It’s Labor Day weekend and the unofficial end of summer (even though it technically doesn’t end until September 22). So what’s the reason we all get to enjoy a 3-day weekend every September?
Labor Day grew out of the late 19th-century organized labor movement. It was the height of the Industrial Revolution and the average American worked 12-hour days and 7-days a week, often in unsafe environments, just to make a basic living. There was also a lot of child labor at the time, despite restrictions in some states. To bring attention to these unfair working conditions, labor organizers coordinated the first Labor Day parade in New York City in September 1882. 10,000 workers took an unpaid day off to march from City Happ to Union Square, inspiring unions in other areas to follow suit.
The popularity of the event spread and in 1887, Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day an official public holiday. By 1894, 30 states officially celebrated the holiday. That year, President Grover Cleveland signed a bill into law recognizing the first Monday in September as Labor Day and making it a federal holiday. Canada also celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday in September, while most other countries around the world celebrate International Workers Day on May 1st instead.
For years, wearing white after Labor Day was considered a fashion faux pas. It dates back to when wealthy New Yorkers would migrate to their summer homes each year. After Memorial Day, they’d leave their city clothes behind and wear lighter, whiter summer outfits while at their summer mansions. When they returned to the city in the fall, those clothes would be packed away in favor of more formal clothing. This was a time when there was a dress code for everything, and the change between summer resort wear and clothes worn the rest of the year was encapsulated with the rule “No white after Labor Day”. It stuck, and by the 1950s, it was a firm rule among the wealthy, who considered it to be a symbol of refinement. There are still some who say white after Labor Day is a no-no, but for the most part, the rule is ignored today.
Labor Day is also a busy day for travel. According to AAA, domestic travel over this Labor Day weekend is expected to be up 9% compared to last year. And the TSA is preparing for the busiest Labor Day travel period on record, with an 8.5% increase in passenger volume over last year. It’s also a popular weekend to shop, with big Labor Day sales at many retailers. Some retailers even say it’s the 2nd biggest day for sales, after Black Friday.
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