white after labor day
dress | pumps
location: Carr Mansion
Last week I shared all about our stay at the stunning Carr Mansion in Galveston in this post- but I couldn't leave without shooting one of my favorite dresses ever on the steps of the mansion. Keep in mind it was prior to Labor Day when we took these photos, but I would still gladly wear this outfit today, white and all, if I weren't living my best life in sweats instead of lace #momlife. If you're a bride and have a fall or winter shower, this dress would be absolutely perfect for the occasion with the long bell sleeves and modest hemline. Don't let the old "no white after Labor Day" rule scare you, and I'll tell you why.
This rule of thumb started way back in the 19th century, when the majority of Americans lived in dark/black clothing (just look at any photo from the time and you'll see what I mean!). White linens and light colors were reserved for vacationing alone, mostly tied to summer wear. After Labor Day, the first Monday of September, became a federal holiday in 1894, it came to mark the end of summer. Vacationers packed away their breezy white dresses and linen button-downs in favor of darker-hued clothing, like navy suits and gray sweaters. There used to be a much clearer sense of re-entry- people were back in the city, back at school and hence had a new wardrobe. But now, these lines have blurred a bit more and the modern woman/man has staple closet pieces and a signature style that they wear year-round, regardless of season. And it's not a bad thing! We don't still wear corsets and bustles under our giant dresses, so why adhere to other rules and styles of the time? Fashion, like everything, changes and evolves. For some reason this silly rule has managed to stick, but there's no real reason for it.
Most style mavens and fashion journalists would agree that you should wear what you want to wear, when you want to wear it. There's actually nothing more beautiful than a good winter white- even Kate Middleton agrees and dons the most beautiful white coat year after year (LOVE that she wears clothing on repeat like the rest of us!). And I may be royally obsessed with the royal family, pun intended, but I think we can all agree that if The Duchess of Cambridge does it, it can't be wrong.
Most importantly I love to abide by the mantra that one of our good friends Phat lives by: "You do you". Wanna wear white after Labor Day? Do it. Wanna put out your pumpkin decor when it's still 104 degrees outside? Go for it. You do you, girl. Because nobody does you better.
xo, Britt