Bethesda-based personal stylist Cat Bushera owns Style By Rachel and has clients across the D.C. area. The transition from summer to fall is her busiest time of the year — and wearing white after Labor Day still sparks a debate.

“I get the question every year, whether it’s new clients or old clients, should I still be wearing white? Should I not?” she said. “Some people will abide by that rule. They will put away their whites, and they never want to see it again. We want to stick within the comfort boundaries of every client. But I think it’s our job as a stylist to kind of push people a little bit outside of their comfort zones, and really utilize 80% of their wardrobe all year round.”

She pointed out there are different shades of white, and she recommended looking for warmer whites with brown, beige or cream undertones. Bushera also advised putting away light fabrics, such as linen, in favor of thicker material.

“Pay more attention to the fabric as opposed to the color,” she said. “Wearing a beautiful cream wool turtleneck, even with a cream denim, and creating this beautiful monochromatic look with a brown flat is gorgeous, in my opinion. And I think it’s the perfect fall look.”

Cream denim is a big fall trend, according to Bushera, who also said navy is the new black. If you have formal events or galas coming up, she recommended staying away from white and choosing fall colors instead.

Bushera graduated from Marymount University with a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising and managed a women’s boutique in downtown Bethesda before owning her business.

Many of her clients are high level executives who don’t have time to shop, but she also offers more affordable options, including style boxes and virtual services.

Her best fashion advice is to be confident and try new things.

“Pushing yourself a little bit outside of your comfort zone, trying to experience and experiment with different fabrics and different colors,” she said. “Fashion rules are meant to be broken.”