The women who attended the Central Park Conservancy Women's Committee annual luncheon are a powerful bunch: Forget their hand in transforming Central Park over the past 25 years — yesterday, they made the sun come out just in time for their gathering.

One of the founders of the event, Jean Clark, recalled their initial outing in 1983. "The lunch started at Tavern on the Green, and it exploded in three years." The restaurant's late owner, Warner LeRoy, suggested moving the event outside, but there really wasn't a suitable spot until the conservancy began restoring the park. The first outdoor locale was at Bethesda Terrace, then it moved to the Conservatory Garden, where it was held yesterday in a tent that floats above the landscape like peaks of meringue.

For all they do inside Central park, attendees frequently exert influence outside it, too, as fashion trendsetters. Their outfits help define the tone for spring and summer dress.

So what's hot? Vintage hats and dresses looked fresh and proper. But there's room for a casual attitude too, as shown by women who threw denim jackets over their designer clothes.

Perhaps the biggest trend apparent at the luncheon was gold in daylight. "Metallic is in," lifestyle entrepreneur B. Smith said of her black and gold topper. A Women's Committee vice president, Gillian Miniter, made a mint wearing a gold Eric Javits hat, and gold Oscar de la Renta suit. Thinking of summer parties near the ocean, Mr. Javits's sister, Jocelyn Javits, went nautical with a gold and navy captain's hat.

The ladies were also in the pink. Vanity Fair's Amy Fine Collins wore cherry blossom branches in her hat designed by Aaron Keppel of id design. Interior designer Ann Pyne put on her pink suit, then found her matching hat at Suzanne Newman's millinery at 11:30 a.m. Her gambit just went to prove an important rule of fashion: spontaneity goes a long way.

agordon@nysun.com