White after Labor Day? Seersucker in September? Please, don’t make me hurt you….

With just a few weeks left until Labor Day, I find myself wearing all of my summer clothes as much as I can before it’s time to store them away, in fact my co-workers have deemed me “her brightness,” a title I will hold at least for another week or two. There’s a constant debate about wearing white after Labor Day – and whether the rule is old or still applies. IT DOES.

 Where did the rule actually come from? Originally it was supposed to be no wearing of white shoes after Labor Day or before Memorial Day, although Easter is what is practiced.  It seems to be a bit unclear, but it appears as if it started back in the late 19^th century until the 1950’s, when many more people began to enter the middle class. They didn’t know the standards, so they were given rules in order to fit in and appear classy and well kept.

 Many think the rule originated in the south, where the American fashion standard was a little higher than the rest of America. I find this a little funny, b/c the south is so much hotter longer into the year, so you would think we would want to wear all the lightweight summer clothes for as long as we can. But here in the south, it seems to be something we follow religiously. It’s how we were raised. There was no arguing, or even questioning why – it was just something that simply was not done. It would be ‘uncouth’ and ‘tacky’ – two things any good southerner would not want to be labeled.

 As time moves on, the controversy around this argument heats up. Oprah said you can, so now that means it’s set in stone, and has become the new golden rule, right? Well I beg to differ. You can open up any fashion magazine and you’ll get mixed reviews, but here in the south we follow the old rule and so ladies – it’s about that time.

 Not quite sure of what all goes? Well, let me help you.

 Clothes:

White from the waist down, shirts are ok, depending on material. Pack all linen, seersucker (many state you can’t wear this after July 4^th, but I give it to Labor Day), Eyelet, Gauze, Madras, Gingham, Strapless sundresses, ultra bright or pastel colors – or anything that makes you look like an Easter egg.

 Shoes:

Pack up the whites, the gladiator sandals, the flip flops should go too, but that one is hard for me, anything made out of materials I just mentioned, or in super summer designs, such as espadrilles (which I think should have never been invented) or boat shoes.

 Accessories:

No white belts or purses. Pack up your straw hats and bags, anything that has rope detail, ribbons, or cork.

 The point is this – even though it may be hot as hell in September, it’s starting the fall season…..many of your clothes can transition for a few more weeks, such as capri’s or open toed shoes, but the super summery stuff needs to go up – simply b/c it’s not summer anymore. You wouldn’t wear a wool turtleneck sweater in July even if it was cool, so don’t wear a white linen dress just because it’s hot. Dress for the season, not the weather. Hey….I realize it might suck, but deal with it. Fashion isn’t always supposed to be comfortable. So, as much as it pains me to say this….get ready, b/c in just a few weeks,  it’ll be time to send most of our Lilly into the storage closet…. I know it’s hard, but you can do it. Please, don’t let me down…..

More on this label whore

I recently wrote about how I am a total obsessed crazy person about expensive items. And how can I be such a label whore, when I despise shopping? Don’t the two go hand in hand? I hate to shop because to me it’s depressing. I hate clothes shopping b/c every time I go, I wear a different size. And while yes, I know I’m not a porker, I still have my own issues and until I look like Giselle Bundchen and have Tom Brady on my arm, I always will. The point is that I hate to shop. I don’t mind looking and I love what they have put together in the windows, but when it comes time to trying on and purchasing – nuh uh, I don’t have a death wish.

But yet, I’m still obsessed with fashion. I must subscribe to 12 different magazines. I get so excited when I see them pile up in the mailbox. I rip the plastic covering off Vogue magazine faster than the crack-whores cash their welfare checks. I study each page, looking at the new designs, and how each designer interprets their style into something different. I make mental notes of what I like and what I don’t like. I’m not usually one to follow the big fashion trend each season, I usually stick to my simple, preppy style, but I do like to throw some fun into the mix from time to time.

