Mens.Style.Com party scene

The best thing about this season—besides the nearly limitless wardrobe options—is that any occasion turns into an opportunity to throw a party. The days are long, the weather is temperate, and people are often looking for an excuse to knock off work early: It all makes for an ideal festive backdrop.

Union Jack style at the Ascot

Take for example a few of the most recent fashion-y fetes. Across the pond, the Brits kicked off the Ascot races, taking to the track’s sidelines in fantastical ensembles. (Imagine My Fair Lady-like toppers with Pretty Woman-style mini-dresses.) Unless you’ve got an issue of Tatler handy, there’s no way to tell who’s who underneath those headdresses.

An Ascot fan

The artist Jeff Koons at Gagosian

Same was true for many of the guests at the recent Jeff Koons opening at the London Gagosian gallery, however some VIP-attendees—including the luscious Stephanie Seymour who should patent that sultry off-the-shoulder cardigan look—were easy to spot.

Peter Brant and wife Stephanie Seymour at Gagosian

Stella McCartney and Alasdair Willis at Gagosian

Stella McCartney made an appearance with her husband, publisher Alasdair Willis. Ms. McCartney looked inimitably cool in a ’60s jacket and what appeared to be violet Gucci platforms.

Pearl Lee and friends at the Gramercy Park Hotel

Back in former Tory-territory, an elite crowd recently took over the rooftop of ‘s Ian Schrager‘s Gramercy Park Hotel to honor a few of the most stylish women in the New York fashion industry. The editorial team at Men.Style.Com joined forces with Scott Schuman—the genuine genius behind The Sartorialist—to select and fete these chic insiders, including Antonia Thompson of Robert Burke Associates, designer Catherine Holstein, stylist Natasha Royt, and Pearl Lee of HL Group. (Editor’s note: There were more—25 in total actually—but I chose to name-drop my favorites, as in addition to having fantastic style, they’re sweet, smart, and talented to boot.)

Invite to the ICP’s Click Party

A few days later, a similiarly chic crowd hit the International Center of Photography‘s Click bash and auction. I managed to navigate through the crowds to catch up with Chris Benz and Nylon‘s Jenny Feldman as well as Fashionista‘s Faran Krencil, who was quick to call out (and capture on film) Feldman’s head-to-toe Chris Benz look.

And speaking of well-shod guests…the Young Friends of Save Venice recently flocked downtown to toast the opening of Iris, the European luxury shoe shop. The 1200-foot jewel-box like space is to be packed full of Chloe, Viktor & Rolf, Veronique Branquino, and John Galliano chausseurs—the kind of delectable footwear style-devotees tend to worship. If you count yourself among them and are planning a trip to the new boutique, be sure to wear sneakers on your shopping trip to better navigate the Meatpacking district’s cobble stone streets. After all, the last thing you’d want to do when shopping for shoes is twist an ankle en route. x S.C.

Technorati Tags: Fashion, Parties, Gagosian, ICP, Stella McCartney, The Sartorialist, Iris Shoe Store, John Galliano, Chloe, Designer Shoes, Chris Benz, Nylon Magazine, Jenny Feldman, Stephanie Seymour,

All photos (except the last) from WireImage