Video: ‘White linen before Memorial Day’ fashion movement is gaining steam!

Video: ‘White linen before Memorial Day’ fashion movement is gaining steam!
Michael Douglas in white linen Getty/Jason Merritt
Video: ‘White linen before Memorial Day’ fashion movement is gaining steam!
Michael Douglas in white linen Getty/Jason Merritt

Video: ‘White linen before Memorial Day’ fashion movement is gaining steam!

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Let’s be frank. I am trying to change the fashion world forever. Too many fashion rules, not enough flexibility. Earlier in the week, I saw a few women on the bus with white linen. When I told my wife that I wanted to break out my white linen shirt, she told me that you can’t wear it until after Memorial Day. This seems to be an antiquated rule that many fashionistas are blowing off. But what good is a rule if not enforced?

For people like me, I need fashion rules. Otherwise you would get a strong heap of blue/brown/black combinations every single day. But instead of blowing off the rules or breaking them, let’s hear the voices on the street and start a movement to change the rule forever. So my suggestion? Instead of Memorial Day, let’s change the rule to “No white linen until after May 1st.”

Now, I obviously can’t just write this and make it so. No, I have to recruit some fashion gurus to help with my cause. My first move was to get a hold of the creators of the fashion site Go Fug Yourself. The site is hilarious and for years has been calling out fashion disasters within the celebrity community. What do they think of the outdated rule?

I got a response from one of the writers, Jessica Morgan:

“My personal feeling is that, although I am generally a rather traditional person, the old No White Before Memorial Day rule is a bit ridiculous. After all, there’s something called “winter white” for a reason.”

As for my movement to change it to May 1st, Morgan wouldn’t endorse it directly:

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s more important that your overall look be seasonally appropriate — no short shorts in December, no fur in August — than you avoid white before a certain date.”

Hmmm, okay. So Morgan and Go Fug Yourself are on board that the rule is outdated, but they stopped short of changing the rule to a different date. I guess I’ll start my movement locally. It actually makes more sense locally because the white linen rules don’t apply in warmer climates.

So I start my local movement today. Obviously, this will have to work towards the 2012 white linen season because it is Memorial Day weekend and I’m too late to change the rule this year. But that didn’t stop me from heading over to Michigan Avenue Magazine earlier this week to try and get the high society magazine to endorse my linen movement. The magazine’s tagline is “From home life to haute couture, and from fine dining to celebrity dish, Michigan Avenue celebrates the lifestyles of Chicago’s most discerning readers.” Perfect!

I put on my finest linen outfit and met with Editor in Chief Susanna Negovan. Negovan’s maiden name is Homan, for all those who remember her column “Susanna’s Night Out” in the Chicago Sun-Times. She’s now running Michigan Avenue Magazine and was gracious enough to let me pitch her on the idea.

This is the beginning of a movement, Chicago. You’re welcome.