It’s that time of year again. Time to clear out your closets and throw away what your kids have grown too big for. And (oh joy!) it’s also the time of year when every fashion magazine, blog post, and Instagrammer seems to post about why you can’t wear white after labor day. What is this “tradition” everyone seems to talk about? The short answer: No one seems to know. Though there are many theories, none of them seem to hold up under scrutiny. Here’s what I’ve found online: ~ It was a suggestion in a style guide Margaret Mansell (of the Union College Alumnae Association) wrote in 1894. She was the head of the fashion department at Macy’s for two years.