Why can't you wear white after Labor Day?

because some idiots are slaves to fassion. I wear what I wear regardless of what any uppity celebs or trend setters say

Here's the best answer I've found so far, from an article in Time magazine:

Historians speculate that the origin of the no-white-after–Labor Day rule may be symbolic. In the early 20th century, white was the uniform of choice for Americans well-to-do enough to decamp from their city digs to warmer climes for months at a time: light summer clothing provided a pleasing contrast to drabber urban life. "If you look at any photograph of any city in America in the 1930s, you'll see people in dark clothes," says Scheips, many scurrying to their jobs. By contrast, he adds, the white linen suits and Panama hats at snooty resorts were "a look of leisure."

Labor Day, celebrated in the U.S. on the first Monday of September, marked the traditional end of summer; the well-heeled vacationers would stow their summer duds and dust off their heavier, darker-colored fall clothing. "There used to be a much clearer sense of re-entry," says Steele. "You're back in the city, back at school, back doing whatever you're doing in the fall — and so you have a new wardrobe."


Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1920684,00.html#ixzz0yrkWzaIW

It is a free country. You can wear whatever color you want, any day you want. Some people, however, hold themselves to some standard of fashion-consciousness that is a tradition left from a different time.
Probably the less formal the occasion, the less there is any need to bind to the no-white rule. For example, women going to a friend's wedding have to be concerned that the bride wants everything "perfect", including no fashion errors among the attendees, so no white shoes. In our casual day and age, it matters less what color some dude wears to hang out with the guys.

http://www.myfoxspokane.com/dpps/entertainment/its-ok-to-wear-white-after-labor-day-dpgoh-20100907-fc_9517670

but you CAN!!!

My guess would be its a class thing. Wealthy people would have had multiple fancy dress outfits, while lower classes would not have. With a rule like that, you'd know who belonged at your fancy dress affair and who was pushing the season because they didn't have a mid-season outfit. They were lucky to have a summer outfit and a winter outfit and the summer outfit had to stretch until it was cool enough to wear the winter one. Of course, a smart poor person would have just had a lightweight black summer outfit and a heavy weight winter one and would have stretched the season by wearing longjohns under the summer one until it was cold enough to wear the winter one. I'm guessing that was probably why married women had serviceable black dresses year round.

I wore white today. I COULD. I DID.

You can if you're in the Tropics!

But when in Temperate Zones the answer is ...

"Because it's just not done, my dear."

This is a dieing tradition - kept alive by the 'hip' rich 'in' crowd Nothing against these
people ...they pay our paychecks.

You shoud see the movie Serial Mom .

Answer is there .

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111127/

Don't worry about "the rules" of fashion. Just wear what you like and what you think looks good...and have fun with it! Clothing is one of the best ways to express yourself. (As long as your junk isn't hanging out!)

That notion is quite dated. Open any upscale fashion magazine and/or catalogue and you'll see "winter whites"

The saying is "only brides and tennis players should wear white after Labour Day". The thinkging being that white is a summer colour. I don't think that rule is followed much any more.

You can! It's your choice. ;D

cuz your shirt will xplode

Because your white pants are your thin pants. Remember that you put on 4"-6" inches of winter fat for comfort.

Firstly, you can.

Secondly, it's always after Labour Day! Whether it's 1 day after Labour day or 364 days after Labour Day, it's still after Labour Day. A bit of a flaw in that logic then.

Thirdly, we don't have this in Northern Ireland so I don't know anything about it.

I believe the etiquet is "white shoes after labor day". Just gaudy attire for winter.

There are people who are downright angry there there are fashion "rules", and are proud to dress they way they want. These people might not realize that there are no "rules", but only guidelines about fashion based on what's approrriate for the weather, season, or environment. Also, "fashion" is a statement of society. It is a reflection of what society you are in. The very people who say they are not a "slave of fashion" are running around with tatoos or faux hawks or low cut jeans. Guess what? Same thing. Then there are people who want to wear a wide brim hat (designed to block out the sun) because they also don't want to follow these alleged "rules". The bottom line is that there are no real "rules", and if you want to dress out of season, or ignore how clothing is designed and wear whatever you want whenever you want, fine. Just don't think fashion is a play-toy for the rich. It exists for a reason. Think about that next time you put on a piercing or hook up that wallet chain or wear a wife-beater so your tats can show.

because work was not for the white folk, so they said "no white clothes"

I could. In fact, I am. =)

Says who? First?

