Summer clothes after Labor Day?

Labor Day's behind us but the weather is still warm or even hot. Do you put on your summer whites? Or do you dress in fall colors but lighten up (in weight if not in color)?

Is it really a no-no to wear white and summer gear after Labor day?

I don't really consider summer over until the temperature begins to stay consistently cooler. Sure, I'm not going to pull out my seersucker if there's a random hot day in January, but the Labor Day rule is pretty silly.

Originally Posted by hchamp

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Labor Day's behind us but the weather is still warm or even hot. Do you put on your summer whites? Or do you dress in fall colors but lighten up (in weight if not in color)?

Is it really a no-no to wear white and summer gear after Labor day?
IIRC, you live in San Francisco. Here it would be impossible to live by the standard seasonal dictats as our summer is really just starting. I prefer to wear whatever I want to and not worry about individual dates.

Originally Posted by iammatt

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IIRC, you live in San Francisco. Here it would be impossible to live by the standard seasonal dictats as our summer is really just starting.

I prefer to wear whatever I want to and not worry about individual dates.

same with seattle, we have similar weather conditions

I'm in montreal, leaves are starting to fall, and I wore white pants twice this week. Until we consistently have fall weather, I'm perfectly willing to wear summer clothes, especially white pants since i'll have to put them away when fall comes and that always makes me sad.

F*ck those stupid rules! If there are rules that really need to get disregarded, the "season" rules (especially the ones that include the words "Labor" and "Day") should be the first ones in the garbage can.

If it's hot, wear light clothing. If you like white, wear white - before and after Labor Day

If it's freezing in July, then wear a sweater and/or a coat.

Dress according to the weather, not some calendar dates

I'm largely guided by the temperature / weather but the calendar also plays into it.

IMO, linen pants, for instance, can be worn well into the fall. As a general rule, I like lighter colors so I wear those year round.

But for something like a full seersucker suit, I think that it works best when you're on the right side of both the weather and calendar. But items like that are few and far between.

Originally Posted by Cantabrigian

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I'm largely guided by the temperature / weather but the calendar also plays into it.

IMO, linen pants, for instance, can be worn well into the fall. As a general rule, I like lighter colors so I wear those year round.

But for something like a full seersucker suit, I think that it works best when you're on the right side of both the weather and calendar. But items like that are few and far between.

I agree about seersucker - it just doesn't seem right after Labor Day. Nor do white bucks. I would also add linen to my list. Its wrinkled texture says leisure and summer to me, and just doesn't work once summer is over. To each his own.

My understanding is that this rule arose in the American northeast where the leaves begin to change color in late August. I think it makes sense there because it really does look odd to be wearing summer colors when the natural environment around you is screaming fall. If you live in places where autumn starts later, then I can see how summer clothes can be worn after Labor Day.

As for comfort, I think this really depends on how warm it gets. In the Bay Area, for example, you very seldom get days over 85F. You can comfortably wear lighter fall clothing and still feel cool. I'm not in the Bay Area anymore, but yesterday the thermometer here reached 80F. I wore cord jeans (in charcoal) and a long-sleeve tattersall shirt (in blue and with sleeves rolled up), and I was no worse for wear. Today's supposed to be warmer, so I'll make a concession to comfort and wear a polo shirt, but it'll be in a medium French blue color, and I'll pair it with dark jeans.

I think you can follow this rule, and still stay cool.

I generally go by the weather too, but I agree that some things are just too summery no matter what the weather. Seersucker and white bucks top that list.

Originally Posted by Manton

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I generally go by the calendar too, but I agree that some things are just too summery no matter what the weather. Seersucker and white bucks top that list.
In that vein, would you wear a flannel DB suit in San Francisco in July if the weather called for it (which it usually does)? I can't think of anything that is as wintry as some things are summery.

Originally Posted by iammatt

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In that vein, would you wear a flannel DB suit in San Francisco in July if the weather called for it (which it usually does)? I can't think of anything that is as wintry as some things are summery.

I could do this and not even violate the cannon, as lightweight flannel was a classic summer suit. I would wear (say) an 11 ounce dove gray or cream flannel in SF in July. Should be warm enough.

Originally Posted by Manton

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I could do this and not even violate the cannon, as lightweight flannel was a classic summer suit. I would wear (say) an 11 ounce dove gray or cream flannel in SF in July. Should be warm enough.
Who makes a nice cream flannel?

Originally Posted by iammatt

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Who makes a nice cream flannel?

Don't know. I have a lovely dove gray waiting to be made up. I can't recall seeing cream in any of the current books, though it may be in H&S (that's the one I remember the least well).

I wear suede in the summer, white/pink/orange in the winter. You have to be pretty anal to stop wearing an item because of a day in the calender. It feels like it's 100 degrees here in NY today so I'm wearing summer clothes after Labor Day

I used to wear suede shoes in the summer without hesitation. I don't think I did this summer. Then I wore some the day after Labor day. Getting more orthodox (anal?) as I get older.