Say goodbye to winter layers
The soaring mercury over the past few days meant an earlier than usual return to the summer wardrobe.
The temperature hovered unseasonably in the 90s at the John Varvatos Stuart House Benefit on Sunday, but that didn’t deter Brad Haynes from rocking his new Royal Underground leather blazer at the John Varvatos Stuart House benefit. “I wore black pants with it because I’m going to switch jackets and go to a funeral after this,” he said. Stephen Geerts, who works for the designer in New York, may have looked toasty warm in a head-to-toe John Varvatos outfit he’d put together over several seasons, but he assured the Scout that the long scarf was comfortably cool. “It’s lightweight cotton,” he said.
FOR THE RECORD: An earlier version of this article called actress Kerry Washington a burlesque star. Dita von Teese, who also attended the C Magazine party, is a burlesque star; Washington is not.
Zachery Scott tried to beat the heat by bringing out his seersucker suit for its first wearing of the season. “I grew up in the South wearing seersucker as a kid,” he said, “and got this one about three years ago before I moved out here.” Both the suit and hand-tied bowtie hailed from Max’s Men’s Store in Charleston, South Carolina.
A Varvatos-suit-clad Macy Gray headlined the fifth annual event, which was co-sponsored by John Varvatos and Converse and attended by 2,000 people who donated more than $400,000 to benefit a program of the Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center assists child victims of rape and sexual abuse.
A few days earlier, Madewell made sure that 50 stylish guests were kitted out for Spring with its flouncy dresses, slouchy shorts and open toe sandals at a “Girl’s Night Out” poolside event at the Sunset Tower Hotel.
Many girls already sported the bright, breezy and layered look present in the Spring line. Crystal Meers welcomed the season by brightening up her dark, Darryl K jeans with a yellow t-shirt by Proenza Schouler for Target and a peacock blue Balenciaga bag, when asked what trend she is most excited about buying for this Spring, “Futuristic! I bought the metallic leggings from American Apparel” Others are opting to show a little leg. Gina La Rochelle said she couldn’t wait for short dresses. “I love feminine, flouncy short dresses” describing almost perfectly the red vintage dress she was wearing cinched with a gold metallic belt and layers of vintage gold necklaces. After a candle-lit, sit-down dinner, guests charged through the entrance of Madewell’s temporary boutique in the adjacent cabana, grabbing at lightweight Capri’s, tie front tanks and tissue cotton t-shirts all perfect for the impending warm weather. Clearly, Spring has sprung in Los Angeles.
Across town at the Chateau Marmont, the women and men dressed way up. How else to avoid being outdone by the blinding rocks on display at Thursday’s C Magazine party, co-hosted by Boucheron?”I always wanted one of these,” Dita von Teese dreamily mused as she crowned herself with a diamond tiara from the sparkling spread. Burlesque star von Teese and actress Kerry Washington wore Monique Lhuillier, who was also there, while crystals shined on the Azzaro cape worn over filmmaker and author Liz Goldwyn’s shoulders.
