So today is Labor Day; a day that we honor our workforce and celebrate the social and economic contributions that American workers have made to the prosperity and well-being of our country. The origins of Labor Day can be traced back to the late 1800’s to the labor movement. I think it’s one of the most celebrated holidays of the entire year next to Christmas, Thanksgiving and maybe the fourth of July. I can vividly recall that it is one of my mother’s favorite holidays. With her having been a member of the workforce for 20+ years I can certainly understand why. I can count on her to break out the BBQ grill and cook up a feast truly worthy of a king. In this case a queen. Like many others, she may even take off to the lake or park for the day to celebrate herself.

But here’s what baffles me about the holiday: that once the day concludes one is not expected to be seen wearing the color white until the following spring. Be seen wearing white after Labor Day and you are subject to be “ticketed” by the self-proclaimed fashion police and for sure have your photo taken and posted on every social networking site known to man in order that you be ridiculed into never committing such an infraction again…in life. The wearing of white shoes is a more serious offense and rather than just being cited you could actually be hauled off to fashion jail.

I won’t bore you with the details of why one is not expected to wear white after Labor Day as that is not the point of this post but just for kicks here is a piece I found on the net this morning that seems to explain it all.  The author does a good job of humoring us while explaining the whole no white after Labor Day thing.

But here is what I have to say about it: This blog is about living and enjoying your life! It’s about celebrating your fabulousness and your uniqueness and about accepting and luving yourself just the way you are. It’s about being who you are and it’s about being FREE. I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would conform to this (or any other) societal expectation that was created by someone(s) whom you or I have never met and who more-than-likely don’t give a darn about you. Do we have the need to fit in and be accepted so much that we would conform to societal standards that were not created with us in mind?

I say if you want to wear white, SNOW white, or whatever shade of white you like after Labor Day or any other damn day then wear it! As we always say around here you were not created to fit in, you were created to stand out! And I promise you that if you wear white after Labor Day you will definitely stand out because  most others will be conforming to the “rule.” But you? You will be to busy creating your legacy and leaving your mark on the world. And if part of your legacy is that you had the audacity to be seen wearing white after Labor Day then all the better because what you are actually saying is that “I am confident enough in who I am to not give a damn about your white rule!” So go ahead and strut your stuff wearing white and walk right past the fashion police (probably some of you friends) and dare them to say anything! But they probably won’t because they will be speechless with their mouths wide open in shock that you are actually defying societies white rule! #EMDF #JustBeYourself