You are the hostess, so your outfit has to do two jobs at once: look festive in the photographs and feel comfortable while you carry the tray, answer the door and top up the glasses. The best holiday open house outfit ideas for women winter hosts love are the ones that let you enjoy your own party instead of fussing over your dress all afternoon. You should look like the celebration, not like the catering.
Inside are twenty-one holiday open house outfit ideas for women, built around festive but fuss-free dresses, cosy knits with a party twist, apron-friendly layers, shoes you can stand in for hours, jewellery that says celebration, and quick outfit changes if guests stay late. Every look gives you the outfit formula, a comfort note and a hosting tip, because a hostess outfit is not just about how it looks — it is about how it works when you are the one doing everything.
Hosting a Holiday Open House in Style
There is a particular joy in opening your own home at Christmas, and a particular kind of tiredness that comes with it. You will be on your feet from the first knock at the door to the last guest leaving, and your outfit needs to keep up. Think about the day in three parts: the welcome, when you are greeting guests at the door; the middle, when you are serving food and keeping the conversation going; and the late evening, when the party has settled and you can finally sit down.
The secret is to choose an outfit that is comfortable enough to cook in and pretty enough to photograph, and to try the whole thing on while you do a trial run of the day — carry a tray, bend down to the oven, sit on the sofa and get up again. If the dress rides up, the shoes pinch or the top slips, you will know before the guests arrive. When you are comfortable, you are a relaxed hostess, and a relaxed hostess is the best kind of hostess.
Festive but Fuss-Free Dresses
A festive dress for an open house should be beautiful, but it should never need your attention. Avoid dresses that need constant adjusting, fabrics that crease the moment you sit down, and hems that catch on chair legs. Look for a dress with a little stretch, a shape that stays where you put it, and a colour that photographs well in warm indoor light — deep red, forest green, burgundy or a soft metallic.
A Red Midi Dress That Does the Work
A red midi dress is one of the most useful holiday open house outfit ideas for women, and it is the first look to try if you want to feel festive without trying too hard. Look for a simple shape with a hem just below the knee, a neckline you feel good in, and a fabric with a little stretch so you can move, bend and carry a tray without thinking about it. Red is the colour of Christmas, and a red dress in a warm fabric looks wonderful against a Christmas tree and candlelight.
Keep the rest of the outfit simple: small gold earrings, a pair of low heels or elegant flats, and an apron you do not mind wearing — a dark apron over a red dress looks charming, not messy. The hosting tip is to choose a dress you can wear an apron over and take the apron off for photographs, so you get two looks from one outfit. A red midi dress is festive, flattering and forgiving, and it is a dress you will reach for every December.
A Black Dress With a Festive Touch
A black dress with a festive touch is the hostess outfit for the woman who loves a classic look. The dress itself can be simple — a black midi or knee-length dress in a fabric with a little weight — and the festive touch comes from the details: a pair of sparkling earrings, a red or gold wrap, a velvet shoe, or a brooch that catches the light. Black is practical for a hostess, because it does not show every splash, and it looks elegant in every photograph.
The comfort note is to choose a black dress with sleeves or a wrap, because a hostess is often in and out of the kitchen and the garden, and bare arms get cold. Wear it with tights in a sheer dark shade and low heels you can stand in, and keep a festive apron to hand for the cooking. A black dress with a red lip and a gold earring is the simplest elegant outfit of all, and it is one that never lets a hostess down.
Cosy Knits With a Party Twist
A cosy knit is the most comfortable thing you can wear to your own open house, and with a party twist it can also be the most elegant. The trick is to choose a knit with a little shape — a fine knit dress, a chunky knit with a belt, or a soft knit top with a party skirt — and to add one festive detail, like a metallic shoe, a sparkling earring or a velvet skirt. The knit keeps you warm, and the twist keeps you looking like the hostess, not like you are having a quiet night in.
A Chunky Knit Dress With Boots
A chunky knit dress with boots is the warmest and most practical of all the holiday open house outfit ideas for women, and it is perfect for a daytime open house. Look for a knit dress in a soft cream, a warm grey or a deep red, with a hem at or below the knee, and wear it with knee-high or ankle boots in a dark neutral. The knit dress is warm, it moves with you, and it looks relaxed and welcoming, which is exactly what an open house should feel like.
The hosting tip is to choose a knit dress that does not shed — nothing ruins a tray of canapés faster than a fluffy jumper — and to wear a belt if the dress is shapeless, so your waist can be seen. Add a pair of simple earrings and a touch of lipstick, and you have an outfit that works from the first guest to the last. A chunky knit dress with boots is cosy, chic and completely practical, and it is the outfit to choose if you want to enjoy your own party.
A Fine Knit Top With a Party Skirt
A fine knit top with a party skirt is the cleverest way to wear a knit to an open house, because it gives you the warmth of a knit and the glamour of a party outfit in one look. Choose a fine knit top in a soft neutral — cream, grey or a deep burgundy — and pair it with a skirt in velvet, satin or a soft metallic. The top keeps you warm in the kitchen, and the skirt makes you look like the hostess in the photographs.
