Wear White If You Wanna – A Brief Tutorial On That Silly Labor Day Fashion Rule
You’ve probably heard this declaration before: “It’s after Labor Day, so you can’t wear white clothes anymore.”First of all, it doesn’t apply to my undershirt, so there. And secondly, WHO’S GONNA MAKE ME?!?! Sorry. Got excited. Let’s back up and try again.
What’s the deal with this rule, and why should anyone care? First, the history of this fashion rule isn’t exactly crystal clear. One version states the rule was established by old-money families as a way to check any newly-rich and ambitious social climbers. White was considered vacation attire, so naturally the people who could afford to go somewhere out of town during the summer months wouldn’t dream of coming back home and still dressing in their vacation clothes. White was for play, not for getting paid, and anyone who committed the mistake of wearing a white dress in mid-September obviously didn’t belong in certain elite social circles.
In other words, this theory suggests “don’t wear white after Labor Day” was kind of like the “cool kids wear black on Friday” whispers in high school; the popular kids in the right social groups would show up wearing black, and everyone else would presumably stand around in their white shirts going “did we miss something?” and feeling more awkward than usual.
Fashion: An Acceptable Form of Snobbery. Take That, Haters.
Another version for the rule rests with the change in seasons. As the unofficial end to summer (continued hot weather notwithstanding), Labor Day also marks a time when fashion has to change to accommodate the fall weather. The white and pastel shades of summer, arguably the best colors to wear for comfort during the hot summer months, get put aside in favor of slightly heavier outfits in darker shades because, well, it’s probably going to get colder. Probably.
Both the snotty and practical versions of the Labor Day rule recognize wardrobe adjustments have to be made, even if you live someplace that doesn’t experience the four seasons (cough cough Florida cough). The wardrobe alterations also recognize the social changes that come with the fall. Kids who ran around all summer in shorts and tank tops might be faced with the reality of school uniforms, professionals who got away with lighter footwear during the hotter months start transitioning to boots, and everybody who spent the summer months sipping lemonade and ice tea has to deal with the fall reality of pumpkin spice everything.
Pumpkins = fall. Fall = cool weather. Cool ≠ hot, unless you’re talking fashion, in which case cool IS hot.
So does any of this mean we’re required to observe the “no white after Labor Day” rule? Of course not. There will be no fines, penalties, or social blacklisting incurred for going to the mall while wearing a white shirt in October or November. Aside from snide remarks, the Fashion Police has no jurisdiction over what colors a person wears throughout the year. Shoot, when the Christmas season starts (which will be the day after Labor Day in some places), white will be everywhere, even in places that don’t get snow. Wear whatever color you want; everybody does.
Fashion: It’s Illogical, But It’s Pretty. Go With It If You Want.
That’s Out Of The Way. Now, About That Lawn…
The most popular way to celebrate Labor Day is with a backyard barbecue party. However, lawns can become trampled by summer projects and the kids running and playing on it, so it may not be ready for a respectable Labor Day event.
To help you proactively prepare for the Labor Day BBQ event, we have assembled an article entitled “7 Tips For A Great Summer Lawn” that includes an info-graphic developed to get that grass back in shape in time for next month’s holiday.Feel free to visit our comprehensive ‘Yard Waste Removal Guide’ page for vital information on how to handle many junk removal situations, or connect with us directly to kick your junk removal project into high gear.
And Don’t Forget The Tree Limbs. Junk King specializes in yard waste disposal and debris removal, including tree branch and storm cleanup services.The storm scares of the 2019 hurricane season have been small, but it only takes one bad storm to damage your property, especially if you’ve got an older tree with long limbs on your property. And even if a storm isn’t barreling towards your town at the moment, pruning and removing tree limbs can increase the property value, make the neighborhood look nicer, and stop an overgrown limb from constantly shedding on the roof.
Need help with your tree? Junk King can help with that.