It’s Labor Day in the US, which means Summer vacation is over, the new school year is here, and Autumn is on the horizon. It has also traditionally marked the last day in the year of wearing white. When I started my wardrobe consulting business about fourteen years ago, I remember clients asking me what I thought of wearing white after Labor Day. I was awfully puzzled, and asked what on earth they were talking about? They explained to me that Labor Day was the first Monday of September and it’s good etiquette to stop wearing white until Memorial Day at the of end of the following May.

Sixteen years later and I’m getting my head around the two long weekends that bookend the long Summer school vacation in the US. But not wearing white outside of that time frame is still extremely foreign to me. As far as I’m concerned you can wear shades of white whenever you choose to.

These days I don’t think many people adhere much to this dated dressing rule. Most of my clients and friends wear a shade of white, and will wear it whenever it tickles their fancy. Many though, will wear shades of white more frequently during warm and hot weather.

Personally, I don’t think of white as a seasonal neutral. I’ve always worn it throughout the year, no matter where I’ve lived, because it’s one of my favourite colours. I wear white jeans, handbags, pearls and footwear throughout the year. I also wear knitwear, tops, jackets, outerwear, belts and scarves in shades of white and in the appropriate fabric throughout my four-season climate. I LOVE shades of white, and would miss the colour terribly.

Over to you. Do you wear shades of white throughout the year? Or is it a seasonal colour for your style.