I used have a serious fear of cooking in front of other people. But once I moved into my first apartment after college, the open kitchen (plus roommate) made cooking alone virtually impossible. I still try to make most of my dishes ahead of time when I’m entertaining, but there’s always something to do last minute, whether it’s tossing a salad or topping crostini. And no matter what that something is, it always manages to get all over me.

While cooking in my underwear is fine when no one is watching, I’ve had to find strategies for choosing transitional cooking to hosting outfits that look good enough to greet company in, and won’t risk being ruined when I inevitably splatter tomato sauce all over the front of my shirt.

I try to stick with black for the most part, but that can get boring when you’re planning on going out after the meal, as I often do when catering on a Saturday night (Tupperware and all). So I like to wear black on top and round it out with lots of pops of color (pink lipstick) and exciting accessories (chunky long earrings). Florals and other busy patterns are also great for hiding stains. But just in case, choose a neutral apron to wear over your pants. Of course, when it comes to footwear, I always choose comfort over style – flats all the way!

For more of my closet wishlist (for hostessing or otherwise), check out my Pinterest board.

xo

Phoebe

1|Bright Lipstick 2|Black Top 3|Long Chunky Earrings 4|Floral Leggings 5|Black Sandals 6| Neutral Apron