Katherine Ryan chose a sequinned mini dress and gold leather thigh-high boots for the HELLO! Power List party in London on Tuesday night. The comedian and mother of four shared photos of her preparations before delivering a speech about women, ageing and ambition.
Ryan got ready at The Langham hotel before heading to Mazarine in Mayfair. Her look for the night was put together by stylist Jennifer Michalski-Bray and centred on a jewel-toned mini dress with sequin detailing, layered over a blouse in a matching shade. The gold boots were the main talking point, and she finished the outfit with a silver clutch. Hair was set in loose curls, and her make-up stayed natural and fresh. One of the photos she posted showed her alongside hair and make-up artist Fiona Wilson.
The evening brought together women described as embracing their second acts, with the focus on achievement, ambition and women supporting other women. Other guests on the night included presenter Tess Daly, singer Natalie Imbruglia and the Marchioness of Bath. Ryan documented much of her evening on social media, sharing a series of images from her hotel suite as the finishing touches were put to her hair and make-up, and a further shot of herself posing at The Langham before she set off across town to the party.
When she took the microphone, Ryan opened with a nod to Celine Dion’s “new chapter” and joked that she had reached the winter of her own life. She went on to mention broadcaster Davina McCall and Judy Love, and congratulated McCall on finding love with her husband, Michael. The comedian, never shy of personal material, also made light of her own history with men and pointed to the double standards women still face as they get older.
Her central message was that women should never feel their worth shrinks with the years, whatever the expectations placed on them. “I just think that women grow in value with every passing day,” she told the room, a line that drew loud approval from guests. The outfit and the speech together made Ryan one of the most talked-about attendees of the night, with the gold boots in particular marking a bold departure from the more muted looks worn by many of the other guests at the Mayfair venue.
