Dressing to Host

There's plenty of advice on what to wear to a party and almost none on what to wear when the party is at your house. It's a different brief. A guest stands around holding a glass. A host is at the stove, at the door, on the floor looking for the extra chairs, and in every photograph. Card-party season is about to start. Plan accordingly.

What a host's outfit actually needs

Four things. Sleeves that stay out of the food. Fabric that survives a hot kitchen. A colour that forgives a splash. And ideally somewhere to put your phone, because you'll put it down eleven times otherwise and lose it twelve.

Sleeves: short, cap, or three-quarter

Flared and balloon sleeves are lovely until they're trailing through the chutney. For hosting, pick sleeves that end above the wrist. The Washed Linen Wrap Top has short cap sleeves and a side-tie closure you can loosen after dinner. The Sand Linen Wrap Top has three-quarter sleeves — covered, but clear of everything on the table.

The one-piece answer

The Cocoa Linen Swing Dress might be the best hosting garment on the rail. Sleeveless, scoop neck, wide straps, knee length, an A-line swing that doesn't cling when the kitchen heats up — and a roomy patch pocket at the side for the phone. Deep cocoa hides most of what a dinner can throw at it. One piece, on in a minute, which matters when guests arrive early and they always do.

When it's a festive evening

For Diwali cards or a dinner with some occasion to it, you want to look like the host without wearing anything you have to manage. The Plum Linen Frog Button Set does this well: short sleeves with neat cuffs, mandarin collar, frog closures with pearl buttons, and wide-leg pleated pants with side pockets. It's linen, so it breathes. It's plum, so it forgives. And there's no dupatta to catch on a door handle.

Why linen suits hosting

Kitchens are hot and hosts don't sit down. Linen lets heat out and doesn't show sweat the way satin or polyester blends do. Creases are part of the fabric, so you look the same at eleven as you did at seven — which can't be said for anything that started the evening crisply pressed.

What to skip

Anything semi-sheer that needs adjusting. Anything with a tie at the wrist. Long dangling earrings, if you'll be bending over an oven. Heels, unless your floors and your patience are both excellent. Save the delicate pieces for the evenings when someone else is cooking.

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Frequently asked questions

Should the host be the best-dressed person in the room?
No — the most comfortable. A host who's at ease sets the tone for everyone else. Considered and relaxed beats elaborate every time.

How do I get an oil splash out of linen?
Blot, don't rub. Cover the spot with talc or cornflour for half an hour to draw the oil out, brush off, then wash cold with a drop of dish soap worked into the mark.