The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness

CHAPTER IX. MORNING RECEPTIONS OR CALLS. ETIQUETTE FOR THE HOSTESS. If your circle of visiting acquaintance is very large, while at the same time your time is fully occupied, or your home duties make it inconvenient to dress every morning to receive visitors, it is a good plan to set aside one morning in the week for a reception day. Upon your own visiting cards, below the name, put the day when it will be proper to return the visit, thus: MRS. JAMES HUNTER. AT HOME WEDNESDAYS. No. 1718 C---- st. Your friends will, unless there is some especial reason for a call in the interval, pay their visit upon the day named. Let nothing, but the most imperative duty, call you out upon your reception day. Your callers are, in a measure, invited guests, and it will be an insulting mark of rudeness to be out when they call. Neither can you be excused, except in case of sickness. Having appointed the day when you will be at home to see your friends, you must, for that day, prepare to give your time wholly to them. The usual hours for morning receptions are from twelve to three, and you should be dressed, and ready for callers, at least half an hour before that time. To come in, flushed from a hurried toilette, to meet your first callers, is unbecoming as well as rude. Your dress should be handsome, but not showy. A silk or cashmere wrapper, richly trimmed, over an embroidered skirt, with a pretty cap, or the hair neatly arranged without head-dress, is a becoming and appropriate dress. Still better is a rich but plain silk, made high in the neck, with long sleeves. Wear a handsomely embroidered, or lace collar, and sleeves, and a rather dressy cap, or, still better, the hair alone, prettily arranged.