Wearing White...When and How to do it Right

Today I was wearing white slacks, a white & black short-sleeved neck-tied blouse, with white pointy toed pumps and a black blazer. My colleague said she doesn't  wear white because she didn't think it fit her. I disagreed. No one really knows the source of the Memorial Day to Labor Day rule for wearing white, but it does appear that us fashion conscious divas from the South adhere to these rules more strictly than other women in other parts of the country. But this is the 21st Century and we shouldn't dwell on old-fashioned rules, should we? 

 

Experts tell us if adhering to traditional fashion guidelines is important to you, then you should select the right shade of white that fits your needs. However, in today's quickly evolving style world, there's no true reason to adhere to these rules.

There was a time when people stuck to the rule that white clothing was only "permitted" between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Of course this was in the summertime when you attended picnics, barbeques and lived a general carefree way of life during the spring and summer months. This rule however, is as old as disco and beehive hairstyles, because the fashionable, especially young people who may wonder, "Why is white not okay to wear after Labor Day?" In my opinion it is okay to wear white any day of the week January to December if you choose the right color scheme. BUT! If you're a traditionalist or just like sticking to style guidelines, even if many believe them to be outdated, or if you're afraid of showing up in white to the wrong event, then you should follow these, "when to wear white" rules:

• Don't wear a white dress or anything else white to a wedding. The only woman in white should be the bride.
• 
  Wear off-white, cream or beige in cool weather. Winter white is O.K. too!
• If you're in warmer weather with 80 degree weather or a tropical environment, and even in winter months, you can pull off wearing white year round.
• Wear the right shoes. Wearing a white or cream colored spring/summer dress with black heavy pumps could be a disaster. Stick to a lighter tan or other light color shoe.
• Avoid white clothes in city environments and bustling cities where public transportation is a must, such riding the subway, buses, taxis, these modes of transportation usually come with dirty seats, leaving your white clothing stained.

Just remember that white is a cool and trendy color that you can wear throughout the year, and can be an unforgiving color if it is not put together properly. So get out there and try something new.