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Fabulous Fashions at the Carousel of Hope

At socialite Barbara Davis' charity extravaganza called the Carousel of Hope, it is supposed to be all about the fight to eradicate childhood diabetes, with millions raised in support of the Children's Diabetes Foundation. And it truly is, with the focus of the party on spotlighting that insidious disease. But as any woman who has ever attended the spectacular biennial event knows, the night is truly all about the clothes. That was especially true on Saturday evening, Oct. 25, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where gorgeous women in glamorous gowns sashayed through the massive silent auction, then swept into the filled-to-the-rafters ballroom for the main event.

Sure, there were some extremely handsome and dapper men in the celebrity-filled crowd, including honoree Denzel Washington, presenter Sidney Poitier, teen heartthrobs Nick, Kevin, and Joe Jonas, sports legend Magic Johnson, actors Harry Hamlin, George Hamilton, and especially Henry Simmons, whose custom-made Woody Wilson tux fit him to perfection, but it really was all about the women.

Ballgowns were de rigueur, although some went short, like Geena Davis, who paired a black Marc Jacobs minidress with Bulgari diamond drop earrings and Christian Louboutin thigh-high black boots that lent a bit of the dominatrix feel to the look, prompting her husband, Dr. Reza Jarrahy, to quip, "That's the way I like it in our house!" Nicky Hilton and Bo Derek went with short and black, too, as did Sharon Lawrence, whose Carmen Marc Valvo dress featured a lace bodice and a full skirt.

But the gaspingly beautiful looks of the evening were reserved for the gowns. Holly Robinson Peete glowed in a peach satin Kevan Hall sheath, and commented that "I don't know why anyone wears anything but his gowns, he is the best," while Jane Seymour looked the same age as her daughter Katie Flynn in a vampy red Tadashi dress. They both sported Seymour's new line of "Open Hearts" jewelry that she's designing for Kay Jewelers. Shari Belafonte showed off her new jewelry creations, too, stunning black Tahitian pearls stacked six rows high on her neck, with matching chandelier earrings and bracelet. She wore a strapless cream satin dress of her own design, as well as her own black-and-cream wrap, paneled with varying fabrics and hiding a zippered pocket that substituted for an evening bag.

"I've always designed my own clothes and jewelry," Belafonte revealed. "I'm just finally going to start my own line next year."

Virginia Madsen wore black-and-gold Reem Acra, Taraji Henson looked adorable in her ruffled cream Pamela Rolland gown paired with red Jimmy Choo shoes, and Melanie Griffith, whose burning concern was finding a place to have a cigarette, showed off her "Antonio" arm tattoo in a sleeveless cream Versace concoction.

Other gorgeously gowned women in the all-ages crowd included Katherine McPhee, Cheryl Tiegs, Donna Mills, Lisa Rinna, Daisy Fuentes, Mel B., Valerie Bertinelli, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Maria Menounos, Nicole Richie, Vanna White, Raquel Welch, and lucky Camille Grammer, whose husband Kelsey ponied up $150,000 during the live auction led by Jay Leno to buy her a custom designed 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG convertible roadster, the perfect car to pair with a ballgown.

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