The idea seems to be outdated.
At one point, it was socially unacceptable to be caught in white after Labor Day. But the fashion scene has indicated this is no longer the case.
Take, for example, Balenciaga’s white poplin shirt or Barneys black-and-white color blocked pants – both for their respective Fall 2013 collections. They’re not the only labels to flaunt white either.
Designers like Proenza Schouler had models dressed in white from head-to-toe strutting down the runway during Fashion Week.
The notion that white was a summer color traces back to – well, no one actually knows exactly when. Or why.
The hypothesized reason is that in the early 1900s, the wealthy were known to escape to summer vacation homes with suitcases full of light-colored clothing. This was the type of clothing the less fortunate could not afford and was considered the appropriate summer attire.
Historically, Labor Day indicated the end of summer. When the day rolled around, the wealthy stowed away their summer garb and dug up their fall apparel, which was devoid of anything white.
But the one thing sure in fashion is that it’s constantly changing. Don’t pack up your whites just yet. There may be space for them in your fall and winter wardrobes.