Where did this all start? It’s only been the past few years that I’ve gotten so bad. Let’s take a look back. My first designer item. Spring of 2000, Versace strapless pink dress. I adored this dress and treated it like it was gold. A year or so later, the next item was a Coach signature small suitcase. Then the khaki hobo purse, then the black one, then another Versace hot pink one shouldered dress. This is the beginning of the end for me…..time passes and a bag will show up from time to time, some sunglasses here and there….but before long, this will all become a distant memory of my entry into shallowness…..

On to the shoes. I guess it started when I no longer wore a size 4 dress that I became shoe obsessed. I mean, I always liked shoes and thrived on having a nice collection – but probably the closest thing you’d see to a designer is BCBG. And I’m sure back then, I thought $75 was high for them. I actually remember paying that for a pair of BCBG zebra sling backs, that I pitched a fit for, but decided that since I just landed a new job, I deserved a prize. But 75 is chump change to what I will soon come to spend on shoes.

My first pair of designer shoes. Fall of 2005. Manolo Blahnik Kusino pump in black. These shoes were hot. Black calf leather, fur, clear pvc panels, 3 ½ inch heels. Classic, but sexy and I can wear with everything. I love, love, love them. So I spend 475 dollars of my own working girl money on these shoes. This is my first real designer purchase with real money that I had actually worked for. It’s all downhill from there. The following April, my friend (just happens to be the same one who went to Bob Ellis with me last month) and I walk into Bob Ellis before a wedding in Charleston. There….I spot them. Khaki linen Christian Louboutin sling backs with the signature red sole. I had just gotten my tax money back and decided it was time for me to have a present. A $511 dollar present that is.

It continues from here and just gets worse and worse to this day – the simple fact that I actually took a moment to think about a pair of shoes that cost 1620 dollars is insane. Seriously – I knew I couldn’t buy them, but for a brief moment in time, the thought crossed my mind. Please, someone fill out my application for Promises….I need to be committed – I have a problem with retail therapy.

The obsession has carried over to many items by now – shoes, jewelry, bags, glasses, beauty products, the occasional clothing item – I actually bought a pair of ‘7 for all mankind’ jeans, and for people who know me that is comical. I hate jeans, and these don’t even fit and they look terrible on me, and I’ve had them since 2006 and they’ve never been worn, but at the time, they were popular. A few months ago, I was even told I looked pregnant in this shirt and I looked at her and said “honey do who KNOW who makes this shirt?” Like b/c it was made by DVF I could never look pregnant. Whatever, she had on a tacky Target dress and shoes, so she could kiss my pregnant ass for all I was concerned.

While it sounds like I have no restraint when it comes to designer items, I do love a sale. I recently bought a pair of Christian Louboutin suede brown ankle booties for 210 bucks, originally 1095. Talk about a deal!!! So – while I may be a total label whore, I try for a bargain. And the thing that is probably the funniest of them all – is the fact that I will spend X amount of money on a pair of Manolo Blahnik silver d’orsay pumps, but I spend most of my time in a pair of 2.99 Old Navy flip flops….

People ask me why shoes, and probably more importantly WHY in general?? My shoe size doesn’t change like my clothes size, and I have a small foot so they look cute in shoes. I realize that none of my friends will ever know or care what designer brand shoe I have on, and I don’t walk around flashing – ‘hey guys, look at these new Prada’s’ – but the bottom line is this. When I put on a pair of those shoes, it makes ME feel good. They make me happy and that’s all that matters.

Most of my friends make fun of me, my family thinks I am absolutely crazy, but I don’t care. I am single, I don’t have a car payment, and I don’t have student loans, so other than the normal house payment and utilities, I’m relatively debt free. I was raised in the type of family that you only buy what you can afford to spend. In the great scheme of things, it’s just money – and while it would be nice to have lots of it – it’s also fun to have nice things.

Now, about that Promises application, has anyone seen my Montblanc? Fine whatever….hand me the Bic.