A southern question re: shoes

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by 33girl

k_s - white dress shoes. White sneakers are all right.

Winter clothes are mainly in darker colors. It looks stupid in any season when your clothes are darker than your shoes.

OK, I figured y'all were talking about dress shoes.

I'd still wear them though *shrugs*

[Preston327]

Does the no white after labor day thing apply to guys as well? I never quite understood that; I have a pair of off-white khakis that I like because they go well with basically everything I wear, but I'm not sure what the rule on that is.

Also I recently heard a rule from some of my brothers that you shouldn't wear seersucker after labor day or before Easter; I kind of see the point to this (seersucker being light material generally unsuited for the usually cold weather of that time period) but I've never heard that one before. Anyone more familiar with the real South know the background on that?

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by Preston327

Does the no white after labor day thing apply to guys as well? I never quite understood that; I have a pair of off-white khakis that I like because they go well with basically everything I wear, but I'm not sure what the rule on that is.

Also I recently heard a rule from some of my brothers that you shouldn't wear seersucker after labor day or before Easter; I kind of see the point to this (seersucker being light material generally unsuited for the usually cold weather of that time period) but I've never heard that one before. Anyone more familiar with the real South know the background on that?

Off white =/= white. I don't usually see white men's pants, so I don't think you really have to worry about that. What guys SHOULD worry about is the wearing navy and black together....DON'T DO IT! Summer, Winter, Spring or Fall - black + navy = wrong.

You're right about seersucker - lighter material for hotter weather.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

OK, I figured y'all were talking about dress shoes.

I'd still wear them though *shrugs*

k_s ITY?



He and his ilk are the only guys I've ever seen wearing white dress shoes.

[SWTXBelle]

One difference I've noticed is that in the north the rule is no white shoes before Memorial Day, while I was taught that in the south it is no white shoes before Easter.

I love breaking out the white shoes at Easter! (Hey, simple pleasures are the best.)

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by 33girl

k_s ITY?

Lol -- I'm wearing this to my 10 year HS reunion.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

One difference I've noticed is that in the north the rule is no white shoes before Memorial Day, while I was taught that in the south it is no white shoes before Easter.

I love breaking out the white shoes at Easter! (Hey, simple pleasures are the best.)

I was always taught Easter as well.

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I still wear open toed shoes in the winter if I'm wearing fancy heels, but NOT if I'm walking through snow or ice. Shoe fashion for high heels doesn't change in the winter. Open-toed shoes are still acceptable.

The dowager I mentioned was walking through Sears in a sweater and pair of casual pants. I don't think she gets a pass. She's also a little further north than you are. For me, I love my black satin dress sandals, but if I wore them past September around here my toes would freeze off.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I was always taught Easter as well.



The dowager I mentioned was walking through Sears in a sweater and pair of casual pants. I don't think she gets a pass. She's also a little further north than you are. For me, I love my black satin dress sandals, but if I wore them past September around here my toes would freeze off.

Ha, it's harder to be farther south than me now unless your name is AzTheta or AZ-AlphaXi! I agree she gets no pass.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by 33girl

For me, I love my black satin dress sandals, but if I wore them past September around here my toes would freeze off.

If I'm going to an event where strappy sandals are appropriate, I'll often wear my knee high (dressy) boots in the car then change into my sandals before going in.

Also, I'd rather be shot dead than wear pantyhose. If I wear any type of hosiery, it's tights. Otherwise, I'll suffer to go bare.

To be quite honest, I don't know how I feel about patterned shoes, I really really hate plain white shoes, so I'll never get caught in the Easter v. Memorial Day debate. If I have an outfit that would go nicely with white, I've found that it'll probably go nicely with silver, and that doesn't fall under the same rules.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by agzg

If I'm going to an event where strappy sandals are appropriate, I'll often wear my knee high (dressy) boots in the car then change into my sandals before going in.

Also, I'd rather be shot dead than wear pantyhose. If I wear any type of hosiery, it's tights. Otherwise, I'll suffer to go bare.

To be quite honest, I don't know how I feel about patterned shoes, I really really hate plain white shoes, so I'll never get caught in the Easter v. Memorial Day debate. If I have an outfit that would go nicely with white, I've found that it'll probably go nicely with silver, and that doesn't fall under the same rules.

I completely agree! Wow, we are on the same page today.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

The date isn't exactly arbitrary. It's just a shorthand way of saying no white shoes when summer is over. Because white dress shoes have a spring-summer/warm weather look to them.

I get that, but people treat the date itself as if white shoes worn on the day after, no matter how hot or sunny will make them utter social pariahs.

There's nothing particularly 'common sense' about it though. Odds are that the only reason there aren't more white winter shoes/boots now is more because of the rule than because of the winter weather damage. Designers don't always take practicality into 'fashion' in the first place.

/exaggeration for the sake of the point may have occurred in this post.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Using an arbitrary date on the calendar to tell you when a piece of clothing is no longer socially acceptable isn't really common sense.

Nor do I see why white shoes would be stupid in January. How is that common sense? Why would they look stupid because it is January? Seriously, I have zero comprehension of why the color changes from fine to oh god no not that.

The date isn't exactly arbitrary. It's just a shorthand way of saying no white shoes when summer is over. Because white dress shoes have a spring-summer/warm weather look to them.

As for James and Preston, guys do have to pay attention to this stuff too. The no-white shoes means no white bucks. And by extension, it means no clothing like seersucker. As noted by AF, though, white =/= off white, nor does it = dirty bucks.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

One difference I've noticed is that in the north the rule is no white shoes before Memorial Day, while I was taught that in the south it is no white shoes before Easter.

That's how I've always heard it.