The History (and End?) of White-clothing Seasons | Bernina Sew N' Quilt Studio

We’ve all heard we aren’t supposed to wear white between Labor Day and Memorial Day, but have you ever wondered why summer is the only acceptable time for white fashion? It turns out there isn’t one definite answer and there’s a lot of rebellion against the “rule” right now.

One possible origin of the tradition dates to the early part of the last century. It turns out there’s nothing new under the sun; people were judged by their wardrobes as much then as they are now. In those days, wealthy women wore cooler white during the summer months only and switched to colored fabrics when the sun wasn’t so hot.

The trend became so widespread that fashion magazines of the day wrote about it, pushing it more into the collective consciousness.

Other theories revolve around the weather, though they seem a little more flimsy than the first. For instance, some people assert fashion designers, mostly based in New York City, didn’t use white cloth in winter fashions because it was harder to keep clean when traipsing through city sidewalks covered with dirty snow.

The other weather-centric theory points to the wetter months of winter and spring as argument against white, undergarments can show through white fabric dampened by rain and snow.

The End of a Fashion Rule?

Regardless of how it started, it’s possible this fashion rule’s days are numbered. There have always been rebels, including designer Coco Chanel, who defiantly wore white year-round.

The suffragettes who rebelled against societal norms at the same time the rules about white clothes were being set also made white a color of their movement, and that has been echoed many times in recent years by female politicians.

Beyond that, plenty of celebrities are making white the fashion of all seasons, and designers are even bucking the rule. So, stick to the rule or don’t, you’ll have good company either way.

For all the equipment, patterns and support you need to craft a year-round wardrobe, trust Bernina Sew N’ Quilt Studio of Chattanooga.