Out & About: 2023 Mad Hatter’s Tea

April 25, 2023April 27, 2023 Rachel Snyder 0 Comments

Rain threatened, but the 35th-annual Mad Hatter’s Tea’s English Elegance theme said “Here Comes the Sun.”

The party hosted by the Women’s Council of the Dallas Arboretum benefiting A Woman’s Garden and chaired by Anne Stodghill and Kristina Wrenn drew hundreds to the Dallas Arboretum April 20. In keeping with the “English Elegance” theme, attendees arrived in headgear adorned with teacups, tiaras, Ascot-worthy horse dolls and race flags, elaborate fascinators, and hats themed around Beatles songs. Some wore outfits with nods to the Regency era depicted in Bridgerton, and one wore a dress inspired by Princess Diana’s “revenge” dress. Another attendee commemorated the date instead (April 20, 4/20) and wore a marijuana leaf on her hat.

Sarah Jo Hardin, President, Women’s Council; Kim Hext, Honorary Chair; Anne Stodghill and Kristina Wrenn, Majestic Mad Hatter’s Chairs. PHOTO: Tamytha Cameron

Guests gathered at 10:30 a.m. near A Tasteful Place before heading indoors for a seated luncheon and the highly-anticipated hat category winner announcements.

Gro Floral and Event Design creative director Nathan Johnson announced The Chelsea Flower Show: Most Creative use of Fresh Botanicals category award winner was Kristi Boylan for her “War of the Roses” inspired headpiece. Boylan won by default, Johnson said, because she was the only one to use real flowers. Neiman Marcus president Ryan Ross presented The Princess of Wales: Best Overall Ensemble to Yvonne Evans.

Cassie MacGregor announced The Queen’s Choice: Most True to Theme category award went to Sarah Jo Hardin, past Mad Hatter’s chair Barbara Bigham announced The Hybrid: Best English Garden Hat with a Texas Twist went to another past Mad Hatter’s chair, Claire Catrino.

“We had a hard time finding that Texas twist,” Bigham said. “Fortunately, my darling friend was here wearing the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. It belonged to her grandmother and it fits her beautifully. Her grandmother’s designer is British…but…the feathers on her hat are from a Texas ranch and that poor bird was in flight just a few days ago.”

British photographer David Yarrow announced the Head Turner: Best in Show category went to Megan Clark, author Emberli Pridham announced the A True Princess Diana: Sure to be a lasting Fashion Legend category award to Kathy King, designers Sachin and Babi Ahluwalia announced The Royal Enclosure: Group that could attend Ascot Together category award went to a High Tea-themed group from D&M Leasing, and the People’s Choice award went to Elizabeth Smith.

Bigham announced Kunthear Mam-Douglas, who took the stage in an elaborate crown, dress, and train decorated with photos, including of her birth country of Cambodia, would receive a new award – a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Kunthear Mam-Douglas receives a Lifetime Achievement Award

“I know not a soul in this room is going to be surprised. I don’t even have to give you her name. She has won the award for best of something in whatever category or the best overall more than I think anyone else ever has,” Bigham said.

Mam-Douglas recently returned from Cambodia, where she went to retrace the route she and her family took to escape the Khmer Rouge.

“I am a genocide survivor,” Mam-Douglas said. “I came to America almost 47 years ago and just last year I went back. … I retraced my path, but yet, I retraced … millions of Cambodians, the lives that they lived, the struggles that they endured, the separation of family.”