I’m a firm believer that there are no rules in fashion. Recommendations, sure, but hard and fast rules? Absolutely not. So you can guess my take on the whole “no white after Labor Day” thing. Basically, I think it’s bullshit. Luckily, I’m not the only one who’s in favor of throwing out the rule book. Just take a look at Banana Republic‘s summer campaign, which is all about adopting an anything-goes attitude: mixing and matching prints and textures, fearlessly rolling around in white denim, forgoing the iron and steamer, and yes, rocking any color whenever you damn well please.

So in the spirit of taking a relaxed approach to fashion, here’s my take on exploring end-of-summer style without any boundaries — a rule book for the anti-rule books, if you will:

1. Wear white after Labor Day. If you love a piece that much, no matter what color it happens to be, wear it whenever you want! I for one, fully plan on transitioning this off-the-shoulder top well past Labor Day and into fall. It may be in a summer silhouette, but the thick, crisp cotton works well with more structured pieces.
2. Don’t overthink it. I’m all about exuding carefree effortlessness, so to me, a relaxed wardrobe will help reflect a relaxed attitude.
3. Mix similar shades. I know a lot of people have strong feelings about this one (especially when it comes to wearing white), but I personally love it when an outfit combines varying shades of the same color. Here, I paired cream with bright white and I think doing so adds interest and dimension and keeps an outfit from looking too precious or planned. Remember, I’m all about that effortless vibe!

I’d love to know — what’s your favorite rule to break? Have you done any of the above?

In collaboration with Banana Republic