LIFE ON THE CIRCUIT : Big Brothers/Big Sisters Auxiliary Plans Benefit Fashion Show
Tea Time
About 100 party-suited, hat-topped ladies gathered at Amen Wardy’s designer dress shop in Newport Beach on Thursday afternoon. The tea party’s host was Angelitos de OroCQ, an auxiliary of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Orange County. The Angelitos and friends got together to thank the patrons and underwriters of their annual benefit fashion show--or “Fashion Extravaganza IV,” as they call it--which will be held May 11 and will premiere the fall collection of designer Bill Blass. Party Talk “Amen”--as those in the know, and these were, call him--opened his peach-and-pale-blue, mirrored ballroom for the event. Wardy was on the way out of his store just as the first guests arrived, but he stopped for a moment to hug his good friend and client Maria Crutcher, an Angelitos member and Wardy patron since he opened shop in Newport Beach 13 years ago. “You look wonnn-der-ful! “ Amen cooed to Crutcher, who wore a tight black leather-like skirt (dubbed “simulated alligator” by Wardy’s daughter, Sophia), a print blouse and a crystal frog pin the size of an avocado. “I keep thinking someone’s gonna touch him,” Crutcher said, touching her diamond-studded froggie, “and he’ll turn into a prince.” Without missing a beat, Sophia Wardy chimed in, “Then you can send him to me .” More Talk “We wanted this to be just like (it was) in someone’s home,” said party chairwoman Ginny Smallwood. “No speeches, no presentations, just--us.” “Us” included Mary Dell Barkouras, a fashion consultant in Newport Beach and Los Angeles, who counts among her clients Mary Hart of the TV show “Entertainment Tonight.” Barkouras said: “It’s so much fun working with those (famous) people. You dress them up and send them out--it’s like dressing paper dolls!” Style Wise These ladies love their animal pelts, politics be damned. “I’m gonna get in trouble for this,” said Sandra Beigel, turning the rhinestone eyes of her fox stole to the camera. Also furred were Annette Hurwitz (fox stole), Mary Lou Hornsby (fox stole), Barkouras (mink cuffs and hat) and Smallwood (mink beret). Myrna Saftig had style worries: “Look what somebody did,” she said, pointing to the food smudge on her silk-sheathed front. “Isn’t that awful? And I can’t do a thing about it--the dry cleaner always says, If you spill, don’t touch! “ Buffet A long banquet table bisected Wardy’s ballroom. At one end was a silver tea service, at the other a silver coffee pot. In between were platters of goodies, including eggs stuffed with caviar, scones with jam and creme fraiche , mini-sandwiches filled with shrimp, cucumber, smoked turkey, tomato basil, chicken salad and smoked salmon, and assorted pastries for dessert. Waiters poured sherry and Perrier. Quote The Angelitos’ spring fashion show is “the height of the spring social season,” said Sandra Beigel. “It gives you a great idea of what the (featured) designer’s up to, and you really get motivated.” Motivated? “Motivated to spend!”
