Labor Day Rules

Not Labor Day rules as in something to follow by the rules but as in it’s awesome, as well as referring to weird rules about not wearing white. I never understood this myself so I had fun doing a little research for this post.

Labor Day Rules about Wearing White

According to WiseGeek and Fletch (AskYahoo.com), the “it is not appropriate to wear white after Labor Day” rule was first instituted in the late 19th century and was further ingrained in the cultural mindset during the 1950’s and 60’s as more people were entering the middle class. This rule applied primarily to white shoes to remind the Nouveau riche that this might be a way to keep white shoes from getting soiled. (Not that folks can’t think for themselves.) It later morphed to mean not wearing white clothing from Labor Day through Memorial Day, but wearing “winter white” wools, for instance is OK.

I love this quote on Yahoo suggesting that the South had it’s own take on this socially acceptable behavior, from G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised in the South):

“Southern girls know bad manners when they see them,” and a clear sign of bad manners is wearing white shoes before Easter or after Labor Day. Because fashions in the American South can be a little more formal than elsewhere, perhaps the no-white-shoes rule came from south of the Mason-Dixon Line?

I don’t think so, and I’m from New Orleans originally where some other silly, socially-accepted-Southern rules do apply.  I love grits, btw, and they are white — until you add lots of cheddar cheese — the way I like them.

I can think of other whites I like to wear like a white Casart Carryall, supporting our Gulf Coast Recovery efforts.

I thought I’d make a moodboard (on Olioboard) with some of our white wallcovering products that break Labor Day Rules to show how interiors can also “wear” white:  like our faux embossed Flower Power background, as a removable and reusable wallpaper; our white peony that could be put on a flat panel screen and of course, one of our color coordinating Carryalls as a mood accessory in the room and because it supports Gulf Coast Recovery. Since these wallcoverings are slipcovers for your walls, they can be used seasonally, so when you’re tired of white, simply stow away or leave up in protest to show that white is for all year round.

Here’s one of many websites featuring white interiors. However, I find that with all white, some sense of color has to be interjected in order for it not to feel too sterile or like it’s a gallery waiting for some colorful artwork to show up. Click here for a link to our previous posts involving white interior design concepts.

Well, I’m wearing white as I write this, just to let you know, and I’ll be wearing white until it starts getting cooler and it doesn’t make practical sense to do so. For the record, I don’t even own a pair of white shoes (not even tennis shoes). Call me a rebel but I break rules when they don’t make sense. Maybe that’s just me, however. Let us know how you feel about wearing white after Labor Day.

Not only do I not get this wearing white rule but I can never remember which “holiday” Labor Day or Memorial Day occurs when. Here’s a way I’ve devised to remember: Labor Day is when the rule doesn’t work and we all have to go back to work when the September routine starts all over again.

Happy Labor Day and hope you are not working but maybe wearing white!

— Ashley