clothing – mackaycartoons

Wednesday September 9, 2020

September 16, 2020 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 9, 2020

Where did the ‘no white after Labor Day’ rule come from?

The day itself first became a national holiday back in 1894 – but with it comes the odd tradition of not wearing white shoes or clothing after the day has passed. Just where did that rule come from – and what is Labor Day all about anyway?

September 3, 2016

It’s not quite clear where the rule about not wearing white clothes or shoes after Labor Day came from – with a number of explanations given.

Time Magazine previously suggested that wearing white in the summer was a way of keeping cool in warmer temperatures, and that it wasn’t necessary to do so once the autumn months arrived.

In the early part of the 20th Century white clothing was regarded as a status symbol for Americans who were wealthy enough to spend time away from the city in the warmer summer months.

Their return from vacation to city life around Labor Day was seen as a time to pack away those clothes and get out their darker-coloured autumn clothing.

June 10, 2020

Although it’s not an official rule, fashion magazines started pointing to the ‘no white after Labor Day’ trend in the 1950s – although style icons such as Coco Chanel continued to wear white all year round.

It’s also been suggested fashion editors led the trend by featuring white clothing in magazines during the summer months and darker clothing once autumn rolled around.

These days people are less fussy about the so-called rule and wear white all year round – although it still pops up from time to time, notably in John Waters’ 1994 movie Serial Mom, in which Kathleen Turner launches a murderous assault on a woman (Patty Hearst) for wearing white shoes after Labor Day is over.

July 18, 2020

Labor Day, which is always on the first Monday in September, commemorates the social and economic achievements of workers in the US, and the contribution they have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of the country.

It was first celebrated in New York City on September 5, 1882, in accordance with the plans of the city’s Central Labor Union, while Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday five years later.

The day became a national holiday in 1894, after Congress passed a bill recognising it as a holiday and then president Grover Cleveland signed it into law.

Labor Day is seen as the ‘unofficial end of summer’ with many people taking two-week vacations around it, while a lot of autumn activities such as school and sports seasons also begin around this time. (Metro UK)

Thursday February 22, 2018

February 21, 2018 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday February 22, 2018

How Justin Trudeau NEVER misses an opportunity to don traditional attire

Dressed head to toe in robes of gold, then red, then white – Justin Trudeau has certainly cut a distinctive figure during his first three days in India.

Bollywood Justin

Indeed, the Canadian Prime Minister seems to have made a point of dressing like a local during his debut visit to the country as leader.

But he also has a history of donning traditional robes at home, especially to honor special dates in the Indian calendar.

As far back as 2012, Trudeau attended the premiere of Midnight’s Children – based on the book about Indian independence written by Salman Rushdie – dressed in a white sherwani robe.

Screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, Trudeau was only a member of parliament when he attended along with wife Sophie Gregoire, who opted for a navy blue halter gown.

Twice last year he also marked important dates in the Indian calendar while dressed for the occasion.

After the junket- February 26, 2018

In August he stepped out wearing a kurta – which literally translates from its Persian origins as ‘a collarless shirt’ – in order to celebrate Indian Independence Day.

Then again in October he donned a dark black sherwani – a heavy, more formal robe usually worn over the top of a kurta – to mark Diwali.

Although on that occasion he drew the ire of many Hindus by tweeting the image along with the caption ‘Dewali Mubarak!’

Mubarak as an Arabic word which means ‘blessed’ and is not used as a greeting by the majority of the Hindu religion.

In January this year, Trudeau was again dressed up to celebrate Thai Pongal, the harvest festival of the Tamil people, in Scarborough.

Trudeau has also routinely celebrates vaisakhi, a Sikh harvest festival, and often does so in traditional robes.

In 2013 he took to the streets of Vancouver in an emerald green jacket with a white cap covering his head, in a nod to the traditional Sikh turban. (Continued: Daily Mail)

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Thursday January 30, 2003

January 30, 2003 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday January 30, 2003

Sweating the Sweater Stuff

Defence Minister John McCallum came under a barrage of unfriendly fire yesterday when he made a “flippant” remark about Tory MP Elsie Wayne’s glistening sweater.

The comment came after Wayne asked the minister if special paint to identify Canadian armoured vehicles in the battlefield would be used to ensure our soldiers didn’t become victims of friendly fire.

“What steps has the minister of defence taken to obtain the necessary marking system to avoid any more tragic losses?” Wayne asked as the sequined pattern in her black sweater shimmered under the Commons lights.

“If our soldiers were to wear the dress of the honourable member … they would be very well identified,” shot back McCallum to the laughter of some Grit MPs.

“It was a sexist remark and it was a remark that trivialized a very serious question – quite literally about the life and death of Canadian Forces in service,” grumbled Tory Leader Joe Clark outside the Commons.

A furious Wayne demanded an apology. (Source: CBC News)