What is the "season" for straw purses?

[Dee*Jay]

I just got an adorable straw shopper with black leather trim (can you say lunchtime impulse purchase?

) and I know that it''s too early to use it now, but when CAN I use it? It is like white; Memorial Day to Labor Day? Or something else?

 

[diamondfan]

Definitely spring and summer! It can be a great look!

 

[monarch64]

My rule is if it is warm enough for open-toed shoes, it''s time to break out the straw, linen, etc. in spring. Mid-September to early October when I start itching to wear fall colors and whatever new shoes I buy for fall it''s time to put away the straw!

I really don''t follow the Memorial Day to Labor Day rule...much too restricting, lol.

 

[dtnyc]

I think that the straw can come out after Easter/Passover.

I am a tad Southern so I don''t like to wear my Lilly dresses much before Memorial Day or much after Labor day.
The whole white thing is tricky- it really depends on the "type" of white.

 

[poptart]

Why is there a white clothing rule anyway? I've never understood it. Anyone know?

*M*

ETA: DeeJay, that sounds like a summer purse to me!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Thanks all for weighting in. And sorry if I was not clear--I definitely think of this as a summer purse (not exactly the the kind of thing I''m gonna stroll down Michigan Avenue with in mid-December, LOL) but I wasn''t sure if there were "dates" or other *rules* that went along with it like the Memorial/Labor Day white rule.

So it sounds like I''m safe from about Easter to the beginning of September (or mabye mid-September, depending on how early it gets cool), right?

 

[dtnyc]

Date: 3/22/2007 3:33:21 PM
Author: poptart
Why is there a white clothing rule anyway? I''ve never understood it. Anyone know?

*M*

ETA: DeeJay, that sounds like a summer purse to me!

It wasn''t a white clothing rule- it was a white shoes rule.

Here is the closest thing to an explanation I could find:
http://ask.yahoo.com/20020913.html

"Friday September 13, 2002 Previous | Next

Dear Yahoo!:
Why aren''t you supposed to wear white after Labor Day?
Fletch
San Francisco, California

Dear Fletch:
As with many customs and etiquette dictums, it''s difficult to pin down the reason behind the prohibition against white after Labor Day. We searched on variations of "wear white after Labor Day" and sifted through the Etiquette and Fashion categories in the Yahoo! Directory. We managed to turn up a bit of information on the fashion dictate.
Originally, the rule was more along the lines of "Only wear white shoes between Memorial Day and Labor Day." Furthermore, it mainly applied to white pumps or dress shoes. White tennis shoes and off-white boots seem exempt, as are any shoes worn by a winter bride. "Winter white" clothing (e.g., cream-colored wool) is acceptable between Labor Day and Memorial Day too.

The only logical reasoning we could find cited temperature. Image consultant Nancy Penn suggests that because white reflects light and heat, wearing white would make you cooler in winter, and thus should be avoided. But others suggest the rule stems from a class issue. Acting Director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology Valerie Steele notes that in the late 19th century and the 1950s, more people were entering the middle classes. These nouveau-riche folks were often unaware of the standards of high society, so they were given specific codified rules to follow in order to fit in.

Several sites quoted a charming refrain about G.R.I.T.S. -- girls raised in the South. This bit of folklore states, "Southern girls know bad manners when they see them," and a clear sign of bad manners is wearing white shoes before Easter or after Labor Day. Because fashions in the American South can be a little more formal than elsewhere, perhaps the no-white-shoes rule came from south of the Mason-Dixon Line? Even Star Jones (an otherwise fashion-forward Southern lady) admits that white shoes "are for Easter Sunday and not the dead of winter."

