Dress Up For New Year’s Eve

The countdown has begun! I am looking forward to celebrating the end of 2021 tomorrow night. Even though we’re dining at a friend’s home,  I will dress up for our small New Year’s Eve dinner. I think New Year’s Eve is a holiday that should be a bit more dressy.

I can’t believe that tomorrow is the last day of 2021. There were some beautiful moments and some that weren’t so wonderful. However, ringing in the New Year should be welcomed wearing something nice depending on the dress code of the people you celebrate with tomorrow night. I have already shared a casual outfit that you can wear for New Year’s Eve. But the tapestry jacket dressed up the jeans I was wearing.

Why Do We Dress Up for New Year’s Eve?

Did you know that dressing up to begin a new year isn’t something new? One of the first groups thought to dress up for New Year’s Eve was the Scot’s, with their variety being called “Hogmanay.” In early times, people dressed in cattle hides and ran around with torches or lit bonfires, with fire symbolically purifying the village from evil. Perhaps wearing these hides is the precursor for wearing something different at New Year.

While the Scots were decked out with hides, the Romans had something akin to a black-tie banquet for their Eve. The Romans danced in the streets; tables were heavy with food and drink, people were drunkenly breaking out into song. Sound familiar?

Before the late 1800s, New Year’s Eve was more of a family affair, where people would go to sermons and reflect on the past year. But right as we inched towards the Gilded Age, parties full of noisemakers and sparklers took over those quiet reflections of renewals.

“As New Year’s Eve became more and more of a spectacle, women carefully selected their outfits so as attention to themselves, “according to Dr. Alexis McCrossen, author of Time’s Touchstone: The New Year in American Life.

And as more and more restaurants threw lavish banquets and clubs put on shows heavy with cocktails and dancing, New Year’s now wasn’t just a special occasion, but the biggest party of the year, which was something that people’s outfits reflected.

From cowhides to half a million dollars worth of sparkle, we’ve always needed to glam ourselves up for the ringing in of the New Year. So may this year’s outfit make that long history proud.

My Outfit

I love to dress up for New Year’s Eve because this is the last time I will be dressed up in 2021. For my outfit, all my pieces are on repeat. Shopping my closet for my outfit is easy when

I am wearing the Mandarin Duster, and the sleeveless black top from Draper’s and Damon’s that first appeared in this post. 

The duster is elegant and goes so well with my red jewelry from Chico’s. The jewelry is about five years old but is timeless.

My wide-legged pants are from Saint and Sofia. These pull-on pants with the satin tie go perfectly with the duster. They’re so comfortable and perfect for a large dinner on New Year’s Eve.

As we say goodbye to 2021 on Friday, I am looking forward to seeing what new beginnings await me.

What are you looking forward to in 2022?

Thank you to Draper’s and Damon’s, and Saint and Sofia for partnering with me on this post. Of course, all opinions are my own.

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Thank you for stopping by every week.

I am wishing you a wonderful new year!

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