What To Wear When You Host

Hi dear gals! We’re in full holiday mode and celebrations abound. Will you be hosting any holiday gatherings in your home this Christmas season? Today I thought we’d talk about what to wear when you host a party or get-together in your home. Of course, you can really wear anything you desire, but I do have a few tips to help you feel and look confident, comfortable and beautiful as you entertain.

When I have people into my home, my top priority is helping my guests to feel welcomed, comfortable and at ease. I’ve more than likely been cooking, cleaning and planning for the event for some time. So as guests arrive for the event, I want them quickly to begin enjoying themselves. I’m sure that’s your goal, too.

I also want to enjoy myself when I have friends and/or family in my home. This is a time to laugh and have rich conversations and make sweet memories and enjoy the delicacies I’ve prepared or others have brought.

I don’t want to feel frazzled or exhausted or uncomfortable during these precious hours either. The work is done. During the actual gathering I want to relax into the setting and engage with the special people I have invited into my home.

My mother is my greatest role model as a hostess. She plans fastidiously for her gatherings so that she can engage and enjoy them when it’s time. And, while she works ahead to have the house spotless and the conversation areas comfortable and the food delicious, her focus is always on the people she has welcomed into her home.

And so it’s with that background and many years of hostessing myself that I’ve come up with a few pointers for putting together a comfortable, beautiful and functional look for when you host people in your home. I offer these simply as suggestions that work for me.

• Hostess Look Tip #1 – Wear something that blends in beautifully with your setting. You have the advantage of having decorated your home in colors and a style that you love. So create an outfit that makes you look “at home” in your home. That’s why I’ve created a monochromatic look of camel colored pieces. My home is full of color. I have a red sofa with splashes of blue, yellow and green throughout my living areas. So I love this soft camel tone-on-tone look for hosting in my colorful home.

• Hostess Look Tip #2 – Dress like you are actually at home…because you are. Absolutely dress nicely and look festive. But leave the blazer and your highest heels in the closet. While gone are the days of “hostess outfits,” I think it’s important that the host looks like she’s not going to be leaving any minute now. Know what I mean??? That’s why I think a lovely cashmere sweater and simple slacks or jeans (depending on the occasion) are a nice choice for a casual gathering.

• Hostess Look Tip #3 – Wear shoes that are festive but comfortable. Obviously you may be on your feet a little more than your guests, so you’ll want comfortable shoes. But I still like to wear something a little festive, too. I chose my suede heels because they fit my monochromatic look beautifully, they’re only slightly dressy and they’re quite comfy. But my leopard prints flats (shown below) provide a beautiful and equally comfortable alternative. I generally wouldn’t wear boots or booties when entertaining in my home. But that’s just a personal preference.

Hostess Look Tip #4 – Wear something that looks approachable and friendly. Whatever your personal style essence is, choose a look within that category that makes you feel and appear especially relaxed and friendly. You want to exude warmth more than anything. My personal style essence is classic, so I chose timeless pieces – sweater and cords – but in yummy textures and a buttery, caramel color that create an especially easy-going vibe.

Hostess Look Tip #5 – Add beautiful accessories that are also functional for hostessing. Especially during the holiday season, it’s perfectly appropriate to wear all the glittery, beautiful jewelry you’d like to wear for your personal style to shine through. But I always suggest focusing on the earrings if you’ll be sitting at a table, since that’s the jewelry people will see while looking in your eyes. And I’d probably leave the scarf off. See Tip #2.

Above I added my leopard print clutch so you could see how I’d accessorize this monochromatic outfit if I were stepping out in it.

Here are a few outfit formulas that I think are perfect options for what to wear when you host in your home:

• soft monochromatic look in any color that works with your home’s color scheme (as shown here) – think navy, grey, black, winter white, brown or even red or green.
• velour straight leg pants + velour cardigan + metallic layering tank
• velveteen jeans + embellished neckline sweater
• solid color velvet side stripe leggings + v-neck tunic sweater
• shimmery skinny jeans + soft sweater
• black velveteen jumpsuit
• velveteen dress for dressier affairs
• fun festive top + full leg high waist pants
• velour maxi wrap dress + your favorite jeans

Shop the Look …and more!

I’ve filled the shopping widget below with the pieces from my look, but also with elements from the style formulas listed above. Remember, if you shop through the links in this post I potentially earn a commission from your purchases, but at no additional cost to you. Thank you so much for shopping through Dressed for My Day!

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Blessed for My Day

I don’t know whether it’s an American thing, a baby boomer thing or a 21st century thing, but we women are determined to be all, do all and excel at all. I can work myself up, work myself over and wear myself out…all in one day! You, too?

Let’s remember, especially during this busy holiday season, that we can do nothing apart from Christ. “Sure I can,” you might say. But truthfully, we can do nothing of any eternal value without Him flowing in us and through us. He must be both our motivator and our generator of all good and eternal works. Let’s pause before we “hop to it” and focus on dwelling in Him. Then He will be honored and glorified, others will be blessed and we will not be exhausted.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ~ John 15:5,8