Can I wear white after Labor Day? This is a common question heard every year at this time. For the fashion purists, the answer to this question is straightforward; no wearing white after Labor Day. I appreciate a rule but if you know me, I like to push a rule or two. The Labor Day purist likes to usher in the fall color palette with no ambiguity as to who deserves center stage. I applaud the enthusiasm for wearing fall colors from this perspective. After all the fall color palette of shades of copper, camel, deep maroons, and piney greens is  truly exciting to wear.

While this rule has kept us in line for decades, times-are-a-changing. By that I mean, climate has changed. When this rule was constructed, fall was a time of year when the weather began to show signs of cool, crisp temperatures beginning in early September. For the last several years I’ve worn tank tops through the end of October. Climate change has pushed cooler temperatures further back into our calendar, so it’s hard to put those lighter, cooler summertime clothes away. So what to do?  

You can wear clothes that aren’t white but are more neutral.

We all have the ‘khaki’ that is a perfect color for the sweltering temps we experience in  Sept-Oct. While lighter colors denote a summer vibe (pinks, peaches, light aqua), sand, wheat, taupe, mushroom, grayish beige, ash, are all colors that don’t read ‘summer time’ but are lighter.

Wear clothes that are a darker color but lighter in weight.

I know you own a few pairs of linen pants that are an olive drab, or black. This is an excellent time to wear linens and cottons from the brown-orange side of the color wheel, such as terra-cotta, paprika, rust or copper color. The purple family can also be pulled in as a way to wear slightly reddish tones, such as burgundy, merlot, deep berry colors. These are the fall colors we love without the weight of a heavier fabric.

Wearing white shoes is a big no. I think anyone that choses to wear white shoes (sneakers excluded of course) is outwardly hostile and simply disrespectful. I suggest sticking to the brown sandals and forgo the white or cream sandals. This gives a sense that you are welcoming fall while recognizing it’s still in the 90+ degrees Fahrenheit range.

Continue to wear the lighter colors but with added fall colors. There are pieces that one can wear that are a ‘true summer’ and ones that are considered to be transitional. What I mean is that there is a difference between stark white linen pants (true summer), and a cream blazer (transitional). White linen is weightless and white is THE signature summer color. A cream blazer is less quintessential summer, especially if you pair it with a signature fall color like a creamy caramel, rust or terra cotta.

Yes, you can wear white jeans in fall-BUT…  Wearing white jeans in fall can be done with ease, and respect for fall, if paired with a signature fall color. A word of caution here though if you are petite; wear a light suede taupe or wheat colored shoe to avoid looking shorter with a darker shoe against the white jeans. Also, consider using accessories like purses and shoes that say fall.

If you are a rule breaker like me, there are ways to transition from summer into fall without the abrupt NO to white or cream colors….unless you are a purist.