I suppose I should have posted this lovely cover last month, but to be honest I’m not sure where August went. It certainly was a fast-moving month. And even though this is a beautiful summer frock, why can’t one wear it in September?
The truth is, I no longer care about the idea of changing clothes with the changing seasons. I’ve known for a long time that I was moving toward a year-round wardrobe, but when I went to pull out a light sweater from my off-season storage, I opened the trunk to find it practically empty except for one Pendleton plaid shirt bought on clearance at the outlet this spring and woolen gloves, hats and scarves. All my sweaters were already in my closet.
It helps that I wear the same colors – blue, white, black, red – pretty much all the year. For winter I add plaid and cashmere. For summer it is shorts and sandals. Of course it helps that I lead a very casual lifestyle where work clothes are not required.
And even though it is after Labor Day, my white jeans are still in my closet, and will remain there indefinitely.
The Vintage Traveler 
Liz…you just go ahead and wear those white pants just as long as you want to. I, for one… will follow your lead, because I agree with you.
Who started that rule, anyway? Do you know when it started?
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Marge, I’m glad you are with me! I have no idea how or when this got started, but it really is time for it to end.
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From across the pond it seems utterly bizarre that a date should dictate a colour! Go the rebellion! Love the drop waist in the picture..naturally bang on trend.. xxx
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So, are there no arbitrary season styles rules in the UK?
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A result of the idiosyncratic weather in Belgium is that a storage trunk is totaly useless… It takes some getting used to, but once there, one just accepts that rather than changing clothes with the seasons, more often than not, we change on day to day basis…
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That’s interesting. So is the climate in Belgium similar to that of Britain?
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Yes we share a moody climate (at least with the southern parts of Britain), but I think in Belgium it’s even moodier… and that’s were the similarities end, I’m afraid. Talking about fashion sense, we couldn’t be more different! But who could compare to the Brits? They are a class of own! 🙂
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Where I live in Seattle, the climate is so temperate that a light merlino wool can work in summer and cotton is good all year round. Personally I am beyond shorts at any time and prefer a tea length A line skirt for coolness and ease. On the other hand, I do appreciate the aspect of seasonal change of fall to winter that supports darker colors of russet and forest green, rich fabrics such as velvet and wool, and the coziness of jackets and sweaters.. By March, I love to anticipate the warmth by looking to light colors and linens and gauze. I don’t believe in arbitrary rules but I do enjoy the ceremony of change.
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I love the change as well, especially in the fall when the cozy sweaters come out.
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I still switch with the seasons but have black for ALL seasons readily accessible!
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I love black all year as well. It just looks so great with white.
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ME TOO !!
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I wore a (mostly) white dress last night. It’s one of my lightest dresses, and it was really hot and muggy here yesterday. And you know what? I love the print on it, and can totally see myself wearing it again in the autumn with tights and a sweater! Rules, schmools.
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You rebel!
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I need to do some more research on the changing meaning of white clothes. Old American etiquette books from the early twentieth century associate white with summer leisure wear–the kind of thing that you would have at the shore–and warned that wearing white “in town” was a fashion faux pas of the highest order.
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Lynn, that would be a very interesting topic to get into.
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Today would be my Father’s 111th birthday so you can imagine when his Mother was born. She always told me, “It just isn’t done, dear.” I know it originated prior to 1880.
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I love your grandmother’s explanation!
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