Outfit Of The Week

Back in the day, entertaining at home and getting all dressed up for your guests was next to normal. And the recipe went something like this: Start with a structured A-line dress, add a string of pearls, slip on a kitten heel and put the roast in the oven—yeah right!

Today things are a bit more fast paced and busy for the modern woman entrepreneur, and you’re lucky if you can put your cell phone down long enough to plate the starters, touch up your lip gloss and pour a pre-guest glass of wine.

This week’s #ootw (Outfit of The Week) is all about glamour meets comfort with a dash of function thrown in for good measure, or—“How to be the Hostess with the Mostest and Still Look Fabulous.”

Entertaining at home requires you to consider a few extra details when selecting the perfect look: Will the fabric breathe, what happens if you spill while plating or serving, can you actually sit in your outfit and enjoy the party or does it only look good standing up?

We decided Gina would wear a springy dress that was stretchy and comfortable, but one that still had enough structure to create shape. This floral number from Roberto Cavalli, one of Gina’s go to designers, was feminine, flirty and perfect for the season. I always find prints are a great source of camouflage—not just for concealing imperfections—but to hide the occasional spill too. Yes I admit, we did roll the dice by choosing a dress with a lighter background, but we’re rebels Gina and I, and rules are meant to be broken—even when they’re mine.

Since the dress already made a big statement on its own, we opted for simple accessories that complimented the look, but didn’t compete with it. This nude patent leather pump is one of Gina’s most comfortable heels, and one of her lowest, so we knew she could last through the whole brunch and entertain beautifully without a behind the scenes foot rub from Glenn—though that inevitably came later.

When it came time to select the jewels, we knew we wanted some pretty baubles but we didn’t want Gina to look overdressed or fussy. The worst thing you can do when entertaining at home is to outdress your guests and make them feel awkward. I chose some of Gina’s favorite pieces, a purple cabochon cocktail ring that Glenn purchased for her on a trip to Istanbul, and a pair of classic diamond studs—both of which did the trick nicely.

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