Summer clothes after Labor Day?

[nicksull]

It's the weather not the date! The end of summer is a rather amorphous thing at best -- when does it end in the Northern Hemisphere: the end of August, when students return to school (and more and more schools and colleges are beginning prior to September) ? Labor Day weekend? September 11? The autumnal equinox? When Daylight Savings Time ends? Clothing should fit the occasion -- and the climate -- not merely the calendar. That said, many of us do engage in seasonal rituals of putting away one's season's clothing and taking out the next. If your time for doing this is Labor Day, so be it. But for many, the transition spreads out over a longer period of time, making a gradual shift from summerwear to autumn clothing. Often this means dispensing with the most summer-related pieces of attire first while maintaining lighter weight but less informal or colourful garments to accomodate the still warm days ahead.

Total common sense. Bravo. The irony being that, such is the ever early retail delivery season, the next month is about the best time to buy a top coat.

[medwards]

Don't worry. As soon as the first leaf falls, they will begin selling pink and powder blue "cruise wear."

BTW, I did note that Neiman Marcus' store at Tysons Galleria has already begun displaying selling its Christmas ornaments.

[medwards]

The irony being that, such is the ever early retail delivery season, the next month is about the best time to buy a top coat.

I guess I really shouldn't smile at this. For the most part, my own orders for this fall (and even some winter wear) were actually placed a long time ago

[Will]

I am definitely conflicted by the after Labor Day dress code. Here in the Bay area we're entering the warmest time of year. While I may not wear as much white as I did in July, and I can't bring myself to wear a Panama any longer, I wear summer clothing when the sun is shining and temperature warrants.

[forsbergacct2000]

Except for really obvious stuff like white shoes, or really bright ties, I just wear what is temperature-appropriate.

[jlmwrite]

Back home, I'd have packed away the obvious summer clothes (ie, light-colored linen, seersucker, etc).

But here in Colorado where people just stare at me when I wear seersucker, I'm not sure it matters...

[vwguy]

I packed away my GTH pants today, the seersuckers will get one final wear today then they're gone until next year.

Brian

[rip]

It's the weather not the date! The end of summer is a rather amorphous thing at best -- when does it end in the Northern Hemisphere: the end of August, when students return to school (and more and more schools and colleges are beginning prior to September) ? Labor Day weekend? September 11? The autumnal equinox? When Daylight Savings Time ends? Clothing should fit the occasion -- and the climate -- not merely the calendar. That said, many of us do engage in seasonal rituals of putting away one's season's clothing and taking out the next. If your time for doing this is Labor Day, so be it. But for many, the transition spreads out over a longer period of time, making a gradual shift from summerwear to autumn clothing. Often this means dispensing with the most summer-related pieces of attire first while maintaining lighter weight but less informal or colourful garments to accomodate the still warm days ahead.

I believe those who cling rigorously to the "seasonal ritual" of taking out the fall clothing just because it's the day after Labor Day should be forced to wear them, particularly when it's still 90 degrees.

[comrade]

I live in Northern CA but that doesn't mean that, except for
higher elevations, the term "winter" denotes weather in
the 50s F. Where I live, near San Francisco, it rarely goes much
above 85F. For me, determining when summer ends is purely
practical: when do I take my woolens out of moth balls?
Aside from a tropical weight blazer or two, and some lighter-
weight wool/silk, wool/linen blend jackets, as well as a few
cotton or silk sweaters, everything is in storage ( in my
garage) until it gets cooler- usually around the end of September.

[Frank aka The Minotaur]

About the only distinction in my clothing for seasons is fabric and cut. That is, long or short sleeve; shorts or long pants. I generally put away my short sleeve polos when the weather turns consistently cooler, and bring out the long sleeve wool tops (sweaters, polos, etc.). I don't own any white shoes or pants or belts; no seersucker or linen. Most everything I own is some weight of cotton or wool. So the temperature pretty much dictates what I wear, when.

Shorts are always left hanging on pants hangers in the closet, along with all my collared shirts, long or short sleeve. I just make the decision to wear one or the other depending on the weather. I generally don't wear short sleeve shirts in the winter... just habit.

