What Clothes I Pack Away on Labor Day (and what I keep)
I live in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., which means it can be shorts weather well into October. That being said, there are some items in my closet that I don't feel comfortable wearing beyond Labor Day, AKA the unofficial end of summer. If you're wondering what you should or should not pack away on Labor Day, my list may prove helpful.
That being said, in 2026, there is no hard and fast rule of what you can and cannot wear after Labor Day. We have already dispelled the myth that you can't wear white after Labor Day, and honestly, if styled right and in the right situation, most anything can be worn year-round.
This post was republished for 2026 as it's a timely topic and a good reminder for both you and me to get the closet ready for the season while there is some free time to do so!
What Clothes I Pack Away on Labor Day
I personally feel some fabrics and styles scream “summer,” and I do not wish to put forth a ton of effort to make them appear autumnal or wintry. There are also items in my wardrobe that no longer serve a purpose after Labor Day, unless I am packing for a tropical vacation. I find that by packing these items away (or at least moving them to the dark recesses of the closet), I can see better what great items I own for the current temperatures, season, and events for this time of year.
Linen
I love linen, and spend a good portion of the summer rocking my linen separates. I own several button-front linen shirts, a few pairs of linen shorts, one or two linen dresses, and can't go a summer without a pair of wide-leg white linen trousers. But I pack them come September.
Linen has a distinct, casual, and rumpled look that evokes a vacation vibe. In the summer, it's chic. In September, it feels messy. Even in dark colors, linen doesn't look comfortable with autumnal fabrics and it takes a lot of effort to make them feel seasonally appropriate. I instead steam or iron them, carefully fold them, and pack them to revisit come April.
Sundresses
I include my sleeveless on the clothes I pack away on Labor Day. Also, my short-sleeved, even some of my going-out halter and spaghetti strap dresses, but the true sundresses are packed up. Made from cotton, rayon, eyelet, Tencel, chambray, gauze, linen, and lightweight jersey, these dresses feature summer fabrics or incorporate summer details like tie straps and cutouts, or they are from a very summery print.
Some may say you can “winterize” these sundresses with a denim jacket, but I find the true sundresses always look like summer, no matter how they are styled. To get the most mileage out of your clothes, consider the fabric, color, and print before making a purchase.
Bathing Suits
While I will keep my black tank suit for indoor pools, hot tubs, and various seasonless situations of that sort, I pack the rest away. Unless I am going on a warm-weather getaway, I don't need my two-pieces or my waist-whittling fashion one-pieces. My favorite one-piece has done me well for after Labor Day until Memorial Day for several years, and I have never wished I had left one of my other suits out.
Swim Coverups
If there isn't sun, I don't need my swim coverups. Spas offer robes, my friend's hot tub doesn't need a cute topper, and for the local indoor pool, I only have my towel by my side until I get to the locker room. I pack up my rashguards, ruanas, and any other items I wear over swimsuits in the summer.
Summer Bags and Totes
Most of my handbags and totes are seasonless. Even my crocheted totes could find some use in the fall or spring. But others are just too summery to be easily styled after Labor Day. The ones I pack up:
- An orange raffia crocheted tote with a bamboo ring handle
- A tan raffia woven clutch
- White and blue paisley heavy cotton tote from Roller Rabbit
- Vintage white macrame handbag I inherited from my mom
- Wicker crossbody purse I got at Talbots years ago
- Red market tote from Violette_FR
- A blue mesh beach tote I got a few years ago (seen here)
Raffia, straw, cork, wicker, and rope are summery fabrics, and while they are often used as neutrals to add texture to an outfit, that texture doesn't look right with wool, heavy denim, and other cold-weather fabrics.
Summer Accessories
I don't truly pack away my hats. I live in a small home, and currently my brimmed hat collection is one stacked on top of another stacked on top of the hot water heater in our utility closet. But Labor Day weekend, I rearrange the collection putting the straw sun hats at the bottom and moving the wool, leather, and felt options to the top.
I do similar with my summer shoes. I have an L.L.Bean Boat & Tote on the floor of my closet that holds casual out of season shoes. Over Labor Day weekend, I take out those boots and loafers and put in there my Tevas, flip flops, and sandals. The leather sandals I store in old dust bags or pillowcases so they don't bang against one another; the rubber and EVA I just throw in.
For belts, I move my white and raffia belts to the back of the hook and bring the darker leather and suede options up front.
What Summer Items I Keep in My Closet After Labor Day
As I mentioned, it stays warm here in the “DMV” well after Labor Day. Heck, I have worn shorts on Christmas before! It makes no sense to pack up all summer clothes come Labor Day; in fact, I shop thinking what kind of clothes will work for summer as well as early fall so I get the biggest bang for my buck. What will stay in my closet:
- Denim and chino shorts. Especially when paired with items in fall colors, denim and chino shorts are worn until October and pulled back out late March. I keep one pair of denim, one pair of black, and one pair of olive/khaki out.
- Tank tops. Paired with full-length jeans, styled under cardigans and blazers, or being a base layer on a cold day, tank tops can be useful and stylish all year long.
- Shirtdresses. Sleeveless or short-sleeved, these look at home with flats or sneakers in September and even early October.
- White jeans. I love the look of white jeans all year long and offer plenty of suggestions on how to style white jeans after Labor Day.
- Some sandals. I will wear my Birkenstock Arizona sandals through October, sometimes with bare feet and sometimes with striped socks. My EVA Birkenstock Arizonas sit at the door for quick runs into the yard. Unless they're of cork, raffia, or another summer textile, I'll keep wearing them with pedicured feet.
The Unexpected Benefit of Switching Out Your Closet After Labor Day
The unexpected benefit of doing this closet switch is being forced to reassess your wardrobe.
