10 Jul Event Recap: Best Dressed Madame

Yesterday I gave you the inside dish on the vintage dress I wore to my Best Dressed Madame soiree while I was at Essence Music Festival in New Orleans and now it’s time for the event recap. The night was full of fun, giveaways and some amazing costumes. Hosted at May Baily’s Bar at the Dauphine Hotel, we took a cue from the past to come up with some cheeky games. The bar used to be a brothel {they still have a red light on outside!} so we asked ladies to come dressed up in feathers, boas, glam gowns or anything that made them feel sexy.

The setting was perfect, as the Dauphine is a quaint boutique hotel in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Though it’s just a few blocks from Bourbon Street, it has a cozy, intimate feel.

Once we arrived at the hotel, it was time to start putting the gift bags together. Our sponsors included hair products from Beautiful Textures, Nene’s Secret, Miss Jessie’s and Eden BodyWorks. Lovely body goods were provided by Shea Moisture and Nubian Heritage. Yummy treats were from Pop Chips and Cordina {they’re an alcoholic beverage, like Capri Sun for adults!} and Foot Petals supplied Heavenly Heels, comfortable cushions for the back of your heels.

The ladies showed up and it was time to get the party started. Everyone incorporated the theme differently, as some women went all out with over the top costumes and others kept their look subdued but used boas and masks to put their most fashionable foot forward.

As the night progressed, we held raffles every 20 or 30 minutes. Tickets were sold for $2 and all of the money benefited Covenant House, an organization that aids at risk youth.

Starr {aka Gangstarr Girl} was the lucky winner of a $100 Kohl’s gift card.

Another lovely lady was the winner of a fabulous Mary Frances purse from Sashay Boutique {a must visit if you’re in New Orleans}.

The big contest of the night was “best dressed” and it was a tough decision between the two dames below, both were clear winners. The lady in red was our runner up and the doll in white and yellow won the grand prize of a free night’s stay in the Dauphine hotel’s bordello suite.

A few other lucky raffle winners below, who scored a free night’s stay and another madame who won a package of goods from Foot Petals, which all of the ladies appreciated after rocking those killer heels all night.

Though all of the ladies {and a few gents} didn’t walk away winners, everyone did snag a gift bag. And the signature drink, the madame martini, was perfect for sipping on in between mingling.

Our grand prize winner showing off a few items from the gift bag, including Pop Chips and a refreshing Cordina drink.

The Dauphine Orleans Hotel plans to make this an annual event, so cheers to doing it again next year!

*update: Thanks to sales of raffle tickets, we raised $500 for Covenant House and the Dauphine Orleans Hotel matched their donation, so in total, the evening resulted in $1000 towards the New Orleans charity.