No white shoes after Labor Day
By Alex Carrier

Pearly whites are great for teeth but bad for feet at least after Labor Day. Or so went the words of wisdom passed down to me by generations of women frightened by fashion and faux paux.

Then came the advent of winter white. (Obviously a quick-witted save by some duplicitous diva caught unawares and undoubtedly unfashionable).

Winter white looks just like summer white to me but has been deemed permissible to wear when snow and ice are on the ground. The probable point being that the wearer of this pristine footwear is either so chic or so rich they don’t care if their footwear ends up with a salt line after touching sidewalk or street.

Fine for me. I have long since traded torture for comfort and posh for presentable footwear. I don’t care how good they look, if the shoes don’t fit, I must admit, I won’t wear them.

Which brings me ultimately if circuitously to my point. (Yes, I do have one ad I am getting to it.)

I don’t really care about the seasons of fashion beyond the fact that if it is hot, I wear something cool and if it is cold, I wear something warn. I try not to embarrass my family too greatly and I endeavor not to be illegally or immorally attired.

The seasons of fashion do not trouble me but the seasons of holidays do cause me alarm. How can a season retain its unique specialness, its celebratory significance if the day or days are smashed out of their own perfect time into other weeks or even months?

I was watching television days before Labor Day and there they were – the Rockettes dressed in Christmas red and white jingling their taps in a tribute to the holiday season.

To be honest, they were not alone and they have the excuse of all the rehearsal time they must put in to perform to perfection.

An artsy-crafty friend went to buy Halloween fabrics for that scary night almost 2 months away and found both Halloween and Thanksgiving items gone and nothing but Ho, Ho, holidays in their place.

Visit any store and you will see (sometimes from the corner of your eye and sometimes flashing in front of you) gift sales, Christmas cards and wrapping paper, bows, bells, and an eerie array of Yuletide cheer.

So, my point – yes, I have finally reached it. I don’t really care if you wear white shoes after Labor Day but could you not put up the tinsel before?