Emily Post, Dear Abby and her sister Ann Landers hve been gone 4 awhile I respect alot of their social grace(s) attitudes. White after "Labor Day" is a LIE! Do ur thing! Don't like what I'm wearing after Labor Day? Then an "Oh Welll" 2 U! 2 U!! Don't Look or be a pony 2 fashion, Kids, du u!

That old rule is outdated and doesn't count anymore. (Ask Clinton and Stacey on What Not To Wear :)

While Labour Day parades and picnics are organised by unions, many Canadians regard Labour Day as the Monday of the last long weekend of summer. Non-union celebrations include picnics, fireworks displays, water activities, and public art events. Since the new school year generally starts right after Labour Day, families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer.

An old custom prohibits the wearing of white after Labour Day. The explanations for this tradition range from the fact that white clothes are worse protection against cold weather in the winter to the fact that the rule was intended as a status symbol for new members of the middle class in the late 19th century and early 20th century.[1][2]

Wear whatever the hell you want, damn what anyone else say's! Live your life by your on liege, not for that of anyone else's!!!

Bad fashion sense. Wearing summer styles during the fall?
High society says "No dice ".

You CAN wear white after Labor Day, or any time you feel like wearing it. Fashion-wise, white is generally considered a summer color, and Labor Day marks the beginning of the fall/winter season. Thus, nobody who is fashion-conscious would wear white after Labor Day.

, why would it matter? i live here in the philippines long enough to say that labor day celebration sucks..

Because humans like to judge control and gossip, so they had to make up something new that other nieve humans would follow and allow others to judge control and gossip. makes sence to me.

This is an old outdated rule. I would not worry about it, if I were you... unless you run in a super rich, high class, fashionable crowd... which most people don't...

Beacause humans like to judge control and gossip, sooo by making up such a rule for neive humans to follow this then allows other nieve humans to judge control and gossip

Actually i think its because your shirt would be all bloody from the labour, and its typically regarded as bad mannerisms to have fetus blood clearly showing on your shirt.

You can wear white! Who says that you can't?
A bunch of immature, extrem,children? Wow, I really would like a grape lollipop now!
Ooops, I got grape color on my white dress.
Now my dress is no longer white! It is now spotted grape color! I just ruined "labor day"
Except for the actual working people.

didn't know i couldn't.
i don't remember having any difficulty putting on white clothing after a meaningless holiday before

you can, but its not considered proper or cool in some circles its like a fashion faux pas.

if your the kind of person who likes to hang out at dive bars it dont matter, if you are going to a more fashion forward or upscale place then some people there might consider you either boorish or not have a clue or something. it just depends. the white clothes or shoes is not going blow up if you do, although it may affect your social life in certain places, their going to think you're a dork.

I can. I've always been a rebel.

WHITE POWER, WHITE POWER!

I think most the people here mistook the point of this question. Obviously you can wear white after labor day. You aren't special, being rebellious, or taking a stance against fashion by posting that you can wear white after Labor Day, but you are way too into "proving" that you can't be "told" what to do (as if the question was about you to begin with).

I think the question referred more to the origin of this idea.

While the origin isn't known, there have been a couple of explanations that have popped up over the years.

Temperature/Practicality
Wearing white was a way to beat the summer heat, but when the fall and the rain came it didn't make sense to wear white. It's been written that the 'No white after Labor Day' rule maybe have been a sort of reminder to put your whites away and wear something more suitable for rain and fall weather.

The argument against this is that temperature varies from place to place so why would this thought be so wide spread.

Industry
This question is explain when you look to the fashion designers in New York. New York is seasonal so it would make sense that the fashion would be influenced by the weather where the designer lives and works.

Vacation's over
Another suggestion is that the children have the summer off and began school on or around Labor Day so Labor Day was sort of a suggestion that vacation was over, it's time for school/work again.



Really though, who knows.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1920684,00.html
^Go here to read their exact thoughts and what not.