One more thing to add to the to-do list for your holiday party: Find an outfit that creates a celebratory mood, is welcoming and warm (but not hot), can hide a little sauce splatter and has pockets to stash remotes, phones and, for the ladies, lipgloss.

It's the delicate balance of being chic and comfortable.

"I can't imagine any more pressure when you're putting on a party - when you are so focused on wine and food - and you have to look beautiful as well," says Simon Kneen, creative director of Banana Republic. "Men have it a little easier, but you still have to make it look effortless and easy to manage."

Dressing for the role of host is a little bit different from a guest, with many more practical considerations. Just like every other aspect of the party, seasoned, stylish party-throwers say you'll likely want to do as much preplanning as you can.

Even last month, Kneen knew what he'd be wearing next time he entertained: a poplin shirt, sleeves rolled, with a tie. Meanwhile, Manhattan-based designer Shoshanna Gruss will pull one of her many cocktail dresses with subtle slash pockets out of her closet and pair it with a chunky necklace or sparkly cuff bracelet.

Anyway, since you'll inevitably use your trousers in lieu of a napkin or kitchen towel as you prepare the meal, cords will serve you better, according to Thoreson: Corduroy pants hold up after multiple washes. The dark denim you'd otherwise wear doesn't do as well with many washes.

Other tips:

Invitation dress code: Mortimer says she likes a little guidance from the host, even if it's just a vague suggestion such as 'holiday-party dress'. But, Gruss says, remember, it's family time. Wear the more conservative cuts and save the sexy Herve Leger-style bandage dress for another occasion.

Beauty: Make-up should be maintenance-free, says Ricky Wilson, Dior Beauty's celebrity make-up artist. "I take the same approach I do with a client attending a red carpet event. You have to keep in mind that you have many people looking at you with little or no time to look at yourself." His picks include false eyelashes or at least waterproof mascara, and liquid eyeliner.

For the lips, he suggests a neutral waterproof lip pencil underneath a lipstick and a gloss. You want staying power, he says.

Photos: At some point, someone is going to snap a photo of the host, so Wilson says you may as well take one before any guests arrive, just so you know what it will look like. Snap it just before the party starts. "Make sure you have your outfit on and hair close to done if not finished," Wilson says. "This will give you an idea of how you will look in the photographs."