Street Chic: New York Women’s Foundation Benefit
Posted by bellastraniera - 16/10/09 at 09:10 am The invitation says cocktails and dinner, not black tie, but the setting is the glamorous 1920s bank now known as Gotham Hall, and Mary J. Blige is performing. Stepping Out & Stepping Up, a benefit hosted by the New York Women’s Foundation, showed that the sisters are doing it for themselves – not just by funding over 240 nonprofit organizations that benefit the lives of five million women and girls in New York City, but by redefining the once-strict rules for formal wear.
Most notable was what was going on below the belt – dresses are no longer a must, as women of all ages branch out into silk pants or even over-the-knee boots. And red made a splash, as on guests Ann Rapp and Jean Shafiroff, above.
The clever alphabet dress on Katlean De Monchy, left, is Chanel.
Rosemary Ponzo strikes a pose. She paired an elaborate feather hat and vest and lots of bling with flat, over-the-knee boots on this cold night.
Susan Cullman confers with Jacqueline Parker Togut, in an elaborate pearl necklace.
Here she is from head to toe. A gauzy black top looks stunning and sexy with jewelry and over-the-knee black boots.
Love the gorgeous neckline of this little black dress, perfect for showing off a necklace. The collar is like a modified tuxedo. The fur wrap looks pretty cozy too.
Abigail Disney, Sheryl WuDunn, Carolyn Buck Luce, Diana Taylor, Mayor Bloomberg, NYWF’s Ana Oliveira, and Jean Shafiroff.
Diana Taylor looking very fashionable in purple.
Deborah Roberts in a one-shoulder little black dress with subtle cut-outs.
On the left – elaborate stockings – look for more of these in the coming months. On the right, going for full glam with gold.
These silk trousers are a lovely Katherine-Hepburn-does-eveningwear look.
Muffie Potter Aston in “very old Prada,” as she termed it. Shopping your closet can pay off, because this dress still looks very current.
Catherine Malandrino in a beautifully draped blue silk dress and black platform heels. Her stockings have a tiny polka dot pattern.
A detail shot of her elaborate statement necklace and kohl-lined eyes. Malandrino always seems to epitomize French chic – sigh.
Somers Farkas also glammed it up in a very flattering gold dress. The short hemline kept it from being too formal.
Debbie Bancroft looking quite the femme fatale in a glamorous black outfit that included silk palazzo pants and an elaborate silk ruffled top.
Mary J. Blige arrived, looking stunning in a black gown and shrug.
Mary J. Blige, who recently won an award for her charitable organization FFAWN, which helps women in need, gave interviews and performed later that night. Love her hair and the bling – including the belt.
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bellastraniera
a.k.a. Marcy Swingle - obsessed with food and fashion.
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May 25th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Somers Farkas,looks like a walking skeleton