The comfort note is to choose a skirt with a little stretch and a waistband that does not dig in when you sit down, because a hostess sits down rarely but eats standing up often. Wear it with low heels or elegant flats, and keep your jewellery simple — a pair of small earrings and a bracelet is enough. A fine knit top with a party skirt is the outfit for the hostess who wants to be warm, comfortable and a little bit glamorous, all at once.
Apron-Friendly Layers
An apron is part of a hostess outfit, whether you like it or not, so choose layers that work with one. A wrap dress, a cardigan, a smart jacket or a shirt dress all take an apron gracefully, and they all come off easily when the cooking is done and the photographs begin. The layer should be easy to put on and take off, it should not crease the dress underneath, and it should look good on its own if you decide to keep it on all afternoon.
A Wrap Dress You Can Cook In
A wrap dress is the hostess dress, and it is one of the most practical holiday open house outfit ideas for women. The wrap shape flatters every figure, the tie waist can be loosened after a taste of everything, and the dress is easy to wear an apron over without hiding the whole outfit. Choose a wrap dress in a deep festive colour — burgundy, forest green or navy — in a fabric with a little stretch, and wear it with tights and low heels.
The hosting tip is to choose a wrap dress that ties at the side rather than the front, so the knot does not get in the way of the apron, and to keep the neckline modest enough for bending over the oven. A wrap dress photographs beautifully, it moves with you, and it is comfortable from the first guest to the last. Add a pair of simple earrings and a touch of lipstick, and you have a hostess outfit that works as hard as you do.
A Smart Cardigan Over a Party Dress
A smart cardigan over a party dress is the layer for the hostess who wants to be warm and elegant at the same time. Choose a cardigan in a fine knit — cashmere, merino or a soft blend — in a colour that matches the dress, with a shape that sits neatly on the shoulders and does not add bulk. A cardigan in cream over a burgundy dress, or in black over a red dress, looks considered and polished, and it is easy to slip off for photographs.
The comfort note is to choose a cardigan with buttons or a tie, rather than an open one that slips off your shoulders when you carry a tray, and to keep the sleeves at three-quarter length so they do not dangle in the food. A smart cardigan is also the layer to wear if guests stay late and the house cools down, because it keeps you warm without making you look like you have given up on the party. It is the most useful layer a hostess can own.
Shoes You Can Stand In for Hours
A hostess is on her feet for hours, and her shoes will decide whether she enjoys her own party or counts the minutes until she can sit down. Choose shoes you can stand in, walk in and carry a tray in, and break them in at home before the day. The most elegant shoe in the world is no good if you cannot walk to the door in it, and nobody will see your feet under a long dress or behind a kitchen counter anyway.
Low Block Heels for a Long Afternoon
Low block heels are the hostess shoe, and they are the shoe to choose if you want a little height without any pain. A block heel in a low height gives you stability on kitchen floors, on stairs and on the garden path, and it looks polished with a midi dress or smart trousers. Choose a closed toe for winter, in a colour that matches your outfit or in a soft metallic that goes with everything.
Break the shoes in at home for a few evenings before the open house, wearing the tights you will wear on the day, and add a gel insole if the shoe allows it. The hosting tip is to keep a pair of elegant flats by the door for the moment your feet get tired, and to remember that the photographs will show your shoes, so choose a pair you actually like. A low block heel in a deep colour with a simple shape is the safest elegant choice for a long afternoon.
Elegant Flats for the Kitchen and the Door
Elegant flats are not a compromise for a hostess — they are a choice, and for a long open house they are often the wisest one. A pointed-toe flat in velvet, satin or a soft metallic looks polished with a midi dress or smart trousers, and a low heel in a kitten shape gives you a little lift without any of the pain. If you are the hostess, you set the dress code, and a beautiful flat is far more elegant than a heel you cannot walk in.
The comfort note is to think about the floors you will be walking on. A kitchen floor can be slippery, a garden path can be wet, and a carpet can catch a heel, so a flat with a little grip is worth more than a heel with a little height. Choose a flat with a closed toe and a warm lining, wear tights that match the shoe, and keep a pair of warm boots by the door for the trips to the car. Your feet will thank you, and you will still be smiling when the last guest leaves.
Jewellery That Says Celebration
Jewellery is the fastest way to turn a simple hostess outfit into a celebration, and it is also the easiest thing to change if guests stay late. A pair of statement earrings, a sparkling bracelet or a festive brooch can lift a plain dress in seconds, and they do not get in the way of cooking, carrying a tray or hugging your guests. Choose one statement piece and keep the rest simple, so the jewellery feels like a celebration rather than a distraction.