We can only surmise that the point of this rule is to ensure that people only wear summer fashions during the actual summer months. The opposite probably applies as well, but people generally don''t need to be reminded to avoid wearing a goose-down parka in 100-degree weather. If you live in a locale with summer temperatures year-round, we can''t see the harm in wearing white shoes or a head-to-toe white outfit in October. And we promise not to tell Miss Manners. "

 

[monarch64]

Poptart, I found this excerpt from a Yahoo article:

"The only logical reasoning we could find cited temperature. Image consultant Nancy Penn suggests that because white reflects light and heat, wearing white would make you cooler in winter, and thus should be avoided. But others suggest the rule stems from a class issue. Acting Director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology Valerie Steele notes that in the late 19th century and the 1950s, more people were entering the middle classes. These nouveau-riche folks were often unaware of the standards of high society, so they were given specific codified rules to follow in order to fit in. "ETA: whoops, I'm too slow!

 

[poptart]

Date: 3/22/2007 3:43:58 PM
Author: monarch64
Poptart, I found this excerpt from a Yahoo article:


''The only logical reasoning we could find cited temperature. Image consultant Nancy Penn suggests that because white reflects light and heat, wearing white would make you cooler in winter, and thus should be avoided. But others suggest the rule stems from a class issue. Acting Director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology Valerie Steele notes that in the late 19th century and the 1950s, more people were entering the middle classes. These nouveau-riche folks were often unaware of the standards of high society, so they were given specific codified rules to follow in order to fit in. ''

Thanks monarch! Very interesting!

*M*

 

[kcoursolle]

I thought the white after labor day thing doesn''t exist anymore. I''ve seen designers make cream and white colored knit skirts for winter use. I think any season besides winter would be fine for a straw purse. I''d say you''d be fine wearing it in 70 degree weather and above.

 

[Kaleigh]

As long as the weather is warm, wear it. Thinking April through mid September.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 3/22/2007 3:51:18 PM
Author: kcoursolle
I thought the white after labor day thing doesn''t exist anymore. I''ve seen designers make cream and white colored knit skirts for winter use. I think any season besides winter would be fine for a straw purse. I''d say you''d be fine wearing it in 70 degree weather and above.

I think the "rule" (if it does even exist any more) applies only to *white white* and not cream and winter white.


Oooooh, I''m so dying to cut the tag off of this thing, toss it over my arm, and walk right down the street!

 

[KristyDarling]

I''m soooo not a stickler for fashion "rules." I think you can take a straw bag out whenever the heck ya want!

I personally wouldn''t bat an eye if I saw someone carrying a straw bag in the dead of winter. But, if you''re an observer of fashion decorum, I''d say that you can take it out as soon as the weather hits 60 degrees.

 

[Dee*Jay]

KD - is that 60 degrees and *SUNNY*, LOL? Because if so I might not be able to trot this thing out until about July the way things are looking here in the gloomy midwest!

 

[Catmom]

Hey, DJ, I''ve been struggling with the same issue. I bought a new Coach purse that I love when we were down in Florida. It''s white leather with inch sized polka dot cut outs that are backed with various tones of blue in varying fabrics; some suede, some the Coach C''s, etc. Last week when the weather turned a little warmer I said the heck with it, it''s spring and I''m wearing it. I haven''t noticed any funny looks but maybe they are waiting until I turn my back! I also heard that the old adage, Memorial Day to Labor Day no longer exists.

 

[KristyDarling]

DJ -- ah, gloomy Chicago skies, I remember that fondly. One thing I really miss about home is the spectacular and dramatic thunderstorms with flashes of lightning. That simply doesn''t exist here for some reason. We get T-storms only about twice a year in the Bay Area!

Catmom -- your new bag sounds pretty! I''ve been wearing my white purse year-round. No one noticed or cared, as far as I can tell! In the fall and winter, I wore my white bag with all-black outfits....one of my favorite combos!

 

[Dee*Jay]

KD, yes indeed, we get PLENTY of thunderstorms. Just ask The Demon -- he hides quaking in the shower stall or the bath tub until they pass. Sometimes we know there''s a thunderstorm *coming* long before it arrives because we''ll go looking for The Demon and find him in one of those places. Poor thing!

 

[KristyDarling]

Date: 3/23/2007 1:12:27 PM
Author: Dee*Jay
KD, yes indeed, we get PLENTY of thunderstorms. Just ask The Demon -- he hides quaking in the shower stall or the bath tub until they pass. Sometimes we know there''s a thunderstorm *coming* long before it arrives because we''ll go looking for The Demon and find him in one of those places. Poor thing!

