Gilchrist Ball

Take a dread of duplication, add some major procrastination, and toss in a touch of ballet and you had the recipe for gorgeous get-up for the Gilchrist Ball.

The 39-year-old Ruxton stay-at-home mom of three — Victoria, 10; Parker, 8; and Scarlett, 5 — said she did have another dress she was planning to wear to the dressy gala. But friends told her they’d seen it on other people at two other recent events.

“I don’t want to have a twin; no doppelganger, for sure. People know that. I have people [who] look out for me,” she said.

So, at 4:30 the afternoon of the party, Margerum went on a last-minute shopping expedition, scoring the dress, the earrings and the shoes all within two hours — an exercise she readily claims as her M.O.

“I’ve done this since day one. I procrastinate, and it brings out the creativity in me. Some of the greatest birthday parties I’ve every hosted are last-minute ideas. You have no time to slack off or make an error. So you get it done,” Margerum said.

When it comes to her general style, Margerum said years as a professional ballerina often come into play.

“It’s more leggings and plunging necklines because it’s like leotards and costumes. I love the torture of high heels. It’s just like point shoes. You know, there’s pain behind that. But it works,” she said, with a laugh. silver on black dress with high-low chiffon overlay with ruffled hem and cutout on the back, and bugle and seed bead tassel earrings she bought at that day. black strappy stilettos that day. silver

HER ENSEMBLE:

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