How To Wear White After Labor Day

By Megan Gustashaw for GQ.

In 2016 you can pretty much wear whatever you want, whenever you want. It wouldn’t be unusual to see a guy wearing a slim-cut suit to a bar, or a pair of tennis sneakers to the office, for example. That said, there are still one or two rules we think you should observe when wearing white—the iconic color of summer—during the colder months. Most are common sense. Don’t wear it head-to-toe, for example, and don’t force a too summery staple to exist in 50-degree weather. Here’s a quick rundown of those Dos and Don’ts. And if you choose to ignore us, you know, whatever. Do you.

Keep: White Jeans, Store: White Shorts

In our eyes white jeans are appropriate 365 days a year. On cold days, just don’t reach for the pair with a million rips, and layer them up with dark, season-appropriate colors.

The same cannot be said for the white shorts you love wearing in the summer. Not only is it too damn cold for them, but they’re a little too tennis-appropriate for football season.

Keep: White Sweater, Store: White Linen Shirt

A white knit or sweatshirt is the only layer you need in the summer but, worn with a nice pair of trousers and combat boots in the fall, the staple still looks damn cool.

Practically all white shirts are a-OK in the fall, except maybe the linen vacation shirt. It’s the kind of thing that’s best worn solo, not layered under a stiff jacket and scratchy scarf.

Keep: White Denim Jacket, Store: White Suit

You probably don’t own a white denim jacket yet, which is a shame because they’re about to be really hard to find. If you were smart enough to pick one up this summer, enjoy wearing it with your all-black basics this fall.

At a London nightclub at 3am, Mark Ronson can pull off a white suit in the fall. Are you as ballsy a dresser as Ronson? If not, better retire your white suit until Memorial Day weekend, 2017.

Keep: White Sneakers, Store: White Boat Shoes

White sneakers can be worn year-round, especially if they’re leather, and the dirtier they get, the better. They have a nice way of lightening up serious fall staples like a Brando-level leather jacket.

Any white shoe you can slip on and off is a no-go when the leaves start turning colors, whether it’s an espadrille, sandal, or boat shoe. A Vans slip-on might work for a few months, but that’s about it.