Statement Earrings With a Simple Dress
Statement earrings with a simple dress are the hostess jewellery trick, and they work because the earrings do all the work. A plain dress in a deep colour, with a pair of gold, crystal or pearl drop earrings, looks festive and polished without any effort at all. Choose earrings that are light enough to wear all day, because heavy earrings will hurt by the time the guests arrive, and keep your hair up or half-up so the earrings can be seen.
The hosting tip is to choose earrings that will not catch on your apron, your scarf or your coat, and to put them on after you have finished cooking, so they do not get splashed. A pair of statement earrings is also the easiest way to change your look if guests stay late — swap a simple stud for a sparkling drop, and your daytime outfit becomes an evening one in seconds.
A Touch of Gold for the Evening
A touch of gold is the jewellery for the evening part of an open house, when the candles are lit and the party has settled. A gold bracelet, a gold necklace or a gold clutch adds warmth and celebration to a simple dress, and it photographs beautifully in candlelight. Choose gold in a soft, warm shade rather than a bright one, and keep it to one or two pieces so the effect is elegant rather than loud.
The occasion note is that gold works with every festive colour — red, green, burgundy, navy and black — so it is the most useful jewellery a hostess can own. Wear it with a plain dress and a low heel, and let the gold be the festive detail that ties the whole outfit together. A touch of gold is the difference between a hostess who looks like she is working and a hostess who looks like she is celebrating, and it is a difference worth making.
Quick Outfit Changes if Guests Stay Late
Every good open house has a moment when the afternoon turns into the evening, the candles are lit, and the guests who were going to leave at four are still there at seven. A quick outfit change will carry you through that moment without a fuss: swap your daytime flats for a pair of low heels, change your simple studs for a pair of sparkling earrings, take off the cardigan and put on a velvet jacket, or add a touch of gold. The change takes two minutes, and it makes the evening feel like a second party.
The practical note is to lay out the evening pieces before the first guest arrives — the earrings on the dressing table, the heels by the door, the jacket on the back of a chair — so you can change without disappearing for half an hour. A hostess who disappears to change her outfit is a hostess who misses her own party, so keep the change quick, keep it simple, and keep it in the spirit of the day. The guests will notice that you look a little more glamorous, and they will feel like the party is still going strong.
Frequently Asked Questions About Holiday Open House Outfit Ideas for Women Winter
Every hostess has the same worries before an open house — will I be comfortable, will I look festive, and will I be able to do everything in this outfit — and the answers are simpler than you might think. Choose a dress with a little stretch, shoes you can stand in, and layers you can take on and off, and try the whole outfit on while you do a trial run of the day. The questions below cover the two things hostesses ask about most.
What Should I Wear to Host a Holiday Open House?
You should wear a dress in a warm, festive fabric — velvet, crepe, a fine knit or a lined lace — in a deep colour that suits the season, with sleeves or a cardigan, tights if the dress is shorter, and low heels or elegant flats you can stand in for hours. A red or burgundy midi dress is the classic hostess choice, and a black dress with a festive touch is the most practical one, because it does not show every splash.
Choose an outfit you can wear an apron over and take the apron off for photographs, and try the whole thing on while you carry a tray, bend down to the oven and sit on the sofa. Avoid dresses that need constant adjusting, fabrics that crease the moment you sit down, and shoes you cannot walk in. The golden rule is to dress for the longest part of the day, not the prettiest photograph, because a comfortable hostess is a relaxed hostess, and a relaxed hostess is the best kind of hostess.
Can I Wear Jeans to a Holiday Open House?
You can wear jeans to a holiday open house if you are a guest, but if you are the hostess, a dress or smart trousers will usually serve you better. Jeans are comfortable, but they can look too casual in the photographs, and they do not take an apron as gracefully as a dress does. If you love jeans, choose a dark, smart pair in a tailored shape, with a festive top — a velvet blouse, a sequin top or a fine knit with a party twist — and low heels or elegant flats.
The one thing to do is to think about the tone of your own party. If it is a relaxed afternoon with neighbours and family, smart jeans with a beautiful top are perfectly right, and you will feel like yourself. If it is a more formal evening with candles and a dressed table, a dress will feel more like the occasion. Either way, choose an outfit you can move in, cook in and enjoy the day in, because the best hostess outfit is the one you forget you are wearing.
If you are also dressing for a festive lunch this season, see our Christmas Lunch Outfit Ideas for Women Elegant Winter for daytime looks that work from the table to the afternoon. And for a magical evening out, our 19 Nutcracker Ballet Outfit Ideas for Women This Winter shows velvet and sequin dresses that carry the same festive feeling to the theatre.
Love these holiday open house outfit ideas for women winter parties? Save this pin for later and share it with your fellow hostesses.
Want to write your own pin caption? Try our free Pinterest Caption & Pin Generator and create a caption that gets your pin saved.
Follow Nova Fashion on Pinterest for more winter outfit ideas, and save your hostess look before you enjoy your own party.
Pingback: 23 Elegant Winter Outfit Ideas for Women With a Green Coat Nova Fashion