Southern roots

I was born and raised in the great state of Texas.  Texas is part of the south, but at the same time, isn't part of the south.  I was raised with some southern traditions and without others.

When I was a kid, maybe even a teenager, I don't remember, I tried to wear a white skirt to church in the winter time.  My mother made me change clothes.  I learned the rule "Never where white before Easter or after Labor Day."  The rule stuck with me and I stuck to the rule, except for tennis shoes. (It's hard to find tennis shoes that aren't white, but I don't guess that matters too much.  I can't imagine a Southern Belle ever wearing tennis shoes to start with.)

I could tell the girls who weren't from the south when I was in college.  They would wear white during the time between Labor Day and Easter.  No decent southern girl would ever do that. When we moved to Hawaii, I learned they had never heard that rule before.  I guess when it's summer everyday of the year, you don't need winter clothes or winter colors.  I was part of a program at church one September and was told that we must all wear white dresses or white shirts.  How could I do that?  I would have to break the rule that I had stuck with for so long.  It was hard, but I wore a white shirt that September Sunday.

Since then, I'm a little more lax about the white rule.  While I'm still surprised to see women wearing white dresses in the winter time, it isn't quite as shocking.  As for me, I still avoid wearing white during the winter.

My husband says I'm silly and maybe I am, but there are some childhood lessons with Southern roots that have stuck with me and I will stick with them.