For years now, Clinton Kelly has been an arbiter of style—whether that’s helping people fix their closets on the long-running What Not to Wear or as co-host on ABC’s The Chew.
To say he’s a natural at giving stylish advice is an understatement. When it came to the subject of holiday entertaining, he had plenty of pointers, and plenty of wise words about what not to do.
Per Kelly, who has teamed with Clorox 2 to make holiday entertaining a breeze, the two biggest mistakes people make when hosting a festive celebration are “stressing out too much” and “not having enough ice.” We got his tips to fix these problems as well how to find the right holiday outfit.
What are some of the most common holiday entertaining faux pas?
I think the biggest mistake people make is stressing out too much about the holiday season. The host always sets the tone for a party. If you’re a stressed out host, your guests will always feel stressed out. People want to come over to have a good time, so get yourself in a good mood. I have a glass of wine before my guests come over. I think also, not having enough ice is a real problem. Get like five times more ice than you think you’ll end up using and you’ll end up using it all.
What’s an easy way to fake being a good cook? (Other than ordering in!)
Well you could have other people do the work for you. Have a potluck party if you’re not a good cook! You can also take shortcuts. I’m OK with finding things pre-made like pie crusts. It’s a pain in the neck [to make]. You just have to put some fruit and sugar in the crust and you’re done!
When it comes to appetizers, use puff pastry to your advantage. Buy it frozen. You can roll anything in cheese puff and it ends up tasting delicious. Things like that make it look like you did something fancy when all you did was take puff pastry out of your freezer and pop it in the oven.
What’s a polite way to get rid of guests who have overstayed their welcome?
People make fun of me for doing this, but it really works: I put a start and end time on my invitation. I say, “come to my house for holiday cocktails from 8 p.m.-midnight on Friday” and people get the hint that when midnight rolls around, it’s time to go. That’s one way.
Another thing is you start loading the dishwasher, that’s a good hint that I’m ready for you to get out of here. You can also take the lights that you’ve dimmed and turn them all the way on. It’s like what happens at a bar.
And then I have resorted in the past by calling my home phone from my cell phone in the bathroom and saying, ‘oh the neighbors are complaining, they’re going to call the cops, let’s take it to the bar down the block.’
What’s your favorite way to relax after hosting holiday festivities?
I’m all about taking it easy the next day. I’m a little bit of an introvert, believe it or not. I like to have guests over, but I need my recovery time. I make sure I’ve thought about what my meals are going to be, I will definitly order in rather than cooking. I’ll take a nice long bath or shower. I’ll even get a massage if it was a really big party.
What’s a good go-to holiday party outfit for men and women? What kind of mistakes do people make when dressing for holiday parties?
If you’re really frustrated and have no idea what to wear, women can always revert to the black pants or the black skirt with some sort of top in a great jewel tone color, like an emerald green or a ruby red, a sapphire or even an amethyst. Those colors automatically say “holiday season.” And then you pair it with a statement necklace. I would definitely add shine during the holiday season wherever you can. i would do it in a blouse, in a sequin skirt, or in a great bold necklace. That’s a great way to not buy a whole new outfit and just use the stuff that’s already in your closet.
When it comes to guys, I’m a big fan of the velvet blazer. I think every guy should have one in his closet this time of year because you can be wearing regular old jeans and a crisp white shirt and a pair of black shoes and you just throw on a velvet blazer and you’re the hit of the holiday party. That’s a go-to for a guy and blazers always feel a little bit more stylish. Everyone you know with great style has a closet full of jackets.
How did you team up with Clorox 2, can you tell us about the campaign?
I’m sure the folks at Clorox heard about how obsessed I am with laundry. I really do believe that your clothes tell the rest of the world what you’re all about and that’s an important message that you’re giving. I believe people should use clothes to make them feel better and help them get what they want out of life and you should take care of them. And of course through the holiday season it’s even more important I think to show who you are during celebrations with your family and Clorox does all sorts of great stuff around the house. Whether it’s cloth napkins, getting stains out, we all know that stains happen.