# I'm wearing white shoes! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 26, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332 "2006-05-26T16:36:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/1 "2006-05-26T16:36:10Z")
I made a point to wear white shoes when I was getting dressed this morning, just to give an “up yours” to the fashionistas who say you can’t wear white shoes before Memorial Day. That’s a great example of a stupid rule. I’m not hurting anyone by breaking it. Ask Mr. Neville if it’s even possible that anything I do hurts the shoe industry 🙂 The particular white shoes I am wearing are wedge-heel flip-flops with iridescent white sequins. I’m happy because Macy’s had a sale on flip-flops last weekend, and had lots of nice sparkly ones for me 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/2 "2006-05-26T16:44:32Z")
The U.S. Navy has been wearing its whites for a couple of weeks now. Being an ex-preppy, I get the white bucs out around Eastertime myself, and have for decades. As long as they aren’t kept obsessively chalk-white, it shouldn’t pose a problem. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/3 "2006-05-26T17:01:05Z")
Oh, man - you are gonna be in so much _trouble_… I don’t even own white shoes. Or white pants, shorts, skirt. A few white shirts, is all. I believe most women don’t realize that no matter what white garment they have on, people can most definitely see their undergarments. I hate that. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/4 "2006-05-26T17:01:16Z")
And then people scold you. “You’re not supposed to wear white shoes before Memorial Day.” Like I care. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/5 "2006-05-26T17:08:32Z")
I almost always wear white shoes because my feet sweat too much in dark ones. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/6 "2006-05-26T17:10:49Z")
My mother wore her “cute white shoes” on Wednesday. Not really by choice, though, she doesn’t much like them, but had to for a ceremony she was involved with. What was funny was the number of people who complimented her on the shoes-- or the shapely legs that went with them. Unfortunately, I did not inherit my mother’s shapely legs or skinny ankles. I’ve got my father’s stocky legs, and wide flat feet. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/7 "2006-05-26T17:13:32Z")
hmm, last I knew the correct season for white shoes was easter to labor day. So if you really want to be a rebel, you need to wear your white shoes the friday before easter. Nice try though! ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/8 "2006-05-26T17:15:23Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > I’m not hurting anyone by breaking it. No, you’re not. And if you were in Canada, we use the May 2-4 weekend as the white shoe cut-off anyway. You are, however, making your feet look like canoes. If you’re OK with that, I’m OK with that. Alice. Fashionista. Does not wear white shoes EVER - my feet are canoe like enough as it is. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/9 "2006-05-26T17:19:04Z")
> [@YaWanna](#): > > Oh, man - you are gonna be in so much _trouble_… Is it going to be more or less trouble than I’m already in for wearing sandals with white socks back in college? 😃 > [@](#): > > I believe most women don’t realize that no matter what white garment they have on, people can most definitely see their undergarments. I hate that. I’m paranoid about that. Every so often, I go on the Quest for the Bra That Perfectly Matches My Skin Tone, so that I could wear white shirts. I have yet to find it. All the white shirts I have are T-shirts with something printed on them (so at least it’s less obvious) or sweatshirts. Of course, I also avoid white shirts because white shirts and messy eaters like me don’t mix. > [@Anaamika](#): > > And then people scold you. “You’re not supposed to wear white shoes before Memorial Day.” Like I care. I’d be astonished if I come into contact with anyone today who would say that. I’m at work, and almost all of my co-workers are male computer geeks. No, this is just my little, private act of civil disobedience to the “rules” of fashion. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/10 "2006-05-26T17:20:53Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > hmm, last I knew the correct season for white shoes was easter to labor day. So if you really want to be a rebel, you need to wear your white shoes the friday before easter. Nice try though! I had to wear my closed-toe shoes up until Easter, because it rained so late here- no fun sparkly white flip-flops then ☹ My closed-toe shoes are darker colored, so it doesn’t show if they get mud on them (I mostly wear closed-toe shoes only when it rains) ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/11 "2006-05-26T17:23:56Z")
Good for you, Fashion Rebel!! I almost wore my long white skirt today, but then I realized that it’s going to rain this afternoon and the skirt is _really_ long. I’m with you in spirit. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/12 "2006-05-26T17:27:39Z")
I wear white shoes year round. They’re sneakers, of course. And they don’t stay white long. The ones I have on now are kinda…grey. Ish. And brown. In spots. But verrry comfy. Does that make me GQ? ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/13 "2006-05-26T17:28:20Z")
I don’t own a single pair of white shoes apart from sneakers. I haven’t work white shoes since my wedding. I don’t like white shoes. The Memorial Day - Labor Day thing means nothing to me. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/14 "2006-05-26T17:40:18Z")
> [@Anne Neville](#): > > I’d be astonished if I come into contact with anyone today who would say that. I have a co-worker who will unabashedly inform total strangers of their misdeeds if they break any of the fashion season “rules”. She’s one of the reasons I’m so happy I now telecommute. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/15 "2006-05-26T18:02:43Z")
I think the fashion season “rules” are an embodiment of what’s bad about etiquette. Etiquette in general is good- many etiquette rules are intended to keep people from feeling uncomfortable in a situation, and some etiquette rules could be boiled down to “don’t be a jerk”, which is an excellent rule for living. But then there are the stupid, arbitrary rules, like “no white shoes except between Memorial Day (or whenever) and Labor Day” and “you must use this fork and no other fork to eat this food, even though another fork would work just as well and no one but you will be affected by it in any way”. Those stupid, arbitrary rules make many people think that all etiquette rules are stupid and arbitrary, and they think it’s OK to ignore the “don’t be a jerk” rules, too. I got my idea of the purpose of etiquette from Miss Manners, and it makes a lot of sense. She says a lot of things that make a lot of sense- she delivered a verbal dope-slap in her column to someone who corrected someone else at a dinner for using the wrong fork, for example. But she is a rabid defender of the “white shoes” rule, and I can’t figure out why. If people are less comfortable around me when I am wearing white shoes than they are when I am wearing black shoes, they obviously have some sort of mental issue that they should deal with through therapy or medication, _not_ through insisting that others wear the “right” color of shoes. Stupid, arbitrary rules decrease people’s respect for the system of rules in general, and should be done away with wherever possible. ---
**Author:** ![Twinkie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Twinkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twinkie)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/16 "2006-05-26T18:04:47Z")
Since we’re confessing, I have something to tell you… I’m wearing socks with flip flops. White ankle socks. Black flip flops. I do this a lot. I’m the reason other people are happy that _I_ telecommute! (But I do take the socks off before I go out.) ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/17 "2006-05-26T18:10:39Z")
Seems I read that the white shoes “rule” happened because until Memorial Day, the weather would always be more volatile, i.e. rain storms (lots of mud), freak snow storms and all that stuff. Or some such. Anyways, I say trot out your white shoes whenever you want to. However, between Labor Day and Easter the wearing of white shoes causes warts. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![yellowval](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/919ad9/32.png) [@yellowval](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowval)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/18 "2006-05-26T18:20:14Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > You are, however, making your feet look like canoes. If you’re OK with that, I’m OK with that. > > Alice. > Fashionista. > Does not wear white shoes EVER - my feet are canoe like enough as it is. My feet always look like canoes too. You can’t let stuff like that bother you, or keep you from wearing fabulous shoes. Val Proudly strutting around today in her size 11 thong kitten heels. (And a skirt! It’s finally warm enough to wear one here!) ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-wearing-white-shoes/358332/19 "2006-05-26T18:21:55Z")
I don’t have any white shoes. I used to have some that we used to march in in high school, but I don’t know where they are.