If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “Can I wear these white jeans if it’s two weeks past Labor Day?” then you’re still paying attention to a centuries-old fashion rule.
Dictates about what people are allowed to wear started way back in the Middle Ages, with what were called sumptuary laws. Only certain materials, colors and styles could be worn by upper classes (purple and ermine for kings, wool for peasants — you get the picture).
Rulemaking around fashion choices continued well into the last century, when the fancy-pants types who “summered” in shoreside mansions decided that they were allowed to wear white to keep cool, but only during June, July and August. White not only signaled that the wearer was dressing for the season, but that they were rich enough to wear a color that would be soiled were a finger ever lifted (surprise, it wasn’t).
The more you dig into the origin of these rules, the sillier some of them begin to seem. They often seem to be more focused on avoiding censure than on dressing beautifully, comfortably or authentically, according to many of the stylists we interviewed. They told us about the few remaining rules that are still considered inviolable, and then they shared some tips for breaking reigning fashion dictates with a little common sense and a lot of flair.
A stylist who’s in favor of breaking these outdated rules, Alison Lumbatis, tells HuffPost: “Those rules were often rooted in fear and limitation, and I reject that kind of thinking now. Want to wear horizontal stripes? Do it. Love a head-to-toe denim look? Go full Canadian tuxedo. I think we’re finally realizing that flattering isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s about how you feel in your clothes, not whether you followed some outdated formula.”
Here’s the one big no-no stylists still agree on.
Brides wearing white is a tradition that began when Queen Victoria wore a white gown for her wedding in 1840, and the practice has lasted all these years. As the decades passed, it became accepted practice that only the bride is allowed to wear this color. With all the upheavals that have occurred in fashion since then, this one guideline still stands strong.
“I wouldn’t wear white to a wedding — it’s disrespectful to the bride,” said stylist Liz Lange.
Stylist Ann Marshik agreed: “I do still follow the rule of not wearing white as a wedding guest, because it’s still considered impolite. It’s a solid tradition to stick to because you don’t want to take away from the bride and wedding party.”
Stylists Avigail Collins and Damian Collins said the wedding-guest ban on white is easy to agree on. “We both grew up with all the classic fashion rules,” Avigail Collins said. “These days, we don’t follow any of them, except for wearing white at a wedding, which we would never do.”
Stylists weigh in on other wedding wear.
While the mandate against wearing white is still in force, stylists say your wardrobe options are pretty much wide open otherwise. “It’s OK to wear black at weddings, since this will always read as a dressy choice,” said stylist Sandra Veum. “An alternative to wearing black is to wear navy blue.”
Women have often felt that a wedding requires them to wear a dress and high heels, but stylist Nikki Steele says that’s no longer the case.
“Consider a great two-piece pantsuit, a jumpsuit or a beautiful blouse with pants or a skirt,” Steele suggested. “And try shoes that fit and feel comfortable — maybe heels, but maybe flats, platforms or fancy loafers.”
Are there still dress-code rules for funerals?
Black has been the color for mourning in Western society since as far back as the Romans, and it’s still considered the traditional choice. But be prepared to be flexible about what you wear; the family might ask for something else, whether they have a different cultural background or just want a specific vibe. “I’m seeing a trend with funerals where people are being asked to wear color instead of black, to celebrate someone’s life instead of mourning them in the traditional way,” Veum said.
And, unlike with weddings, there seems to be some wiggle room for funerals, stylist Blair Moore said, as long as it’s a dark color. “Funerals have also evolved, and black isn’t a must. I recommend subdued tones like navy, deep plum or charcoal gray, which are respectful but not restrictive,” she added.
Lange agreed: “I don’t believe in the old rule of wearing only black to funerals. After all, you don’t need to look like an Italian widow.”
Do seasonal rules about wearing white still apply?
Wearing white used to signal the start of the summer season, especially for the well-to-do. After returning to the cities at the end of the season, they decreed it was time for their servants to break out their dark and heavy fabrics for fall. In the United States, it became an easy rule to remember, thanks to two major holidays: Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, which began to be observed after the Civil War, and Labor Day, which became a federal holiday in 1894. These two dates provided easy bookends for the fashionable set to demarcate the summer season and the time when it was “allowed” for white to be worn.
But what if you aren’t an old-timey Newport Beach matron and you want to wear white one of the other nine months of the year? These stylists say “go girl.”
“I grew up in the South, where the rule was definitely ‘no white after Labor Day,’ but now I fully support winter whites,” Moore said. “Done right, it’s incredibly chic. Think of a white cashmere sweater or a structured white blazer paired with all black or classic denim.”
Steele also supports white throughout the year. “There are so many shades of white that look great on so many people, so why limit oneself to looking great to only certain times of the year? Wearing a beautiful pair of off-white wool pants and matching off white sweater is one of the most stylish winter looks a person could wear these days,” Steele noted.
“I teach my clients how to wear white year-round by ‘winterizing’ the look,” Veum said. “When it’s colder, wear white jeans with a gray sweater, jacket and boots. Add a winter white T-shirt with winter white trousers, a black-and- white plaid scarf, a long black coat and black boots. Or pair white trousers with a camel sweater, a houndstooth blazer and sneakers.”
Marshik endorses white denim for the fall and winter, suggesting, “Try a cream-color pant or denim. It’s a great way to wear an unexpected color and not be so bright.”
Are there still rules about denim?
The classic “Canadian tuxedo” is a denim-on-denim situation, usually a denim jacket or shirt paired with jeans. For those who are going all out, a “Texas tuxedo” moves the needle on fashion limits by adding accessories like cowboy boots, a bolo tie and a cowboy hat. Long an object of derision in fashion circles, this whirlwind of denim has actually won over several fashion icons and stylists.
“I’m a fan,” Moore said, suggesting a mix of light and dark washes, a belt to break up the denim, and the finishing touch of warm-toned accessories. “Matching the belt to the bag, for instance, will make the denim-on-denim look intentional,” she said.
Tracey Panek is a fashion historian and director of the Levi Strauss & Co. archives. She cited Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in 2001 at the American Music Awards as early “dressy denim” adopters. “Wearing denim to formal events is more common than ever now,” she said.
And she suggested the look may be on its way back. “I’ve seen fashion become increasingly casual and less rule-rigid over time,” she said. “Today’s fashion icons, from Beyoncé to Bella Hadid, for example, aren’t afraid to mix their blues and double their denim exposure in their own versions of the Canadian tuxedo.”
If it’s not a wedding or a funeral, let your freak flag fly.
With everything, including fashion, in such a state of flux, it can be hard to decide what to do.
“I think people are currently at a loss about what to wear,” Marshik said, noting many people still spend a lot of time in video calls as opposed to encountering fashion face to face as often. “I encourage finding some people whose style you admire, then see if you can interpret that look from what’s in your closet.”
“I think people today have more fashion freedom than ever,” said Panek. “My Gen Z son isn’t afraid to wear a pink sweatshirt, something my brother would never have worn 40 years ago.”
She added that some of her male colleagues at Levi’s purchase women’s styles at times, “and, for many women, wearing men’s jeans can feel empowering or rebellious — which is nothing new to longtime denim wearers.”
“The only rule we ever encourage is to wear what makes you feel powerful or connected to yourself,” said Damian Collins. “We wish more people dressed with joy and less with fear of getting it wrong. Fashion is meant to evolve with you and be fun. If it’s honest, it’s always in style.”