Noble Ambitions
The Social Set Parties Royally at the American Museum of Natural History
On the eve of a certain well-publicized celebration across the pond, the American Museum of Natural History added a timely accent to last night's annual spring gala: a British dress theme. Right honorable gentlemen circulated in old-school smoking jackets and cheeky accessories featuring the Union Jack, while their dates gamely embraced feathered headwear. On that subject,
Lydia Fenet explained that the trick is not to let the item in question slip too far to the back. ("Fascinator-forward," she quipped.) "I actually had to Google hat etiquette," confessed event chair
Blair Husain.
"There are a few daytime hats here that I think may not be appropriate," she decided, scanning the entrance hall during cocktails. "But as long as everyone embraces getting dressed up, that's the fun part—and part of being an American, right? We can do whatever we want."
That meant watching the aerial footage of royal wedding venues that played on big screens during dinner, or not. To many of the guests supping on chicken potpie in the spectacular Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, the more interesting sideshow was the surrounding dioramas of sharks and walruses. About half the room found itself sitting underneath the Hall's enormous hanging whale. "I have a new respect for Captain Ahab," Nina Freudenberger said.
The talk of the evening was Kate Middleton look-alike Caitlin Davis, who played up her resemblance to the royal bride by wearing the famous-by-now Issa engagement dress. Davis was planning on being up at five in the morning, watching Britain's (well, the world's) big event over scones with some girlfriends. Stephanie LaCava, on the other hand, wasn't building her day around it. "I'm sure it'll be on at the gym," she said.
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