Despite this whirlwind of creative and professional endeavors, Roman has consistently made time for what she loves best: hosting friends and family around the table. That active entertaining schedule ultimately revealed a surprising gap in her wardrobe. As she found herself running back and forth between her guests and the kitchen, she realized she lacked a reliable, comfortable pair of shoes built specifically for the marathon of hosting—footwear that could transition seamlessly from hurried neighborhood errands to welcoming visitors at her front door.
That functional wardrobe dilemma caught the attention of the team at Margaux, sparking conversations that led to Roman’s first-ever fashion collaboration. The resulting four-piece footwear collection is designed to tackle daily errands, grocery runs, and dinner parties without missing a beat. Out of the four pieces in the line, three are entirely original designs created specifically for the brand: the Charlie Boot, the Atlantic Clog, and the Parlor Mule. The Parlor Mule, in particular, was developed as an effortless piece to slip on when people arrive for dinner, offering a relaxed and comfortable silhouette that still reads as polished and put-together.
To celebrate the launch, Roman shared insights into what keeps her evenings running smoothly and how she maintains a stylish, unfussy atmosphere when entertaining at home.
When it comes to her personal hosting uniform, Roman relies on a fail-safe combination: a crisp white button-down shirt paired with dark denim and a classic black clog. That casual yet refined sensibility extends to the way she welcomes guests into her space. Rather than fussing over complicated mixology as people walk through the door, she relies on a pre-batched fifty-fifty martini kept at the ready in her freezer.
Her approach to the guest list is equally straightforward. Roman maintains that a dinner party works best with precisely six people, noting that any larger gathering crosses the threshold into a "party-party." When asked about the perennial debate over assigned seating, she takes a decidedly relaxed stance, leaning toward a definitive "nay" unless specifically requested by her guests, in which case she is happy to direct everyone to a designated spot.
Table linens are another area where Roman eschews excessive formality. Having fully embraced cloth napkins, she looks for materials that improve with age and repeated washing, specifically mentioning linen or cotton-linen blends that avoid feeling too precious or expensive. Rather than investing in high-end specialty sets, she describes herself as an avid vintage Etsy linen enthusiast.
When breaking the ice with unfamiliar faces at a gathering, Roman keeps things refreshingly simple. She relies on a classic "How are you?" and waits to see what kind of conversational energy is returned. When weighing casual bites against a formal sitdown meal, her personal preference tilts heavily toward a cocktail party atmosphere.
For tabletop aesthetics, Roman places a strong emphasis on the dinnerware itself, noting that her favorite plates from Porta always make a meal look exceptional. Her current culinary inspiration is heavily influenced by the calendar, pointing to late summer and early fall as the secret, peak season for tomatoes.
While she humorously admits that she is famously bad at getting ahead on meal preparation, she does lean on her freezer to lighten the load when time permits. When she needs tablespace inspiration, she looks entirely outside the home toward nature and the local park, preferring to keep her arrangements loose, wild, free, and intentionally a little messy.
Her entertaining toolkit also relies on dependable serveware, specifically noting that her vintage platters sourced from Puglia make regular appearances at her table. When it comes to floral arrangements, Roman rejects rigid planning altogether, choosing instead to let whatever flowers are currently in season dictate what goes into the vase.
Dessert follows a similar philosophy of communal enjoyment. Roman argues that there is nothing better than presenting a giant bowl of chocolate pudding accompanied by a handful of shared spoons, describing the presentation as simultaneously fun and elegant. For lighting and ambiance, she believes any basic taper candle can successfully set the tone without requiring a luxury investment, noting that classic beeswax tapers are entirely sufficient.
Given the layout of her home, the inevitable post-dinner transition from the dining table to the living room is seamless, as both spaces share the same room. For Roman, the physical shift happens naturally after dessert—or immediately after dinner if no sweets are served. And when asked where she prefers to host if she is not entertaining in her own home, her response highlights her innate compulsion: she cannot help herself from taking over even when she is a guest.
Ultimately, Roman’s cardinal rule for successful entertaining boils down to two simple directives: relax, and never apologize for the food. According to the author, the definitive sign of a successful evening is when guests stay so late that the host has to gently suggest everyone finally head home so she can finally go to bed.