[JLibourel]

As far as I am concerned, the "Labor Day" rule is completely fatuous and inapplicable in Southern California, where I live. We can often experience some of our hottest weather in October and early November, and I will dress in my summery togs until then.

After that (roughly mid-November), the specifically summer items like the seersucker and white pants, my tan linen-blend jacket, the white bucks and spectators and such, will enjoy a period of repose until the warmer season kicks back in, which it often doesn't until early or mid-July. We will get blasts of unseasonably warm weather at other times of the year. In recent years, I have made sure that my summer-weight jackets will not look foolish or out of place when worn year-round, and they will most certainly be worn at these times of unseasonable heat.

[burnedandfrozen]

I agree that the temp. should be the first consideration. Yes, CA is in a brutal heat wave now especially in SoCal. I will probably continue to wear linen and my spectators throughout Sept. and even into Oct until the temps drop back to normal.

[Mr. H]

Here in Missouri, where the temperatures can remain in the upper 80's into mid October, it's simply impractical to make a wholesale switch into autumn-weight clothes immediately after Labor Day. Fortunately I have a sufficient supply of lighter weight shirts and slacks in beiges, browns and other autumnal colors which I wear during these "transitional" weeks prior to the arrival of cooler temps. The white bucks, Nantucket reds, seersucker, linen and madras slacks, madras and linen shirts move to the less accessible spot in the closet and out come the brown bucks, the dirty bucks, the brown and tan houndstooth checked slacks, olive and brown gabs, brown twill slacks, chambrays, etc. I also shelve the Armani cologne and pull out the RL Safari - my favorite fall scent.

[BlueParrot]

It's best to have a few transitional items for late August into early October----very dark colors like charcoal or navy in very light tropical wools or fresco. Stay away from light colors and linen or seersucker.

[Tonyp]

In So. Cal. It is still hot. LA is a city w/o a dress code. Wear what is comfortable and looks good. Linen is fine anytime weather dictates. Shorts almost anytime the weather reaches 75.

[TMMKC]

We are heading to Las Vegas for a long weekend in two weeks to celebrate my wife's 40th birthday (she haunts The Forum Shops, I hover over craps tables, we both make pests of ourselves in the Fashion Mall).

I have every intention of packing hot weather clothing, even though we'll still technically be in the shank of summer. The seersucker and white bucks have, however, gone into hibernation...some rules aren't made to be broken!

[Artisan Fan]

I agree with Matt, summer clothes are fine if the temperatures require it. Still 90 degree highs here in Atlanta.

[clothesboy]

I live in upstate N.Y. which is hardly a warm weather destination. This weekend the tempurature will be in the high 80's. Although I have retired my white shoes and pants it would be foolish to eschew linens and bright ties while enjoying such weather.

[Dogtooth]

Reading this thread thinking "What on earth are those Americans on about".

1 What is Labor day (We would spell it Labour any way).

2 Again who on earth would worry about a date on a calender, compared to what is actually happening in the real world outside their door. If it's warm, don't wear an overcoat just because a calender says it's winter.

3 Who on earth would call mid January summer?

The penny eventually dropped



Bob

[Preu Pummel]

Reading this thread thinking "What on earth are those Americans on about".

1 What is Labor day (We would spell it Labour any way).

2 Again who on earth would worry about a date on a calender, compared to what is actually happening in the real world outside their door. If it's warm, don't wear an overcoat just because a calender says it's winter.

We, in America, define "summer season" between two holidays--Memorial Day and Labor Day. We spell it without the U because Cruiser gets mad when we spell it your way. :P

1. Mem is at the very end of May and Lab is at the very beginning of September. Notorious holidays for people to rush to beaches, parks, and other public areas, in order to drop a lot of trash on the ground and mull about in a daze. Somehow the days in between have been sartorially labeled as the days to wear lighter clothes, and the days outside of that time are for heavier and darker fashions.

2. I agree, but culturally it gets you sneers. In mid-October I wore a seersucker suit on an 82ºF (28ºC) day and it got jeers from some who claimed it was too late in the year for such a suit... which was ridiculous as they were sweating rivers in crummy cotton sacks with draw strings or wearing t-shirts and getting sun burn. (It also got some good compliments.)