What's the story behind the no-wear rule after Labor Day? Register for free to continue reading

American employees have just celebrated Labor Day, a holiday in the United States that honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to society.

But the dress tradition also dictates that Labor Day marks the last day of the calendar year in which you can dress in white.

In Victorian times, it looked like a faux step in fashion wearing white clothes after the first Monday of September.

But where did this rule originate and apply now?

What's the story behind the rule?

In the late 19th century, there are a couple of reasons why dressing white after Labor Day became a forbidden fashion.

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The first reason had to do with practicality. As Labor Day marks the first Monday in September, as well as the proximity of autumn, people changed from white to darker colors as the temperature began to drop.

Dressing in white in the hot summer months was a practical way to stay cool, but as autumn also meant more rain and therefore more muddy conditions, it is believed that white clothes get dirty quickly once the summer has passed.

White linen clothing was also a popular choice among people who left large cities to go on vacation in warmer climates. But at the end of the summer, vacationers returned to the city in heavier, darker colored garments, giving them a sense of "re-entry".

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"you're back in town, back at school, back to doing whatever it is you're doing in the fall, and you have a new wardrobe," time Valerie Steele, director of the fashion Institute of Technology Museum told.

The transition from white to darker colors after Labor Day was evident in fashion magazines, which were often headquartered in the big cities of the northern climates, and influenced the seasonal cloakrooms of Americans across the country.

Steele also added that another reason for the rule could have been classism: separating elitists from money from the new rich.

"it was the inside who tried to keep other people out and the outsiders tried to climb by showing that they know the rules," he explained.

Did people really follow the rule?

In general, many Americans observed the unofficial rule for a long time. However, couture brands often rebelled against her, and Coco Chanel made white famous as a basic element throughout the year as early as the 1920s.

Celebrities who are known for their sense of fashion often oppose the current trend. Last October, Kourtney Kardashian was seen in a white satin nightgown dress, while Hilary Duff was photographed in a white dress and a green cardigan while filming in New York in November.

Do I have to follow the rule now?

No, you Don't have to stop wearing white after Labor Day. Color began to become more and more popular throughout the year in the 1960s and most Americans now ignore it.