- You bought that top on clearance in May and it still has the tags on it… maybe it should be donated.
- You tried three times to get that oil spot out of that dress to no avail, you're never going to wear it in this condition… let it go.
- Your body is no longer the same size or shape than it was. The item isn't loved enough to invest in tailoring. It's time to open up that space on your closet bar.
As you unpack your early fall to winter clothes, do the same assessment. Try the items on before you fold them into drawers or hang them up. Do they still fit in a way that makes you happy? Did you end up with any moth holes or mystery spots showing up over the summer? Does anything need to be dry cleaned repaired, or steamed? Do it now before it gets settled in.
Now, I'd love to hear from you. How do you curate your closet for the seasons? Do you move summer items to the back or pack them away, or do you look to style everything all year long?
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This is so helpful! Thank you so much for putting this together.
I’m curious about your thoughts on gauze clothing. It was really on trend this last season and I purchased several gauze tops and dresses. Do we treat them the same as linen in terms of putting away for the summer?
I do feel that gauze is like linen; it is a very summery fabric. Gauze, linen, white eyelet, and seersucker.
Another helpful post. I am having a significant surgery in later October and I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic. I usually switch things out twice a year (though I cull my wardrobe more frequently than that), and I think I need to do the switch soon, as I won’t be allowed to lift or bend for several weeks.
This is helpful as a guideline for what stays/goes. I can leave out a couple of sandals while getting out the boots, lol, and similar lines with other clothing.
Thank you again!
FABulous post! My linens and white sandals just got “shifted” for fall. It may not be Labor Day but turning the calendar to September is all I need to be motivated! Thanks so much. I would have waited on doing this but you inspired me.
Living in Orange County, CA we don’t really have a Fall or Winter season. It will get cooler with lows in the 40’s but not until January or February. August-October are our hottest months so the sandals and flip flops are a must as are sundresses and shorts. Swapping out shoes and clothes is something I can’t wrap my head around! As a “Winter” color palate person I have very few Autumn or warm colors in my wardrobe but started adding dark chocolate brown last year along with my burgundy as a nod to Fall. Also, as some have said, I travel every month so I never know when I’ll need those linen dresses or strappy heels!
I did invest in a bunch of plastic shoe totes from the Container Store, the larger size ones. I rotate my shoes because Minnesota winters can be brutal. I do sometimes put two pairs of sandals in the same box. I do put most of my clothes in totes and hang the dresses in my downstairs closet.
I don’t have a lot of space, but since we moved to the South, I don’t do a lot of winter or spring switches. I might not wear them, but a lot of them are in their own special drawer or space in the closet that I just leave alone until it’s time to wear them again. They develop a musty smell from being in a humid climate, so everything gets washed before using again. Shoes do get switched around, so the most worn are more accessible. I don’t know how they stand it, but my son and grandsons wear shorts year round.
I generally agree with you about linen, but I have black palazzo pants and a matching sleeveless tunic top I plan to wear at a pre-wedding event this month (September), but come October, it will feel too summery to me.
This is such a “basic” question, but would you please share a post about HOW you pack items away (if you haven’t already and I just missed it)? I grew up in the South with big enough closets (or maybe small enough clothing budgets) that we didn’t pack things away. I have never learned this concept, and my mom still to this day can’t understand “how people live this way.”
And I’m asking for basic information here: what storage items to you use, how often do you do this, etc. 🙂 Thanks in advance from a grown ass woman who wants to teacher her kids how to do this before they get as old as I am today!
Hi Megan, great question! This is a good primer: https://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/how-to-care-for-your-closet/
Also, as I switch my wardrobe, I cull anything I haven’t worn or don’t feel like “me” anymore. It feels wonderful to pass on gently used items for someone else to acquire!
I don’t have a ton of closet space, so I have to store items in totes in my shed, so changing my wardrobe is often a whole day event. (I can lose focus or feel overwhelmed) as I need the tote space to swap out seasons. Lots of times it’s closer to November when I get around to it.
This is a really simple concept but, honestly, I’ve never ‘officially’ packed away true summer clothes using Labor Day as a marker!? Duh. I tend to wait until the cold weather can’t be denied, I have to break out my much needed sweaters etc… and do the BIG switch.
But, by then, it is a huge project that I dread. And avoid – late diagnosed ADHD, very newly empty-nested, menopausal woman anyone? 😉
So thanks very much, Alison, for a basic but a much more thoughtful approach!
I have sometimes kept out an India-print type cotton caftan even if it’s summery because it’s good for travel especially in a shared hotel room if there is no robe. It packs down to nothing and then I don’t own a travel robe. (Though I have a silky natori one for this purpose too; though it can read more nightgown-like. )
I have a lightweight maxi dress I keep out for the very reason. Smart!
Excellent blog with “real life” examples. Thank you for your always thoughtful and actionable content!
As a dark winter season, I don’t have any “fall” colors in my wardrobe. Living in a similar climate as you (Missouri), I wear my black and navy linen until October. I put away straw accessories, tropical prints and other summery fabrics, but I have a black eyelet skirt I will wear weather permitting. Most of my white jeans are pure white and I find them hard to wear in fall weather because it can be rainy. Most sandals get put away but I keep out some birks and may wear them in public with socks (I find that combo really comfy.) But generally having clothes mainly in my palette helps me wear more things longer in the season because it all matches.
Yes! All those warm autumnal colors don’t exist in my closet. I live in black, white, true red, cobalt blue with a smattering of grey and silver for fancy. Of course there is denim blue but mostly as jeans. I love a strong graphic print or stripe in those colors for variety. Fabric weight and content determine the “season” but this pallette really helps extend the wearability of my wardrobe. Shoes though…