All White
10 years ago by
No white after labor day.
Have you heard this rule? It’s sort of silly right? But it had me wondering where it came from and why exactly someone had an aversion to light colors during the colder months of the year (if you’re in the northern hemisphere anyway).
Turns out the whole thing started from a bit of old fashioned snobbery. Like seriously old, like 1800s old. Some women in the know decided they needed a way to differentiate their “level of society.” And no white, as it turns out, was just one of the ways.
Fashion rules are funny, and honestly are best when broken.
Photo by Sandra Semburg.
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Completely and totally on board with throwing out the “Don’t wear white after Labor Day” silliness (I’m wearing white as I’m typing this!). I did a post on this very same thing on my blog a couple of weeks ago. http://www.enduringethereal.com/home/2014/9/10/myths-and-facts
i love her pants! :)
http://littleaesthete.com
I admire people who walk around in all white! I’m way too messy to even try :-)
Love from Italy and have a wonderful weekend,
http://lasagnolove.blogspot.it/2014/10/have-wonderful-weekend.html
Bambi
Thank you Brie for doing the research. I had no idea! And now, that I know that the reason for the “no white after Labor Day” rule was based in elitism and snobbery, I am that much more delighted to break it.
Ben too bad! Nous on porte du blanc quand ça nous chante parce que ça nous plait et qu’on fait ce qu’on veut…
http://www.blushandbeyond.com/2014/10/10/kl/
Bisous
Alix
I like the white, but I can’t keep my eyes off the shoes – they’re so ugly! Especially how her heel sticks out :)
I wonder if the outfit would look better with some of the chunky-soled patent leather loafers that are all the rage at the moment.
http://totalbettymedia.com
Haha, c’est très intéressant! Mais ça a dû vraiment me toucher, parce que le total look blanc sous la pluie et la grisaille de Strasbourg, on oublie! Surtout les pantalons, le bas finit tout sâle. Pour moi cette règle a aussi ses raisons pratiques mais est absurde en effet si ce n’est qu’un snobisme ;)
Cécile
http://www.maxcebycecilej.com
Hear hear! I agree completely! For example, my white pointy toed heels go with almost everything and I may them wear all year long.
http://mimlicious.com
Thank you ! I’ve learnt something today !!!I love white , it’s always chic and flattering. Xxx
Soph.
http://www.my2visuality.blogspot.co.uk
Hello hello le studio ! Dites je me pose une question depuis quelques temps.. Qui est donc cette mystérieuse Sandra Semburg qui prend un certains nombre de vos photos (dans la même et belle lignée du style de Garance), une nouvelle de vos recrue ? Car c’est souvent quand même ! Parlez nous d’elle :) Top en tout cas !
Bonne journée ! S’il fait plus beau à NY qu’à Paris ;)
Il suffit qu’on m’impose quelque chose pour que je fasse le contraire!
YES! My two favourite blogs (garancedore AND afterdrk a k a Sabrina Meijer) in one blog post! Check out Sabrina’s blog AfterDRK.com it’s really great
I love breaking the rules!
http://www.FashionSnag.com
Fashion is about expressing yourself..your humor…so i believe the rules are that there is no rules…
with all the different designer in different places in the world ..the fashion business always try to find trends..putting things in box..but fashion is also about being free…so as long as we are happy and we are in harmony with what we wear ……..F …..
xoxo
Yael Guetta
http://www.ftwwl.com
Rules are made to be broken. I’m for all white anytime. I’d like to see this outfit with different shoes, but otherwise it’s working for me. Love the voluminous trousers.
Really great outfit x
http://www.wild-cherrytree.com
These rules are not unlike some of Garance’s painful reflections regarding dating in NYC. Better to follow your heart in both cases and leave the rules and judgments behind. x
Magnifique :)
xo
http://stansmithwho.blogspot.fr/
Love it!!
xx
Stephanie
http://www.stephaniegille.blogspot.com
such a stylish all white look
http://hashtagliz.com
Totally agree and what a funny story! Love this beautiful look and this beautiful photo of Sabrina! xx
http://www.creativityandchocolate.com
Sabrina from afterDrk, you go girl…love her blog <3
http://emfashionfiles.com/
It’s got to do with light.Couleurs look differents depending on the light.Want to blend in in bright summer light=wear white.Want to blend inin dsrk winter light=not necessarily all black.But dark.Simple as that.
Great look, i love total white!
Kiss!
Passa a trovarmi VeryFP
White is always in-season :)
It was dont wear white SHOES after Labor Day. Winter white has always been cool with Mss Manners.
Wow, that’s such a beautiful outfit, I love the combination! <3
Have a good weekend!
xx Linnae at LinnaeDesign
that´s really amazing look!
http://sweetchillibyhana.blogspot.cz/
http://sweetchillibyhana.blogspot.cz/
white is fine…all seasons….the wide short pants never
Lovely shirt, and love the sunglasses!
http://www.taimemode-fashionblog.com
Giveaway LANVIN pochette on my blog :)
Peut être plus facile de ne pas salir une tenue toute blanche par une belle journée sèche et ensoleillée d’été ? Je ne sais pas, c’est vrai que plus le temps refroidi, plus les tenues s’assombrissent !
xx CarolineJ
http://www.sleevesandheels.net
J’aime beaucoup !
xo
http://stansmithwho.blogspot.fr/
She’s so cool!
http://www.MyFantabulousWorld.com
Ever since moving to Italy, the labor day rule never applies anymore (labor day here is in May)… so it is white all year round with no guilt :)
Love the mix of whites in this photo
See our new line of accessories coming soon:
http://www.officinadelpoggio.com
I think Sabrina looks stunning in her white and it was perfect look for the Indian summer weather we had. Perfect Street-style shot! with love from sojustnice.com
Social scripts have always made me laugh … just rock your style, no matter the time of year. Step #1: Buy a white parka an look at the fashion police get all worked up :P
La tenue est casual et passe partout j’aime beaucoup!
http://www.lecomptoirdelilou.com
Ah c’est ultra intéressant, je ne savais pas ! Moi j’adore le blanc, et ça, toute l’année ! Très joli look en tout cas :)
http://www.pardonmyobsession.com/
That’s why rules are written – to be broken, often by the same people who wrote them in the first place. White clothes have always been the prerogative of the aristocracy; wearing white (especially in winter months) is the real mark of ‘snobbery’ (just think what it costs to dry clean a coat!).
I like white in winter, but I limit it to one or two items at the most, easy to clean. Not just for the practicality (New York is a dirty city), but because it would make me feel way too self-conscious, and that I find uncomfortable. There are colours that go better with certain fabrics or seasons (think about aubergine in the fall or winter; one rarely wears that colour in the summer). Plus, there is something to be said about the old ritual of pulling out white jeans at the start of summer, and putting them back as we enter fall and winter; it makes us more aware of the changing of the season, and I value rituals, even small ones like that. I love clothes, but I don’t like the way the fashion industry flattens every aspect of our lives.
Sabrina is one of my favourite bloggers and total fashion icon!!! Love to see her here!!
I love total white looks and if I didn’t look like the Michelin man while wearing them, I would dress all white all the time!!!
xx,
E.
http://www.theslowpace.com
I wonder where you got your information from…. As a fashion historian I can tell you that white and silver where during the 18th and up to mid 19th century mainly upper class colours, because of they’re impracticalities. In a time when clothes were extremely expensive, being able to have white clothes meant you could afford having several garments to change and servants to clean them. I’m not so sure why these elite ladies were trying to distinguish themselves, considering they were, by wearing white, already very distinguished.
I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW THIS. Thank you.