Typically,Yasmine Haddad doesn't dress in ethnic attire, but she stepped out in this embroidered blue silk tunic by Pakistani designer Deepak Perwani in support of the evening's Akshaya Patra benefit that raised funds for school programs in India.

"I fell in love with the blue tunic dress because of its amazing gold embroidery and unique color combination . . . Only a superior designer can mix these colors together in such harmony," she told CultureMap. For the bejeweled accessories, Yasmine visited Poshak Fashion & Style on Hillcroft where store owner Sameeera Faridi picked out appropriate headpiece, rings and bracelets. "It was an amazing, unique and super fun shopping experience."

For the record, Yasmine received her DDS from the University of Texas School of Dentistry, a Ph.D. in oral cancer from UT M.D. Anderson and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in cancer biology at Baylor College of Medicine. She works as an assistant professor at the UT School of Dentistry.

— SHELBY HODGE

Even among the artful crowd of 3,000 packing Reliant Center for the Houston Fine Art Fair preview party, Aly Berry easily caught our eye. The youthful apparel merchandiser for Anthropologie in Highland Village took a hipster/sophisticate approach, putting that degree in fashion design from the University of North Texas to good work.

For this night of perusing art, Aly wore "my favorite vintage boy's blazer, origin unknown at this point" with a Forever 21 tank top and a kicky Jack for BB Dakota skirt that she picked up at Urban Outfitters. The necklace is by Madewell and the floral-print shoes, which we love, are Urban Outfitters.

Aly explained, "I was rushed for time to be dressed for the event and after seven outfit changes, I ended up with that. The blazer has been my fall go-to since college (she graduated in 2008) and the shoes are a favorite. I actually have them in two prints, I love them so much." 

— SHELBY HODGE

When Janice and Bob McNair requested that guests to their suite for the Houston Texans/Miami Dolphins game wear white, momentary shudders ran down the spines of devoted fashionistas. It was, after all, a week after Labor Day. The dead season for white.

Not so for Texans fan Lynn Wyatt who waltzed around the seasonal taboo by donning an off-white paper-thin leather top by Cavalli and matching Cavalli jeans. Both purchased at the Cavalli store in New York.

“It’s not easy because we wore white all summer long,” she admitted.

Despite the urge to dress up in the swank owner’s suite, Lynn exlained, “I wanted something to be real casual. You have to remember this is a football game.”

A bit of swell gold jewelry and sexy Prada mules completed the look that was stunning and just right in the rarified environs of the Reliant Stadium owner’s suite.

—SHELBY HODGE

A Saturday night ensemble often needs to work for several different occasions. So when Aida Ali planned to hit several art openings, ending the evening with drinks with friends on one recent weekend night, she chose this dress that has a bit of a rocker feel and was hip enough to stand out at the opening of the Patrick Renner exhibition at Avis Frank Gallery.

Ali said she bought the dress at a huge Zara store located in the Xanadu shopping complex in Madrid while traveling overseas this summer, and picked up the Steve Madden multi-colored pumps at a nearby store in the mall.

She likes the design of the dress but also the fact that the light fabric works well in the Houston heat. "When it's hot and stuffy, it keeps me cool," she said. "It's great for a cocktail party outdoors." Or a crowded art opening when the temperatures are high.

— CLIFFORD PUGH