Glamour is back—in fashion, interior design and film. But in Sarasota, it never went away. In a town devoted to cultural pursuits and philanthropy, elegant, powerful women have always been in style. The classic definition of glamour is sex plus money—but here, it’s so much more. Glamour Sarasota-style is moonlight on the Gulf of Mexico, the flash of diamonds at a board meeting, a gala in the Ringling Courtyard. It’s ageless, compassionate, cosmopolitan—yet often elegantly understated. But we don’t need to define the essence of Sarasota glamour—just take a look at five women who do.

Jean Allenby Weidner has that certain something that the French call chic and the Americans called “it” in the days when they couldn’t say sexy and didn’t know from hip. It’s a way of walking, of holding one’s head, and wearing one’s clothes, instead of the other way around. Some people might call it attitude, but they would be mistaken. “It’s my training,” Jean explains.

Jean studied ballet in Zimbabwe, where she grew up, then with the Royal Ballet in London before moving to Stuttgart and becoming a prima ballerina, performing all over the world.

Her passion for dance continued when she moved to Sarasota and founded a company that evolved into the Sarasota Ballet. And she keeps on working for the things and people she cares about. You can see her nearly every day at Designing Women, the upscale resale shop that benefits charities, which she co-founded five years ago. “I can’t stop being involved,” she says. “My brain just keeps going all the time.”

As for her own style, “I love the elegance and clean lines of Yves St. Laurent, the old St. John, and Valentino. My wardrobe has a lot of vintage couture,” she says. She especially admires the elegance of ‘50s couture. And her jewelry is divine—usually couture pieces that set off her perfect features, always highlighted by the ballet chignon that sets her apart from those who follow hair fashions.

Jennie Famiglio is a hometown beauty, a Sarasota debutante, Harvard and Georgetown University Law School graduate and timeless American classic. Jennie stopped for lunch at Zoria to share her thoughts on glamour before jetting to New York for the evening with her new husband, Mark Famiglio, on his private plane. “I didn’t know until this morning we were going,” she says. Hearing about it was a glamour moment.

            After the wedding of the year last spring at the Ringling Museum, Jennie, who considers their life “all about our families and getting together whenever we can,” says marriage is even better than she thought it would be. “We’re so comfortable together, and I love his spontaneity,” she says. She works for Copytalk, one of his companies.

“Glamour to me is inclusive,” she says. “It means knowing who you are, staying comfortable in your own skin, and being true to your own personal style.” Her style idol is her mom, Shirley Lascelle, whose glamour, Jennie says, transcends what she wears. Glamour is not only about what you see, says this warm young woman. It’s also about being self-assured and gracious, even modest.

            Jennie loves the understated elegance of Carolina Herrera, the crisp white shirts and power suits worn by smart businesswomen who serve as role models for all women. And she agrees with designer Donna Karan about glamour: “You can’t buy it. You are it.”

Delia Smith Orth is the new face of glamour in Sarasota, but forget trying to get this dynamic woman to talk about it. “Don’t call me a glamour girl,” she says. “I don’t walk around with dangling jewels.” There’s a beat, as they say in the theater, before she adds, “although I have been known to get dressed.”

Delia lived for years in San Juan, Puerto Rico, soaking up the sun and building a medical supply company for the Caribbean before coming to Sarasota and diving into the nonprofit world, enhancing everything she touches. She was appointed by the Sarasota City Commission to chair the advisory board of the Van Wezel and now works for Habitat, but those are only two of a long string of passionate involvements.

            When asked about glamour, Delia talks about the strong women in this town who inspire her with their dedication to causes. Sarasota glamour, she indicates, is often associated with the passion that powers change. She loves to see the awe on children’s faces when they’re exposed to the arts, and she’s impressed by the wealth of artists here with special gifts to share.