How to wear white all year round beyond Labour Day – like Andrew Garfield and Lily Collins
Gone are the days of ‘no wearing white after Labour Day’ – here’s how you can wear the versatile colour like Bella Hadid
If “no wearing white after Labour Day” sounds exclusionary, arbitrary and even a tad elitist, that’s probably because it is. Historically, the fashion faux pas was a marker of social class rather than style. As the story goes, white-clad upper-class families used to take off to their countryside holiday homes for the Labour Day holiday weekend in the US. It was only the working class – who rarely wore white after the summer – who stayed behind in the cities, meaning white would rarely be seen.
These days, however, outdated rules have largely been discarded with the democratisation of fashion over the decades. Still, we’re not immune from emulating celebrities in our style – and sometimes, that actually means wearing white all year round. Here are six ways to sport the colour going into the colder months.
Prep for all seasons
Lean into the trend by loosely slinging a white cardigan over your shoulders or throwing on a jumper over your white turtleneck or button-down – the perfect way to incorporate a dash of white into your look without going overboard.
Fall back on the basics
Mix and match
What’s most convenient about wearing white is that the colour can make even the most intimidating of textures and textiles seem somewhat less fussy. A great way to add contrast to an otherwise monochrome look would be to pair a white silk or satin blouse with a white cashmere knit skirt. You could also wear a cosy white jumper over a pair of white denim trousers, or layer sheer white organza over your outfit.