BY: LEIGH ANN STUART

Mad Hatter’s Luncheon shows where the wild things are.

Celebrity Judge Carolyn Elder, Teresa Guzzetta, Betty Davidson and co-chair Ellen Miclette Virginia Eckholdt, Eileen Capritto, JoAnn Wisdom and Barbara Sands

Tuesday, March 4, the Hilton Riverside Grand Ballroom was where the wild things were for the Women’s Guild of the New Orleans Opera Association’s Mad Hatter’s Luncheon. This year’s theme, “Call of the Wild,” challenged guests to find, and wear, the kitschiest, most beautiful and most over-the-top hats around.

Top honors were awarded after a hat contest, with winners chosen in categories including most beautiful, most humorous, most creative, best group and best theme representation. Winners were selected by celebrity judges, TV personality Peggy Scott Laborde, General Manager of Saks Fifth Avenue in New Orleans Carolyn Elder, Politician Steve Scalise, former newswoman Helena Moreno and WWL-TV news anchor Angela Hill.

The fashion festivities marched on with a Saks Fifth Avenue runway fashion show featuring St. John’s Spring Collection.

Margaret Orr from WDSU served as Mistress of Ceremonies. Ron Forman of the Audubon Institute served as honorary Mad Hatter. Ellen Miclette and Dr. Erin O’Sullivan Fleming served as event co-chairs. a