Today is thought of by many as summer’s last hurrah. Many also know it for barbecues and the unofficial cutoff for wearing white clothing — yep, today, September 6, is Labor Day. Labor Day falls on the first Monday of every September and this year that’s today.
In general, you can thank some 19th century Americans for this three-day weekend.
As we’ve discussed in past years, the true founder of Labor Day remains unknown, bur it is generally attributed to two different origins — and, it doesn’t help that people who get the credit have very similar names — Peter McGuire and Matthew Maguire. I won’t repeat what I’ve discussed in past years about Labor Day, but both McGuire and Maguire, who are not related, had the same passion for improving the working conditions of Americans.
We’ve all heard the expression, “no white after Labor Day.” This fashion “rule” says to put all your white clothes back in the closet. Of course, there are weeks of warm weather left, so why put white things away starting tomorrow?
It seems like the creators of this fashion edict were wealthy, high-society 19th century women who were upset because their social lives were being invaded by “new-money” newcomers. To separate them from brand-new millionaires in the social hierarchy, insider knowledge became a common practice to separate “old-money” from “new-money.” According to lore, the introduction of Labor Day provided a checkpoint at the end of the summer social season to single out those in the know.
Lighter fabrics reflect the sun during the hot summer months, making white a popular and practical color. Custom dictated a return to darker, heaver fabrics once cooler weather came.
In recent years, so-called respected etiquette guides say that rule is a thing of the past.
Labor Day is a time to pay tribute to American workers, and all of their many contributions and achievements through the years. Today honors the men and women who fought tirelessly for workers’ rights, especially the eight-hour work day we have now.
So as we eat our hot-dogs and have that one more beer or glass of wine, we should all take some time to reflect and pay respect to all the workers, past and present, who have made American the country it is today. Thomas Edison said there is no substitute for hard work. I’ll drink to that!
Happy Labor Day!
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