What's up with white and Labor Day?
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| Coco Chanel wearing white long after Labor Day |
All my life there was the unspoken ( and spoken ) rule that wearing white clothing after Labor Day was against the rules.
Who made the rule and why?
Labor Day was declared a national holiday in 1894 by President Grover Cleveland and celebrated on the first Monday in September.
Eventually this September date coincided with the end of the summer season for the very wealthy. White clothing was cooler and only worn during the summer months away from the heat and dirt of the cities. Poorer folks striving for acceptance also adopted the ' rule' of wearing white only during summer months.
So the 'no white after Labor Day' is really about cliques and status and an excuse to feel superior.
Many people say phooey to this rule and Coco Chanel was one of them.
White on!
