Our own little red carpet

The events were a day and a continent apart, but the jewel-toned ruched ballgowns and slinky metallic dresses donned by Philadelphians at the annual Academy Ball Saturday night were right on trend with what Hollywood stars wore at the following evening's Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The resemblances were everywhere. Actress Eva Longoria's white, wide-strapped and glittery Naeem Khan gown was very similar in style to 24-year-old Karen Bruccoleri's Night Moves dress.

A very pregnant Cate Blanchett turned heads in a heavily embellished gown by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga, while Philadelphia's Daria Pew chose a capped-shoulder red gown by Oscar de la Renta with similar embroidery.

Andrea Freundlich, a cochair of the Academy Ball, wore a chocolate-brown Rose Taft, with stole, that rivaled Michelle Pfeiffer's Versace gown of the same hue.

"Navy blue and chocolate brown were so hot this year," said Mary Helen Ranieri, owner of Suky in Ardmore and Haddonfield. She sold about 10 dresses for the ball.

"Silvers and gunmetals were great, because they are great for everyone's skin tone."

The President's Reception that preceded the Academy of Music concert was all glitz and glam. As butlered hors d'oeuvres made their way around the room, women held their champagne just far enough away from their designer dresses to avoid spillage. Hairstyles included updos, cascading curls, and low-side ponytails, accented with ruby-red lips.

Among the gowns by well-known names in fashion such as Reem Acra, Lanvin and Carolina Herrera were creative yellow and pink-hued numbers.

Marybeth Kensicki, an English professor at Montgomery County Community College who lives in Skippack, channeled Cinderella in her tiered, strapless dress with a full bell skirt by Mon Cheri.

Virginia McMichael, chairwoman of the Board of Supervisors in East Whitefield Township, also picked a winning dress: a salmon Roland Nivelais with sparkling rosettes embroidered in the neckline and along the back.

"We sold a lot of splashes of color," said Deborah Van Cleve Phelps, owner of the Van Cleve Collection, a Paoli boutique that also does couture designs.

"We did very little solid black, but the solid black we did do had a little extra and a lot of pizzazz."

Indeed, some of the cleanest lines and classiest dresses were of the irreplaceable hue.

Philadelphia benefactor Julia Harmelin floated through the First Balcony in a wide-sleeved Dennis Basso fur and body-skimming Akris gown that flared into a serious trumpet bottom.

Anne Hamilton opted for a sheer ruched gown with handsewn petals by Willa, and Marsha Perelman was smartly elegant in a black high-necked Ralph Lauren with ruffled train.

Jessica Jefferies, of West Chester, wore our favorite black gown of the night, a strapless Nicole Miller with crazy ruching and a super train. Holding a glass of champagne, she appeared a definite belle of the ball.

"I feel beautiful," Jefferies said. "I just want to hook up my bustle right now."

Speaking of Nicole Miller, Mary Dougherty, who oversees both the Manayunk and Center City stores, dressed Comcast vice president Karen Buchholz and both of our first ladies. U.S. Appeals Judge Marjorie O. Rendell and Lisa Nutter both chose black gowns threaded with metallic embroidery.

Also among the political crowd was NBC10 anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, wife of U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, looking smashing in a burgundy, almost deep purple one-shouldered Marc Bouwer that she proudly said she bought off the rack at Neiman Marcus.

Many of the evening's most powerful women wore red, including Jody McNeil Lewis. The president of the Academy of Music decided on a scarlet Valentino gown with long white gloves.

"It was one of those things that when I saw it, I had to have it," Lewis said as she received guests.

Carol Knott, wife of Wachovia regional president Bill Knott, opted for a red Carlisle gown with a matching stole; Maude Tierney, wife of Inquirer publisher Brian Tierney, went for a red dress, too.

There were also a few local designers in the mix as well, such as Toi Sweeney, Colby Fox and Deborah Van Cleve Phelps. "It was a great night for fashion," Phelps said. "Philadelphia should be proud."

Finally, in the epitome of celebrity-meets-local fashion, there appeared a stunning gathered kelly-green dress with a kicking fishtail.

"It's a spring 2008 Dolce & Gabbana," gushed Noele Wein, a professional fund-raiser from Gladwyne. Through her shoulder-length blond hair, white diamond earrings by Doris Panos glittered.

"It's the same dress Rihanna wore to the World Music Awards" in November. "Dina at Neiman Marcus knocked herself out to make sure I had the dress. It just came into the country last week."

And Wein wasn't the only one to take a direct cue from a celebrity: Performer Billy Joel's 26-year-old wife, Katie Lee Joel, wore the exact same dress.