Ballet, Baubles and Bad Tans

Everything is beautiful at the ballet. That is, everything but an overly tanned fashion guru.

New York City Ballet’s annual Opening Night Benefit took place last night at the David H. Koch theater, and the red carpet included some dazzling diamonds, famous faces,and an unfortunate misstep in the tanning lotion department.

Designer, Rudolph Valentino, is always perfectly put together, but looking at him next to a stunning Sarah Jessica Parker makes me wonder if he gets dressed with the lights on.

I guess orange is the new white?

Poor tanning products aside, the jewelry fashion at the ballet is always on point. SJP’s bejeweled mini dress was perfectly accented by huge diamond studs and several icy bangles. The elegant Vanessa Williams wore a tasteful diamond ensemble with her floor-length metallic gown, and model, Veronica Webb’s statement necklace made her mini mouse-sleeved black bubble dress really work.

The gala event included a series of ballet numbers set to American music by such composers as Leonard Bernstein, Samuel Barber, Charles Ives, Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, and Ray Charles.

The evening also marked the first performance in the newly named David H. Koch Theater. Mr. Koch recently made a $100 million gift to support the theater – certainly enough to get a building named after you.

And a lifetime supply of tanning gel.