Houston Best Dressed Luncheon Sets National Records With $1.4 Million Raised, Tables Galore and Sweet Runway Walks

It was a blockbuster PaperCity Philanthropy in Fashion Houston Best Dressed luncheon on Tuesday with records shattered on several levels. More than 800 beautifully dressed women and a sprinkling of men filled the Post Oak Hotel ballroom to its limit — the largest number of guests for the Best Dressed fundraiser in recent memory. The remarkable proceeds of $1.4 million set a new March of Dimes record both locally and nationally.

The event turned out to be the largest single dollar fundraiser for March of Dimes — besides a memorable one in 2019 when Sue and Lester Smith matched the million dollar proceeds with another million of their own. So many $25,000 tables were sold for this year’s Houston Best Dressed luncheon that the runway for the Neiman Marcus fashion presentation had to be expanded.

Hats off to luncheon chair Rosemary Schatzman, affectionately known as “Rosemoney,” who led the charge for the windfall. This is her third year chairing the luncheon. Add kudos to Big Board and Raffle chair Rachel Regan and 2013 Houston Best Dressed Hall of Fame honoree Merele Yarborough, who topped raffle ticket sales.

Congrats are also due to Greater Houston March of Dimes senior executive director Jen Torres and director of donor development Kemah Blair.

It was a joyous afternoon with supporters of the honorees putting decorum aside for exuberant expressions of support, not unlike the cheering one might hear at college football games. So high was the volume that Neiman Marcus general manager Kathy Leigh and PaperCity‘s Shelby Hodge could barely be heard when sharing the accomplishments of the 10 Houston Best Dressed honorees.

New to the honoree presentation this year were the escorts with several choosing a family member to join them on the runway walk. Second time honoree Susan Plank inspired the change from strictly male models by having her son Jared Plank, styling in a custom Tom Ford suit, escort her down the runway.  She styled in a Chanel skirt and Carolina Herrera blouse.

First time honoree Amanda Boffone, wearing ladylike Dior, was escorted by her husband Terry Boffone, while their two children Samantha and Terry IV cheered them on. Also debuting in the Houston Best Dressed ranks, Erica Littlejohn Burnette, stunning in Carolina Herrera, was escorted by her husband Dr. Robert Burnette Jr. Add first-time honoree Amy Pierce, dressed in Chanel, to this mix. She selected her son Kyle Pierce to take her arm on the runway while proud husband Rob Pierce cheered them on from the audience.

Opting for a handsome male model escort was second time honoree Leigh Smith, rocking a Carolina Herrera. She allowed that she had asked both her husband Reggie Smith and their son Ross if either would like to take the walk of fame. Both graciously declined.

Also preferring the veteran runway support of male models were second-time Best Dressed honoree Ann Ayre in Dior, and first-time honorees Myrtle Jones in her favorite label Schiaparelli, Ellecia Knolle in a Proenza Schouler gown topped with a jacket by Prada, and Allison Thacker wearing Carolina Herrera.

First-time honoree Gillian Sarofim had to be out of the country at this time, but she received a round of applause in abstentia.

PC Seen:  Anne Neeson and Amalia Stanton, representing Presenting Sponsor Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital; plus Shawn Stephens, Stephanie Tsuru, Ileana Treviño, Gina Gaston, Stacey Lindseth, Dr. Alice Mao Brams, Alicia Smith, Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, Cynthia Allshouse, Linda McReynolds, Rose Cullen, Anita Smith, Sneha Merchant, and Hallie Vanderhider and Bobby Dees.

Come back to PaperCity for more behind-the-scenes stories and photographs of the glamorous crew that attended the Houston Best Dressed luncheon.