How to look stylish (not stressed) when you’re serving Christmas dinner

It’s been quite the year for chefs – a polarising one, to say the least. In the blue corner, there’s Jeremy Allen White, king of the ‘hot chefs’ thanks to his role as Carmy in The Bear. And in the (seeing) red corner, there’s Greg Wallace, a chef we’ve all read far too much about already, and must move on from with immediate effect.

Other than to say this: when it comes to looking stylish in the kitchen, what should we middle-class women of a certain age be wearing this Christmas? Granted, there are already a surfeit of things on the to-do list, but at this time of year, it never pays to overlook those tiny details that can transform you, the hapless cook, from a hot mess into a cool slice of chic domesticity whose poise and grace would rival Nigella’s.

While most of us give due thought to our Christmas Day outfit, what we actually wear to cook in tends to be overlooked. But why ruin a perfectly planned festive ensemble with a shabby apron and a grotty pair of oven gloves? This season, there’s even less reason to do so than ever, thanks to a slew of stylish options to suit every budget and taste.

Leading the way is Laila Gohar, the Egyptian-born chef, artist and designer whose Instagram account, @LailaCooks, regales her 296K followers with her culinary tales. “For me, part of being a host means dressing oneself up as well as the table,” says Gohar, speaking from her home in New York. “The stylish cook is always in the proper gear, but without sacrificing function for form.”

The kitchen opera glove

Unable to find the sort of kit she wanted, Gohar set about designing her own, the most flamboyant of which is a pair of metallic silver ‘opera gloves’ and matching apron. “I’ve made many dinners at home and kept running into the same problem – standard sized oven gloves are not long enough to protect the rest of your arms,” she explains. “I decided to come up with a solution. The opera gloves go beyond my elbows for full dramatic – and functional – effect. I take things out of the oven without hesitation when I have them on. Paired with the matching mini apron, it’s my favourite outfit combination for the kitchen.”

Silver opera gloves, £57, Gohar World

Silver apron, £106, Gohar World

A little bit of leopard

If metallic silver feels too OTT even for Christmas, another option is to go retro with a twist. In this, Alice Naylor Leyland excels. The Vogue contributor’s homeware range, Mrs Alice, is resplendent with traditional tableware that falls just on the right side of kitsch. Her frilly leopard print apron, £38, is a way of nodding to the animal print trend without having to commit to it beyond the kitchen (gingham and tartan versions are already sold out).

Milanese maximalism

For an Italian take on retro style, meanwhile, look to La DoubleJ, designed by American-born, Milan-based JJ Martin, whose colourful printed dresses are beloved by Elle Macpherson and Lupita Nyong’o. Her aprons embody the same cheerful exuberance: choose from cherry, pineapple or lemon prints, as well as botanical designs (all £90).

“An apron is such a beloved old-school outfit upgrade,” says Martin. “It’s the perfect mix between granny authenticity and sharp, professional tidiness. They always give a tailored look to a very feminine dress. I would never put an apron with a pair of pants and a blouse – I’d only wear an apron with a dress.”

Something for the minimalists

But not everyone wants to look kitsch in the kitchen. For a more minimalist look, take tips from Max Rocha, brother of designer Simone and chef at East London restaurant, Cafe Cecilia. The staff’s classic navy cotton aprons, designed by Simone and embroidered with a discrete ‘CC’, are available to buy in the restaurant’s online shop (£70). Or simply go for every serious chef’s go-to, a butcher stripe apron and matching glove. It’s classic for a reason: try David Mellor or John Lewis.

For David Waddington, co-owner of Bistrotheque, the London restaurant that celebrated its 20th birthday earlier this year, it’s classic all the way – except over the festive period. “The classic butcher’s apron is a solid choice and usually at the top of the pile, but for Christmas I pull out the special ‘More Joy’ pinny, a super present from Christopher and Tammy Kane from a few years ago, and a pair of thick and slightly singed oven gloves from David Mellor. And in tribute to the late Keith Floyd, I wear it with a dress shirt and polka dot bow tie.”

Dare to wear a slogan apron?

Is the novelty apron dead? Those of a certain vintage may remember their father or uncle rocking up to cook the dinner in a ‘naughty’ apron featuring a bra and suspenders print, a gag almost as hilarious as the ‘Fat Birds Need More Stuffing’ apron currently being sold by The Apron Shop. For a less Wallace-esque take, Etsy has a selection of ‘Original Beef of Chicagoland’ aprons inspired by Carmy’s fictional restaurant in The Bear, while Hedley & Bennett sells the same French Blue heavy duty cotton apron worn by the hot chef himself ($105). Being based in the US, it won’t arrive in time for Christmas, but a similar dark denim version is available from UK-based Run The Jewels (£80). Billed as ‘the world’s best aprons’, every Hedley & Bennett garment comes with a lifetime guarantee.

A few words on fancy oven mitts

As for which accessories to avoid this Christmas, for Gohar, it’s silicone oven mitts. “I find them slippery, plus there are plenty of better-looking options out there. My sister Nadia and I recently came out with Gohar World oven mitts made from Shahi, a striped opaline textile from Egypt. It’s traditionally layered underneath galabeyas [men’s robes], and is a source of pride in Egyptian society. We’ve used it for many of our tablecloths and dinner napkins, and thought it was time to create an oven mitt.”

Gohar World is certainly cornering the (admittedly niche) market for stylish oven gloves, though Anthropologie also stock a limited selection by London-based ‘slow fashion’ brand Damson Madder (from £24). Or for true Christmas showmanship, track down a vintage Hermes oven glove on a resale site. There are a few in circulation, though whether you’d want to ruin them with turkey fat is another matter.

And if you’re far too time and cash-pressed to give your cooking outfit a thought, fear not: some of the most professional chefs don’t bother either. “I’m hopeless when it comes to wearing an apron and oven gloves – I always forget to, and somehow muddle through without just fine,” says the ever-chic cookery writer Skye McAlpine. Instead, her top tip is to wear a judiciously-chosen print. “On a practical note, it hides any little stains, should you splatter yourself. I also love a full skirt or dress – it instantly makes me feel more glamorous. I always love red for Christmas Day, so will probably go for a festive looking tartan, worn with Charlotte Olympia’s ‘Martini’ flats.” Martini optional.