The Real Reason You Can’t Wear White After Labor Day Explained

El Paso, Summer is over. Yup. It’s time to put away your flip flops and swimming gear and bring out your beanies and hoodies because Labor day has come and gone and according to… the internet...that means that Summer is now OVER! 

According to what we’ve been told by the media and random strangers, Labor Day is basically the “season finale” of summer because after Labor Day the days feel shorter, pumpkin spice takes over your bloodstream, and your group chat starts plotting matching Halloween costumes. (However, Mother Nature seems to always miss that memo because that summer heat is still going strong!!)

Labor Day Crime: Why You Shouldn’t Be Wearing White After Labor Day

But beyond signaling that it’s time to trade flip-flops for fuzzy socks, Labor Day has another weird cultural rule: apparently, wearing white after Labor Day is a fashion crime. *Gasps in Spanish*

Thankfully my wardrobe is mainly dark colors, but I’m sure I have committed this “no white after Labor Day” crime a few times in my life, but I decided to do a little research to find out where the heck this cultural rule came from.

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According to online articles, back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, high society folks used this “no white after Labor Day” rule to separate the “old money” elites from everyone else. White was reserved for breezy summer vacations, while darker colors were considered more appropriate for city life after the holidays wrapped up. Translation: it was less about fashion, more about class.

Fast forward to now, and most people don’t even know the rule’s origins. According to Vogue.com, style icons have proven you can wear white year-round if you do it confidently so the “rule” is more of a suggestion at this point.

So whether you’re closing out summer with one last cookout, or fully leaning into fall vibes, just remember: Labor Day might be the unofficial end of summer, but your wardrobe doesn’t have to follow outdated rules.