't contain a white button down men's dress shirt or a woman's white button down blouse.  These are one of the few essentials of every wardrobe paired beauifully with a pair of dark denim jeans and a blazer for a more casual look or worn with a tailored pant or skirt suit for a formal business meeting. It is one of the top items female executives will wear for their press photo presenting a no nonsense look with a sense of approachability. White sneakers are also all the rage making their debut years ago by famous entertainers and athletes and still a mainstay in fashion, particularly the white leather variety which may be worn in summer or winter.  And, let's not forget winter white with its slightly creamier shade of white and heavier fabric which is very much on-trend in the winter months.  The fashion magazines sing its praises and dedicate pages of styles after Labor Day to the cozy look.  

So while we pay tribute to the laborers who toiled away in the trenches and stood on the picket lines fighting for their rights, step out this Labor Day with confidence wearing your white. Confidence is, after all, the number one accessory that is appreciated any time of the year.  

Manners Monday – “White After Labor Day? – Don’t Fall Prey to Fashion Faux Pas

When I think about the Labor Day holiday, I confess that the images that come to mind are not of laborers toiling away in the trenches or standing on the picket lines fighting for their rights. I admit that I do not view the holiday as a day of observance to rest or look at it as a final opportunity to party with friends and family before summer officially ends. When I think about Labor Day, I associate it with one thing and one thing only, the marking of the very last day of the year in which it is acceptable, and fashionable, to wear white.  

This same time each year as the holiday approaches, I find myself in a panic scrambling through my closet looking for white dresses, white pant suits, white flowing tops, any significant white piece of clothing I can get my hands on as a last ditch effort to make sure it is worn before the clock strikes midnight.  It’s not that I’m desperate to get rid of my white clothing as much as it has become almost a symbolic ritual, a purging of sorts, that helps me transition both mentally and physically from the light and carefree days of summer into the more industrious and diligent days that make up the fall season. 

Historically, white garments were associated with a look of leisure reserved mainly for the privileged.  They were a status symbol for the fortunate souls who were able to change their clothing with the season.  Many of the well-to-do adorned themselves in white linen pant suits, light cotton shirts and white panama hats as they escaped their sweltering city dwellings for more appealing climates.  When they returned from their vacations, they would deposit their summer duds and circulate a wardrobe that consisted of darker, heavier material.

So is white alright after Labor Day or is it considered a fashion faux-pas? A true fashionista does not burden themselves with such frivolous questions. They beat to their own drum and do not worry about working within the confines and constrictions of the majority. Consider for example, Coco Chanel, one of the greatest fashion icons of all time, who balked at the notion of banning white after Labor Day and made it a permanent staple in her wardrobe. 

In fact, a shade of white that is universally accepted after Labor Day is known as winter white.  Winter white is considered very much on-trend during the winter months with its slightly creamier shade of white and heavier fabric.  The fashion magazines sing its praises and dedicate pages of styles after Labor Day to the cozy look.  

This week not only celebrates the Labor Day holiday, but it also initiates the beginning of Fashion Week in New York and celebrates the third annual Fashion’s Night Out in major cities across the globe.  So whether you dare to prolong wearing white or not, you’ll feel confident stepping out at one of these fabulous events celebrating fashion. Confidence is, after all,the number one best accessory and it goes with everything! 

Fashion’s Night Out.  FNO, for those in-the-know, is a global initiative that began in 2009 as a way to encourage consumers to shop and show their support for the fashion industry during the tough economic climate.  Sponsored by Vogue Magazine and the CFDA, the event is now in its third year and is celebrated in cities all over the world from Paris to Milan, New York to LA.  The after-hours shopping extravaganza will take place from 6pm to 10pm on Thursday, September 8^th here in Los Angeles with events occuring everywhere from the valley to downtown and Santa Monica.  I’ll be attending the event in Beverly Hills.  The city will pull out all the stops closing down Rodeo Drive and erecting a 4-story Ferris wheel that will provide complimentary rides to shoppers with a proof of purchase.  The 3 blocks of the famed street will boast 76 fashion events from the participating stores,15 gourmet food trucks and a chance to win a Cirque du Soleil package that includes dinner, overnight accommodations and tickets to see IRIS at the Kodak Theatre. For a complete list of happenings around town, click here http://www.dailynews.com/ci_18820583?source=most_emailed. 

New York Fashion Week. Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, New York Fashion Week begins this Thursday, September 8th.  The semi-annual event takes place each year in February and September mainly in Bryant Park. Founded in 1943, New York Fashion Week was created for fashion industry insiders who were unable to travel to Paris during WWII to see the French fashion shows.  As a response, New York Fashion Week featured American designers for fashion journalists who had previously ignored their designs. Today admission is by invitation only and is reserved for the fashion industry, fashion press, fashion bloggers and other assorted celebrity A-listers. If you’re heading to New York and lucky enough to receive a coveted invitation, here’s a complete lineup of the shows, http://www.mbfashionweek.com/schedule/. 

Do you view the changing of seasons as an opportunity to break out new wardrobes? Are you sad to part with your summer whites?  Share with us.  We'd love to hear from you!