From simple to elaborate, fashion made a bold statement at Inaugural Ball

An evening of elegance, ambiance

Attendees fill the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda floor while dancing the night away during Monday night’s Inaugural Ball. Photo by Kris Wilson.

By Shelley Gabert

Sunday, January 20, 2013

There was no official Hollywood-style red carpet Monday evening at the Inaugural Ball, but I had no trouble finding fashion savvy guests roaming freely throughout the Missouri Capitol for this final event in a day full of activities.

Men in tailored suits and tuxes escorted women in gowns in a palette of colors from bold red to champagne and, of course, classic black.

I quickly spotted Lauren Hermann, a standout in a custom-made emerald gown, outside the first floor office of Rep. Rocky Miller, R-Osage. She and her husband, Steven, who served as campaign treasurer for Miller, live at the Lake of the Ozarks. Though simple, the silk chiffon floor-length gown designed by Ashley Stark didn’t overpower the ....

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