The Evolution of New Year's Eve Fashion

New Year's Eve, a holiday of extravagant parties, food, and dress, is one of the most conspicuous events of the year. From sparkly mini dresses to fur coats, silver eyeliner to red lipstick, New Year’s Eve is full of ornamentation, but have any of us ever wondered how this came to be? The very beginnings of New Year’s Eve can be traced back to ancient tradition. The Scots would often dress in cow hides in an attempt to ward off bad spirits, while the Romans would host something akin to a banquet. The intention was usually the same: to celebrate and welcome in the new year. Though we can trace the inception of New Year’s Eve back to various ancient traditions, the more modern, American take on New Year’s Eve comes from those which began in the 1800s. Prior to the late 19th century, NYE had been considered somewhat of a familial tradition. Instead of wearing sequined dresses to massive parties, people focused on maintaining good luck and habits for the new year. This was accompanied by people wearing their nicest outfits, their assumptions being that the clothes would set them on the proper path for the new year and that their good fortune would follow them throughout the next twelve months.

A couple rings in the New Year, circa 1930. (Getty Images)

However, in the late 1800s, New Year’s Eve became more closely aligned with the holiday we know today: one typically associated with abundant glitz and glamour. People began wearing their best clothes to restaurants and gatherings in order to celebrate the holiday glamorously, with others alongside them. This rise in New Year’s Eve parties can be attributed to a few things, but the common consensus is that it was due to the widespread access to clocks and lighting. People now had constant access to time, could count down into the new year, and could be out and about at night. The early 1900s also brought about the migration of various groups into cities, another factor which may have contributed to the normalization of NYE parties.

A New Year's Eve Party in 1927. (Getty Images)

Now that people could more easily celebrate the holiday, NYE became akin to a kind of fashion show. People became increasingly more excited to show off their outfits, often to tunes of clinking glasses and midnight chatter. If folks couldn’t afford to attend big parties, they would host small ones in their homes with similar dress codes. It is no secret that the culture surrounding New Year’s Eve has become amplified in recent years. From the Times Square Ball Drop to the Instagram posts to the absurd amounts of money spent on singular garments, New Year’s Eve has become a major holiday within the American cultural zeitgeist.

As for modern New Year’s Eve trends, many people still embrace the sparkles and glamour when choosing an outfit. In recent years, black, gold and silver have been emphasized as well as bodysuits, fur coats and mini dresses. Many people, including celebrities, have also started to post their NYE looks to their Instagram.

Image from @dualipa on Instagram.

To celebrate the start of 2023, pop musician Dua Lipa wore a sequin minidress. She posted it to her Instagram, writing “Happy New Year ~ wishing you peace, love, health and happiness for this year ahead x.”

Image from @shaymitchell on Instagram.

Actress Shay Mitchell also went for a sparkly mini, though she chose a silver piece. She posted the photo to her Instagram with the caption, “loved this dress so much I wore it into the morning / Happy New Year everyone!”

Image from @adutakech on Instagram.

To ring in the new year, model Adut Akech Bior wore a tasseled black midi dress accompanied by gold jewelry. She posted a photo, writing, “Happy New Year everyone… I feel truly blessed and highly favored everyday.”

Image from @kyliejenner on Instagram.

For her NYE celebration, Kylie Jenner posted a photo wearing a black fitted bodysuit and fur coat. She captioned it simply, “NYE.”

Celebrities often display a wide variety of NYE fashion, choosing anything from sequins to fur to tassels. Though we have evolved quite a bit from our previous cow hides and Roman banquets, the New Year’s Eve celebrations of today are still just as exciting. Whether you choose to go classic with some layered jewelry and a mini dress or to dress up in a fur coat and sleek bodysuit, may your outfit bring you into a joyful and prosperous new year!