It’s here already. The official end of summer. What does that mean to me? To my friends? To women everywhere?
Put them all away. I regret to remind you, but you know what I mean. The white pants, white skirts and white handbags. It’s a law. Women may not wear white anythings from this Labor Day until after next Memorial Day. I think the real meaning of Labor Day is for someone to tell us what we may or not wear. 
No one says, “Happy Labor Day,” “Merry Labor Day,” Or “Have a holly, jolly Labor Day.” No one expects parades, fireworks or the World Series. But it’s a holiday and it has rules.
Now that we all look properly, unsummerly drab, the next thing we have to deal with are the curious, nosy or interested people who, to a person, ask, “How was your summer?”
I am tempted to say, “The same as winter, but hotter.” Or perhaps, “A lot like winter but with fewer clothes.” Have I missed the cue to rave about my fascinating trip to the Talahatchee Bridge? To brag about my reserved spot on the shuttle to Mars? To reminisce about learning to pickle a herring in Sweden?
What if I said, “It was too hot to go outside very much, to humid to get comfortable, Too buggy to remain unscathed by mosquitoes. The garden looks abysmal because the plants took a strong disliking to the heat and drought. The petunias drooped by the Fourth of July, my prize David Austin Roses refused to bloom and our tomato plants forgot about yielding. I think I spent as much time indoors this summer as I do in the cold, wet weather of February.
But it doesn’t matter what I say or how I answer the question. It always seems to me, that after I answer, the other person can talk about how wonderful THEIR summer was.
As the months move ahead I can barely contain myself with the excitement of welcoming in the colors that I choose to wear. I will be shopping for all the “winter white” I can find!
MorristownMemos 
Comments on: "END OF SUMMER BLUES" (21)
What a superb post ! truth is, I continue to wear whites in the winter as well ! North America (in my humble view) is quite drab and dull in the winters, unlike Europe where people wear bright clothes, guess I am one of those who would become quite miserable in the usual winter colours in Canada, I keep my spirits up by reds, baby blue and pinks !
Loved the post, my friend !
In an old article from Time magazine, the author had this to say about the origin of wearing white after Labor Day:
“. . .the origin of the no-white-after–Labor Day rule may be symbolic. In the early 20th century, white was the uniform of choice for Americans well-to-do enough to decamp from their city digs to warmer climes for months at a time: light summer clothing provided a pleasing contrast to drabber urban life. “If you look at any photograph of any city in America in the 1930s, you’ll see people in dark clothes,” says Scheips, many scurrying to their jobs. By contrast, he adds, the white linen suits and Panama hats at snooty resorts were ‘a look of leisure.’ Labor Day, celebrated in the U.S. on the first Monday of September, marked the traditional end of summer; the well-heeled vacationers would stow their summer duds and dust off their heavier, darker-colored fall clothing. “There used to be a much clearer sense of re-entry,” says Steele. “You’re back in the city, back at school, back doing whatever you’re doing in the fall — and so you have a new wardrobe.”
I say, if you like “white after Labor Day,” go for it!
P.S. L’Shana Tova!
Eleanor, how interesting. Aha: so it’s folks like you and your other well-heeled vacationers that made it stick.
OK: Enough kidding around, thanks for your historic explanation for this rule. And L’Shana Tova to you, too.
i still do not understand this rule.. so american.. so sweet and so easy to IGNORE! i am all for the plaid and polka dot and WHITE or even, god forbid, pale blue.. but thats ok.. you and i know we are women.. we WRITE the rules!! c (or lack of them!!).. cc
I love the sentiment that we write the rules as women! Hooray for your New Zealand ideas!
Let’s start a plaid/polka dot fashion statement!
Great post, spot on target. I never know what to wear no matter what season it is, so . . . .
Really enjoyed your style.
As the months move ahead I can barely contain myself with the excitement of welcoming in the colors that I choose to wear. I will be shopping for all the “winter white” I can find!
I think each season has its pros and cons. Those days of high heat and humidity in the summer cause just as much cabin fever for me as snow days. I will miss the flowers and my hammock when summer is over, but I won’t miss constantly scratching my endless supply of mosquito bites.
And I won’t miss the tick searches or the poison ivy.
But I will miss walking outside without first having to put on a coat, scarf and gloves. Summer is so free!
Ronnie, your comments about wearing white being verboten after Labor Day made me chuckle. As I recall, that was one of the offenses that drove Kathleen Turner to murder a neighbor in the movie, “Serial Mom.” Like you, I love winter white and will wear it cheerfully until Spring beckons me to wear Spring white.
I don’t remember that Kathleen Turner movie; but it sounds pretty drastic to commit murder over the issue of wearing white after Labor Day. I will know you if I see you by your white or winter white clothes…
Funny post, Ronnie! And of course, I won’t forget the Jewish “Law” of wearing white to High Holiday services!
If that’s true, the exception proves the rule!
Good point!
I often wondered who made up that rule about not wearing white after Labor Day–I think it was just the fashion industry in cahoots with department stores to make us buy new things in the fall. But I do like Sept and Oct usually–although so far this month has been very wet and windy–making up for the lovely weather we had in July and August I suppose. I’m still at my cottage, though–am nothing if not stubborn! But I do have a hoodie on tonight and the electric fireplace going, so maybe I’m not as tough as I pretend to be.
Oh well, here’s to fall and the lovely colors of the maple trees in my little corner of the world.
You sound adorably snug, cuddly and warm i your hoodie in front of the fireplace in your little cottage.
Enjoy the colors of the Maple trees, as you watch them change. It sounds beautiful there.
It was funny to read this post, because just this morning I lamented over the fact that I didn’t wear my white capris once. And now it’s too late. At least in Ohio. 🙂
I’ve got the perfect solution for you: a Caribbean cruise! It’s always summer there…
Too bad I just returned from one last month. 🙂
Winter white! I see! 🙂 Seasons come and go so that everyones favorite reaches them. Variety is the spice of life. Your colourful days are ahead, approach them with hope and excitement! Lovely post! 🙂
Great advice: maybe I’ll put the colors together and go for the plaid, stripe and polka dot combination look!