All in a row – Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
“When I’m wearing a new bonnet, all the figures I ever knew go right slap out of my head,” to quote Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind. No one was doing much math yesterday, except for tallying up the $4.3 million raised for the upkeep and improvement of Central Park.
Center: President & CEO of the Central Park Conservancy, Betsy Smith; Right – Katherine Birch; Left – Melanie McLennan – Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
This annual event, presented by the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy, was sponsored by Harry Winston, Inc., JP Morgan Chase, and Oscar de la Renta (who had a very popular dress represented here, which I spied on multiple women).
Fe Fendi, Marilyn Kirschner, Cecily Waud, Alessia Fendi – Photo by Laurel Marcus
The weather gods smiled on us with a perfect day, which meant all the ladies turned out in their finest (and sunniest) fits while millinery was top of mind and head. Derby season and hat luncheons, which are now turning up in various parts of the country, account for much of the springtime interest in headgear.
Putting your heads together – Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Hats from Suzanne Couture and Kokin are always popular choices, but anything goes and can be found on sites like Etsy (which is where I found mine). And no, it came from the UK, not China, before the tariffs.
Jean Shafiroff, Martha Stewart, & Susan Magrino
Attendees included Mayor Bloomberg (whom some lamented they wanted back), Martha Stewart, Fe Fendi, Alexandra Liebenthal (who wore a black cocktail hat from the William J. Bill Cunningham collection at auction), Jamee Gregory, Sharon Jacob, Jean Shafiroff, Gillian Miniter, Muffie Potter Aston, and a black-clad and hatted Scarlett Johansson.
Butterflies are free – Marilyn Kirschner
There were the more traditional floral, bowed, feathered, frilled, or sculptural hats, and some that could be called more novelty. I spotted a merry-go-round carousel, a woman with rose-filled wine glasses perched atop her head, various swans (but no Flaco owls like last year), multiple clusters of butterflies, an intricate gold pagoda, a model of Central Park, a bedazzled ice-cream cone, giant cherries, apples, who knows what other foodstuffs and the list goes on. Oh, and a duck’s ass if you can believe that one accompanied by a dress printed with all the ducks in a row.
Laurel Marcus – Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
This is my fourth year at this event, and I can say that the beautiful Central Park reservoir site puts everyone in a good mood. People are smiling, friendly, and just happy to be out in the sunshine, taking photos with large groups of others they may or may not be acquainted with, just because their outfits match or they like what someone else is wearing – that kind of energy.
Lemons everywhere – Photo Marilyn Kirschner
Of the approximately 1,400 people, nearly all were women, and most wore color, but there were a few outliers in all black and even a woman covered in black turkey feathers literally from head to toe. Since the weather is so changeable this time of year here in NYC, I often wonder if some women have alternate outfits planned in case of hell or high water, similar to what we had here earlier in the week.
Luncheon – Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
After the cocktail hour spread past the luncheon tent to the garden fountain, a Primavera salad of roasted chicken and vegetables was served, followed by a meringue tart accompanied by rose or Chardonnay. President of the Women’s Committee Tracey Huff presented the Frederick Law Olmstead Award to Jenny Price, Former Women’s Committee president from 2022-2024.
