Style Savoir Faire

Five fashionable New Orleanians divulge their secrets and their causes.

This year’s roundup of “Fashionable New Orleanians” demonstrates two overarching rules that are paramount to the very soul of fashion: Dress for yourself and dress like you mean it. These five style successes put their best foot forward every day, and in doing so are also big players in the city’s philanthropic circuit. Dressed to impress, each donned the outfit they would wear to their favorite charity event of the season (see our Registry of Charitable Events on pg. 54 for a full listing). This immaculately dressed group represents some of the very best New Orleans has to offer, both for their individual fashions and tireless dedication to improving our city.

Tim Frances

Age: 51

Occupation: Attorney

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Who do you choose to honor with your photo? The Odyssey Ball and “O What a Night” gala. I am on the boards of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the New Orleans Museum of Art. These are their signature events and they’re a lot of fun. It’s so great to see the community come together.

What is the dress code?

Cocktail attire

Favorite dress code: Anything casual. Casual chic, casual dressy… I really just prefer gym clothes.

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Is your significant other well-dressed? She dresses better than me.

Favorite designers: Etro, True Religion, Gucci, Banana Republic.  I bought two Banana Republic suits in Chicago, and they’re some of the best fitting suits I have.
Where do you shop? Mostly Saks; they have great sales.

What trend do you dislike? I’m not crazy about shorts and blazers.

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Whose style do you admire? Well I like the stylings of Gucci and Etro, and Robert Graham does some pretty cool shirts and blazers.

Favorite outfit: Jeans and a T-shirt

What Tim is wearing in the photograph: Etro suit; Gucci shirt and shoes.

Don’t be afraid to push the boundaries when mixing prints: stripes on plaids, that kind of thing. I always think about paintings when I get dressed.

Julia Reed

Occupation: Writer

Who do you choose to honor with your photo? The Ogden Museum of Southern Art. I am the Chairman of the Board, and I have three great
co-chairs: Jennifer Heebe, Rita Benson LeBlanc and Francis Fayard. “O What a Night” is our signature event, and I love it. It’s a great mix of people from all over the country, and most of our artists come, too.

What is the dress code for this event?

Well it’s cocktail, but some people wear gowns.

Favorite dress code: I hate dress codes … festive, dressy casual, I don’t like it. If you’re invited to a cocktail party you should know to wear a cocktail dress.

What trend do you dislike? This fake combination of dress codes that don’t exist. … I don’t shop trends, but I keep up with new designers.

Personal style: I pretty much only wear a combination of black shirt/white pants or white shirt/black pants. I travel so much I kind of have a uniform. I use color in my shoes and accessories.

But I love big black tie and white tie events. I wear tuxedos, too. For the past 20 years I’ve had at least one Yves Saint Laurent tuxedo.

Favorite designers: I love Carolina Herrera. She designed my wedding dress, and I have another dress she designed for me in four colors. Ralph Rucci; the structure
of his clothes are unbelievable.

And YSL, of course.

Whose style do you admire? I’ve been a fan of YSL since I was a child and first saw Catherine Deneuve in le smoking jacket. I adore what John Galliano does, and Alexander McQueen; they’re absolute geniuses.

I love Anne de la Renta’s style, and I learned a lot from Bill Blass (he was a friend of mine).

What Julia is wearing in the photograph: Silvia Heisel silk shirt; Carolina Herrera cream pants; Mish earrings; chain necklace from Mimi; Manolo Blahnik pumps.

I don’t mind sinking my money into well-made classics.

Sybil Favrot

Age: I am eligible for Medicare

Occupation: interior designer, wife, mother, grandmother, community volunteer

Who do you choose to honor with your photo? The Sojurner Truth Academy Charter School. I am on the board. Literacy and education are the key to our city.

Charter schools are already making a big difference. Sojurner Truth Academy’s goal isn’t only college prep but to instill civic responsibility and leadership.

What is the dress code for this event?
Totally casual.

What is your favorite dress code? Whatever is compatible for
the occasion.

Is your significant other well-dressed? He rarely looks in the mirror!

Favorite designers: Ralph Lauren, Moschino, Dusan, Yeohlee

Where do you shop in New Orleans? Everywhere
What trend do you dislike? Fashion should be fun and you shouldn’t need labels for security. Everyone should put their own stamp on an outfit and incorporate their own style.

Whose style do you admire?
Oh, there are so many individuals I couldn’t even begin to name them, nor would I try!

Favorite outfit: I don’t know that I have a favorite outfit, but probably some of my favorites are a few years old. Pretty
fabrics, well tailored and classic.

What Sybil is wearing in the photograph: Yeohlee dress and scarf; Manolo Blahnik heels.

When did everyone stop dressing up? No one dresses up for anything anymore.
 

Kimberly Armatas

Age: Do I have to tell? Old enough!

Occupation: I study art at the New Orleans Art Academy, mostly nudes and paintings. I am also passionate about gardening, my three children (a son and twin daughters in college), and I love to travel.

Who do you choose to honor with your photo? I am honoring “Art in Bloom” because of my interest in gardening, and I am a member of the Garden Society Club. I also help with the floral arrangements in the Great Hall at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Every dime the club makes goes directly back to the community and historic gardens.

What is the dress code for this event?
Cocktail attire.

Favorite dress code: Casual elegance.

Is your significant other well-dressed? Always.

Favorite designers: Calvin Klein, Theory, BCBG

Where do you shop? All over … The Magazine Street boutiques, Saks, even Target.

What trend do you dislike? I don’t like men in sandals!

Whose style do you admire? That’s tough. I really like Audrey Hepburn … I guess I’m Audrey Hepburn with a little funk.

Favorite outfit: Probably jeans. Jeans and a white shirt.

What Kimberly is wearing in the photograph: BCBG pants; Michael Kors shoes; Ralph Lauren belt; grandmother’s necklace. I bought this
top in Greece; it’s made from banana leaf fibers.

Fashion really should be fun, above all.

 

Dr. Quinn Peeper

Age: 49

Occupation: Obstetrician/Gynecologist

Who do you choose to honor with your photo? The English-Speaking Union, or ESU. We are holding our national conference here November 5 through 8, and I am the president of the New Orleans branch. I did this after [Hurricane] Katrina to help promote tourism in the city.

What is the dress code for this event? Coat and tie, with a few black-tie dinners.

Favorite dress code: I’m comfortable in everything or else I wouldn’t buy it.

Is your significant other well-dressed? Of course, or else they wouldn’t be my significant other.

Where do you shop? German Street in London. It’s a men’s clothing paradise. Asser, Key, Turnbull, Hilditch, T.M. Lewin. … I also get much of my wardrobe custom made while I’m there.

What trend do you dislike? I dislike trends in general.

Whose style do you admire? Cary Grant and Edward VIII.

Favorite outfit: I love everything I own.

What Quinn is wearing in the photograph: Shiptan & Heneage custom velvet slippers with personal coat of arms; New & Lingwood pirate socks; Grandfather’s dinner suit (“In England this carries a lot of caché”); custom silver cufflinks; “no label” bowtie.

I love pocket squares and socks. I have millions of them.

 

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