Stacy London Shares Her Hosting Essentials for a Thoughtfully Curated Dinner Party

When I was growing up, TLC’s What Not to Wear was the ultimate comfort show. On any given weeknight, I’d watch as stylist Stacy London transformed contestants into more put-together, confident versions of themselves. Thirteen years after the final episode, London is back sharing her expert styling tips on a reboot called Wear Whatever the F You Want, but as the new show’s title implies, her fashion philosophy has shifted to encourage more experimentation and creative self-expression.

In a way, this outlook reflects that of London’s role as a Q50 ambassador for QVC. I talked to her at the live shopping platform’s Super Brand Day event in collaboration with TikTok, and I was especially interested to get her insights on being creative while hosting. 

Although London’s styling philosophy centers around pushing out of your comfort zone, when it comes to hosting, her secret to success is making guests feel as accommodated as possible. This entails making sure there’s always enough to drink, whether it’s alcohol or nonalcoholic options for guests who don’t drink.

Not only does QVC have tons of entertaining essentials in the decor department, but the retailer also carries an extensive selection of wine and food, including party-style apps. Even better still, you can sort the foods based on specialty diets, like vegan, Kosher, and gluten-free. 

“Not everybody thinks about all of these dietary restrictions, but because I have them, I do,” London says. “I think about soy, dairy, gluten, nuts — anything that I think would be an issue.” 

London also sets out small, thoughtful items like grape scissors, beautiful place cards, and individual salt and pepper shaker sets for each guest. And she loves an intricate tablescape filled with bunches of flowers and plenty of candles. 

Taper candles are especially romantic for dinner parties. They create an intimate ambience without doing too much, and London says she likes to keep the vibes at her parties simple. QVC has lots of pretty taper sets to choose from, including this Grecian column-inspired bundle, which comes in a whopping 14 colors. While you’re browsing, don’t forget to pick up some elegant candleholders, too.

London might be best known for her work in fashion, as evidenced by her TV career and her By Stacy London clothing line at QVC. Late last year, however, she collaborated with porcelain pottery brand Haand to release a line of dishware made specifically for hosting.

When Haand reached out to ask London if she’d want to create something together, she already had an idea in mind. “I was like, ‘As a matter of fact, I love deviled eggs, and I hate the corny ceramic trays they come in,” she says.

The collab’s resulting deviled egg tray has a natural shape and finish inspired by the stones in the Delaware River near London’s home. She says in the future, she would love to do something with furniture. “Interior design is like this kind of passion that I just love so much,” she says.