October 25, 2009|By Sloane Brown | Sloane Brown,Special to The Baltimore Sun
All it took was a brief scan of the crowd at the Walters Art Museum gala to notice there was a little something different at this party. A bright red miter drifted amid a sea of bobbing bare heads. A set of enormous puffed velvet sleeves rubbed shoulders with dozens of traditional tuxedos. A gold lame toga twinkled alongside scores of cocktail dresses and gowns.
This was "A Night In The Museum," where guests were encouraged to wear either black-tie attire or a costume inspired by one of the museum's paintings. While the museum's director, Gary Vikan, chose to greet guests in a traditional tux, the three co-chairs of the evening chose the latter. Michael Glick came as a pope. Chuck Nabit arrived as Prince Albert. And Rick Rockwell seemed the elegant country squire in a navy velvet smoking jacket.
Philanthropists Eddie and Sylvia Brown were much more comfortable observing those in costume than being in them. Baltimore attorney and Orioles owner Peter Angelos, wife Georgia and their attorney son, Louis Angelos, also chose the more popular black-tie route.
However, Brown Advisory partner Bill Paternotte chose an outfit from the past - literally. He wore clothes that had belonged to his great-grandfather - including a morning jacket, an ascot and a dove-gray top hat - and announced that he had come as museum founder Henry Walters.
Retired Claster Television president John Claster put his own spin on why he had chosen the safer tuxedo route.
"I came as a museum director," he said, with a chuckle.
Sloane Brown can be contacted at sloane@sloanebrown.com.
