Summer is most definitely dwindling. I spent the last technical weekend of summer holed up in the woods, and while fashion wasn’t quite my focal point, I certainly had some time to ponder the wardrobe to come. In another era, you tossed your white duds to the back of your closet post-Labor Day weekend, but we live in a different time, folks. We are donning the bold and the beautiful neutral through all seasons.

Let’s take a look at one of the best examples. The best I could find was in French so if you’re fluent, kudos. The rest of us can just enjoy the scenery:

I pretty much lost my mind when I saw Katie Sketch (and I guess we can mention the rest of The Organ) in season two of The L Word. Shane sticking her tongue down Carmen’s throat made for a good side note, but what I’m saying is that I will basically have a crush on you if you straight-up copy this outfit. (Sketch also looks remarkably like my girlfriend, which certainly never hurts in my book ­— she too owns a white suit, by the by.)

I think that white is just as much of a classic as black. It’s definitely easier to dress it up. It’s amazing how something as simple as wearing a white button down can make an outfit pop and class it up without even trying (extra points if it’s crisp and pressed). I’m sort of over the bold-is-better idea. It’s cool every once in awhile, but there’s nothing worse than standing across the room from someone wondering if her blazing blueberry tuxedo shirt is meant to be ironic.

If you are looking to take the snowy shade to more casual occasions, I vote for the white belt. It’s hot, in so few words, and there are so many varieties. A shiny vinyl white belt is great for vegans (and makes your plaid button-up much more fly. I have to say, even though it is off-topic, I’m way into the return of the plaid this season. Its comeback has been slowly creeping in, but now I think it will fare best holding hands with some white bottoms, attached with suspenders, perhaps. Subtle but sexy, and totally in style.)

The Labor Day rule is wildly outdated, but it no doubt holds some history, especially for Grandma. She might not approve of these new fangled notions, but she probably didn’t think Kurt Cobain looked chic in his plaid button-downs, either.