I do *not* look good when I'm getting ready to host a dinner or other event. The entire day is spent in shorts, t-shirt, hair thrown up in a bun or something...work like crazy all day, and then I block off one to two hours at the very end where I just quit and get myself ready.
I'd wear something like this if it was a simple dinner/get-together with family and/or close friends (pic #1):
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ol.....tback=5880
Dressier, but still soft/comfortable and *believable* when it comes to cooking/prepping is:
http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/st.....tback=2520
Or something along these lines if it was a pool/backyard/outdoor gathering, and you still wanted to be comfortable, but dressed up:
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/la.....tback=4270
Hmm...as much as I complain about knits and knit dresses, this is one place where they really come in handy. When you're entertaining, you're not going to be wearing blazers, button-down shirts or anything overly tailored or fussy. You need to look like you can move, even if you've had the whole thing catered (or it's take-out, you've plunked it all onto your nice dishes and thrown some fresh parsley around - don't laugh, I've done it).
Not sure if I'm making sense, but I've never arrived at someone's house for a dinner party and the hostess is wearing a fussy cocktail dress or a jacket. It's usually a fab knit dress or dressy pants with an 'easy-ish' top - perhaps a sparkly tank or what have you.
Think 'move-ability' if that helps at all. The general idea is to look like you could (in theory) have done all the cooking/prep-work in the outfit you're wearing.
Does this make sense? Nice pants, comfortable top, or a knit dress of some kind. Something you could have potentially done all the work in. Reality? Shorts, flip-flops, t-shirt, hair thrown up in a bun or pony tail and get fixed up later.
In the meantime, do not expect to get 'dressed' for company until half an hour to an hour or more before the guests arrive. Have your outfit picked out and hanging up ...there's no way you're going to be cooking, cleaning, arranging flowers, setting up chairs or whatever in your actual 'entertaining' outfit. Just trust me on this one! I absolutely recommend blocking off that last hour before anyone could possibly show up for getting freshened up and changed.
It's normal (to me) to look haphazard, flustered,stressed and messy while the work is getting done.
This is why it's important that you block off some time before guests arrive to get fixed up and freshened up, and that you pick an outfit that at least has the potential for looking like you could have cooked, cleaned and decorated all day in it. I know it sounds ridiculous, but seriously - would you expect to show up at someone's house for a home-cooked dinner and the hostess/host is wearing a suit? A button-down shirt? Perfectly pressed pants? A cocktail dress of some kind?
While you wouldn't actually wear your 'entertaining' outfit while doing the cooking, prep or decorating - the outfit should at least look like it was possible to do so, and should still have enough move-ability and comfort to get things out of the oven, onto serving plates and so on.
In the meantime, I think it's very sweet of you to offer to host dinner, especially when you're not feeling all that comfortable with making roast, yorkshire or gravy. Go you!
One last thing - you can also easily wear a beautifully cut pair of jeans, some comfortable sparkly sandals or low-heeled pumps and a fab knit (yes I said knit) top and you will look absolutely beautiful hosting a dinner party. The dresses I suggested are ideas for those occasions when you feel like you need to look a bit more 'hostess-y' if that makes sense.
I think it depends on the type of meal/party you're hosting, the occasion, and number of guests. For just four or six people and it's close friends/family - I'd want premium jeans hemmed to PPL, really great shoes and a fab top and I'd be quite happy and comfortable with that.
Hope tonight's dinner went well
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