Red-carpet capers

Red-carpet capers

While Queen Elizabeth II and President Bush raised toasts at the White House Monday night, fashion royalty partied in New York at the annual Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute gala.

Hundreds of Hollywood celebrities and the world's top designers jammed the museum to kick off the Poiret: King of Fashion exhibition. The exhibit, which runs through Aug. 5, honors the influential but little known designer Paul Poiret.

In the early 20th century, Poiret emancipated women's fashion by ditching petticoats and corsets for a looser, draped style. He died penniless in 1944, but his sacklike look is experiencing a revival for this fall.

Poiret's free spirit seemed to influence the A-list crowd, who took some fashion risks rarely seen at the Oscars or other big events. Kate Bosworth and Kirsten Dunst wore flapperlike cocktail-length dresses, while Scarlett Johansson wore fishnet hose with her more modern, pale green, thigh-length Stella McCartney party dress.

Designer Kate Spade also attempted a looser style, but her odd combination of a black bubble skirt, white jacket cropped at the waist, fuchsia hose and orange pumps screamed "Fashion Turkey!''

Television personality Kelly Ripa, who only recently learned that Poiret freed women from the corset, showed up in a Zac Posen peach gown tightly bound with gold cord.

"Well, I was saying before, Paul Poiret freed women from corsets only for us to spend the rest of our lives trying to recapture them,'' she told New York Times fashion write Eric Wilson.

A number of stars wore more traditional gowns. Among the highlights: Rihanna in a white studded halter gown by Georges Chakra (but what was with those black driving gloves?), Renée Zellweger in Carolina Herrera's blue moiré strapless gown with black daisy embroidery and Jennifer Garner in red vintage Valentino, with the designer at her side.

Cameron Diaz, who struck out twice in Valentino at this year's Oscars and Golden Globes (where she looked like a demented bride in an off-the-shoulder tulle gown), finally scored: She wore a jaw-dropping fuchsia gown by John Galliano for Christian Dior, with turquoise jewelry that matched her eyes.

Which only goes to prove how quickly red-carpet missteps can be forgiven. If you're a celebrity, there's always another opportunity to look good. (Kate Spade, are you listening?)