Awwwww, that visual just had me smiling from ear to ear! Poor little scaredy cat Demon! It''s amazing how animals know when a weather change is coming.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Date: 3/23/2007 1:27:30 PM
Author: KristyDarling

Date: 3/23/2007 1:12:27 PM

Author: Dee*Jay

KD, yes indeed, we get PLENTY of thunderstorms. Just ask The Demon -- he hides quaking in the shower stall or the bath tub until they pass. Sometimes we know there''s a thunderstorm *coming* long before it arrives because we''ll go looking for The Demon and find him in one of those places. Poor thing!

Awwwww, that visual just had me smiling from ear to ear! Poor little scaredy cat Demon! It''s amazing how animals know when a weather change is coming.

I once actually spent almost the whole night in our standup shower with The Demon. The happy hubby was traveling and we had THE WORST storm front come through hour after hour. I put The Demon''s bed in the shower and we both curled up on it. I could feel him shaking all night long! Of course the next morning, when the storms were gone, he got to stay home and snooze all day and I had to go to work half dead from being so tired!

 

[KristyDarling]

You're a totally sweet mom, DJ! I don't think I coulda done that myself! (how in heck did the two of you fit in a stand-up shower all night?! I know you're tiny but the Demon isn't exactly petite!) Maybe the Demon needs a dog whisperer to help him overcome his storm phobia.

Whenever I hear people talking about their pets' amazing abilities to perceive things that we can't, I look at my big dopey mutt and think, "So how come YOU don't have any special powers??" He can't even find big huge chunks of food that have fallen on the floor...and aren't dogs supposed to have an amazing sense of smell?

 

[Dee*Jay]

The Demon snarfs up EVERYTHING that falls on the floor, and he loves to hang around in the kitchen hoping to get lucky while the HH is cooking. He once at an entire bunch of cilantro that the HH knocked on the floor while making guacamole. A little while later he puked green, but I guess that was to be expected, LOL.

As for that shower... let''s just say it was a tight squeeze!

 

[monarch64]

So DeeJay, I was thinking maybe you could break out that new bag if you had a really cute fitted black spring trenchcoat to go with it! I don''t know, I would have to see a pic of your new bag first, though, hint, hint...

 

[Dee*Jay]

Monnie, you terrible enabler!!! I am "the Imelda Marcos of coats" as one of my friends describes me and the last thing I need is to be encouraged to buy another one.

So... any specific ones in mind?!

And yes, I will post a pic of the bag. Unfortunately I left in my office over the weekend because I had too much stuff to carry home the past few days, but I might swing by there tomorrow to grab something else anyway.

 

[Dee*Jay]

OK, here is the purse. It was almost 80 degrees here today so I probably *could* have carried it, but I had so much stuff to take to my open house that it would have never fit.

 

[mrssalvo]

dee jay, that purse is so cute, I love it.

 

[Skippy123]

oh, what an adorable purse. Whereja get it? I want one!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Thanks Mrs. S.!

Skippy, I got it from Macy''s last week on sale. It was marked down 20% and I couldn''t pass it up!

 

[monarch64]

DeeJay, it''s really cute! So today it is in the 70''s again and is supposed to hover around the high 60''s to mid 70''s the rest of the week--I think you could break it out now if you so desire!

I don''t have any specific suggestions as far as trenchcoats, I know you take a petite size and I only saw a couple on Nordies'' website...other than the department stores you might try the Gap (I know, of all places) because they carry petites online now and usually have cute spring jackets. J.Crew didn''t have anything too exciting, and that''s about as far as I got, lol!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 3/26/2007 10:36:54 AM
Author: Dee*Jay
Thanks Mrs. S.!

Skippy, I got it from Macy's last week on sale. It was marked down 20% and I couldn't pass it up!

Super Cute!!! Love it; I need to go check out my local Macy's!