White Heat

I've generally stayed faithful to the so-called 'fashion rules' that society dictate. Avoid too many competing prints, wear black to look slim, and stay away from unflattering drop-crotch pants at all costs. But everyone needs to rebel at some point or another. Whoever made up the rule of 'No white after Labor Day' obviously did not know the struggles of living with a monochromatic closet. It's way past September 1st, and I'm officially a rule breaker. This summer, I've grown to love little white dresses as a viable alternative to the classic LBD. White has the ability to bring a certain freshness to any formal occasion - think Gwyneth Paltrow's Calvin Klein cape dress at the Oscars. Now that summer is over, there are still ways to wear white without utterly offending the posh American society ladies in the late 1800s who imposed the Labor Day rule. In lieu of summery fabrics such as linen, experiment with winter textures in white. For their Fall/Winter 2014 collection, Nicole and Michael Colovos of Helmut Lang worked the shade in a variety of thick textiles from knits to fluffy mohair, resulting in light yet cosy looks. This cocktail number from Zara has contrasting pleather panels that give it a luxe finish, making for a great day to night look. Having paired it with a bright red lip and copper hardware, I feel ready to take on Diddy's infamous Fourth of July white parties. Maybe next year.

ZARA WHITE PLEATHER DRESS ZARA WHITE LEATHER WEDGES COS COPPER RING DIY PERSPEX EARRINGS