This is the Julianna Velvet Dress by Boden in their Beetroot colorway, and she’s about to become your holiday closet MVP. The super feminine sheath shape is made extra celebratory by the velvet texture and a tie waist that says… bring on the hostess gifts. A blouson sleeve to display when pouring drinks doesn’t hurt, either. It’s an effortless, easy-to-wear dress thanks to STRETCH VELVET—an absolute gift from the fashion gods. This seasonal closet staple will not only be your most-worn seasonal frock, perfect for everything from holiday entertaining to holiday office parties, but it will also be your comfiest. And if that’s not enough to tempt you, let me point out that the timelessness of the shape, style, and color means that you won’t just be wearing it this Christmas, you’ll be wearing it five Christmases from now.

[shop_product num=”1″ image=”left”] [shop_product num=”2″ image=”left”]

For holiday hosting, you’re looking for something you can easily maneuver in. A festive mini might be tempting, but hosting a holiday party involves bending, reaching and running laps around the room refreshing cocktails and passing hors d’oeuvres. You’re looking at an evening in motion, and you want to be able to do that effortlessly—hence the need for a midi length and stretchy fabric. I also love hosting in an outfit that comes together in minutes, because while I’m rushing around trying to get everything ready, inevitably I’ll forget to get one major thing ready—me. Somehow that’s always left until the last minute, so it’s a good thing this dress doesn’t take more than a minute to style.

[shop_product num=”1″ image=”right”]

[shop_product num=”2″ image=”right”]

I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a minute to talk about this pretty shoe. It’s the Katrina Heel, also by Boden, in a deep, glorious navy velvet that I’d like to have several yards of for home decor purposes. They’re slingbacks with the prettiest grosgrain ribbon tie detail and are truly the perfect celebratory shoe, made all the better by the fact that slingbacks tend to stay securely in place no matter how many trips you have to make to the kitchen.

Below, a few more of my favorite holiday entertaining classics, chosen for style first, and sanity second, because holiday entertaining is festive and fun, but only in the right dress.

[shop_product num=”1″ image=”left”] [shop_product num=”2″ image=”left”]