The Best Headwear at the Central Park Hat Lunch

They waltzed down the steps of Central Park’s Vanderbilt Gate on Fifth Avenue on Wednesday morning like Marilyn Monroe in her bejeweled performance of the song “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.”

But here, there were many more women, each of them escorted by a waiter in a white coat, seemingly floating down the staircase and into the Conservatory Garden. And instead of diamonds, they wore hats or fascinators or headbands made of feathers, Legos and artificial flowers. One was even fashioned as a swan.

The procession that entered the 42nd annual Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon at the Conservatory Garden — or the hat luncheon, as it is colloquially known — donned frocks in shades of pink, orange, lavender, ice blue and Kelly green — enough colors to rival the eggs in an Easter basket.

Michele Brazil