Gilded Age New Year’s Fashions, 1883

It is not in good taste to wear low-necked or sleeveless dresses for the daytime. It is done by brides on their wedding day sometimes, but for receptions or on New-Year’s scarcely ever in these latter days. It once was the foolish fashion. Indeed, the range of dress proper for this unique occasion is a wide one. One only custom is peremptory— a lady must wear gloves.

“Le jour de l’an,” as the French call it, is, indeed, the principal day of the year to many who still keep up the custom of calling and of receiving calls— a custom which has been in danger of falling into desuetude, through the size of the city and its immense growth of population, in New York. There are, however, other towns and “much country” (as the Natives say) outside of New York, and there are warm hearts and hospitable boards in it still, where the happy and the light-hearted, the gay and the thoughtful, will meet and exchange wishes for a happy New-Year.

To those who will receive calls, we would say that the best plan is, if possible, to have every arrangement made two or three days before New Year’s, so that the lady, or ladies, will not feel flurried, as calls begin early, even at eleven o’clock, if the caller means to make a goodly day of it. A lady should have her hair dressed for the day when she rises, and if her dress be not too elaborate, put it on then, so that she be not upstairs but down in the parlor when the first of the gentlemen callers arrive. 

In regard to the question of dress, as to what to wear, we should say that for elderly ladies black velvet, or black satin, or any of the handsome combination dresses so fashionable now, with handsome laces, with always a pair of Swedish gloves (of pearl or tan color, not white kids; these are decidedly rococo, and not in fashion), would be appropriate. A black satin, elegantly made up with beaded passementerie, is perhaps the handsomest dress for anybody. Brocaded silk, plain gros-grain — any thing even which a lady would wear at the wedding reception of her daughter is allowable, although the plainer dresses are in better taste.

For young ladies nothing is so pretty as a dress of light cashmere and silk, made high. These dresses, in the very pretty tints worn now, are extremely becoming, warm-looking, and appropriate for a reception, when the door is being thrown open often. White dresses of thick silk or cashmere, trimmed around the neck with lace, are also exceedingly elegant. In all countries young married ladies are allowed to be as magnificent as a picture of Marie de Medicis, and can wear on New-Year's Day rose-colored and white brocaded silk, pearl trimmings, or plain ciel blue, or prawn-colored silk over white, or embossed velvet, or what they please, so that the dress is cut high, with long sleeves to the elbow; and each lady should have near her an ermine cape or small camel's-hair shawl in case of draughts. 

It is not in good taste to wear low-necked or sleeveless dresses for the daytime. It is done by brides on their wedding day sometimes, but for receptions or on New-Year’s scarcely ever in these latter days. It once was the foolish fashion. Indeed, the range of dress proper for this unique occasion is a wide one. One only custom is peremptory— a lady must wear gloves.

Whilst much magnificence is allowable, still a plain black or dark silk dress, if well made, with fresh ruffles at neck and wrist, is quite as proper as anything else, and men generally admire it more. But where a lady has several daughters to receive with her, she should study the effect of her rooms, and dress the young ladies in prettily contrasting colors, now so easily and cheaply done since the pretty merinos have come in in the fashionable shades. Short dresses are usually worn in these materials. Imported dresses are now so cheap and so easily obtained that a mother with many daughters can not do better than to buy what the economical French make up for their jour de l'an dresses. They have no idea in France of our extravagant way of doing things. — Harper’s Bazar, 1883 

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