On Trend: Winter white

I’ll be the first to remind anyone that white after Labor Day is strictly prohibited. Put your white shoes, eyelet dresses and white cotton tank tops in the back of the closet until April. I mean it! However, rules are meant to be broken, at least a little bit right? That’s where winter white comes in.

There are ways to wear white without resorting back to your summer wardrobe. It’s all in the fabric. Stay away from linen, thin cotton and eyelet, but look for wool, cashmere, tweed, silk, leather, fur and in rare cases, lace. Do you see the difference? It’s about fabrics that keep you warm vs. fabrics that keep you cool.

Another factor that differentiates summer and winter whites is the shade of the color. In the spring and summer months, clothing is a crisp, stark white while in the fall and winter months, white has more of a cream tint. Think about the colors you see in stores right now—earth tones are in style and whites are more subdued.

White jeans—if you ask me, I would say it depends on how you style it. Match it with a fur vest and boots. But, wedges and a top, I am not so sure; it kind of takes the “winter” out of winter white.

Here are a few pieces to get you started: Fur vests from Dillard’s or Vertage, sweaters from Forever 21 or Urban Outfitters, pants from Nordstrom or Forever 21, and dresses from Target or Anthropologie.

What are your thoughts on wearing white post Labor Day?