We might be entering a new dawn politically, but on the Sona red carpet was a sprinkle of glitter with a dose of playing it safe, a peppering of purple and, alas, a dash of wardrobe concoctions best farmed out to Nkandla.
With an upbeat mood washing over the parliamentary precinct in Cape Town on Friday afternoon, you almost expected a rainbow in the sky.
One of the first pairs to arrive was that rainbow couple, Mmusi Maimane and his pretty wife, Natalie.
The DA leader was dashing in grey and she looked chic from the waist up in a caramel-coloured lace top that was perfect for an evening do, but not when teamed with the casual floral skirt.
Maimane's comrade-in-arms Helen Zille arrived sans her dutiful husband, Johann Maree, and instead with her designer, Brandon van der Vyver. He looked thrilled, she was beaming - and many would suggest that the burgundy gown with flesh-coloured mesh sleeves and lace detail on top was fetching.She should have binned the gold knuckle-dusters and the brown bag, though.
Bridgette Radebe was the height of Afro-chic in her Marianne Fassler.
Mandla and Rabia Mandela seemingly repeated the same style from last year, swapping the white for mustard and Mandla adding more bling to his coat. It was a case of "If you're onto something good, stick to it".
Best-dressed was a tie between two women who added that sprinkling of gold to the occasion, Grace Tseke and Thembeka Ngcobo.
We loved ANC MP Tseke's black-and-gold applique number - it was the height of old-world glamour (and shop-bought no less, from Unarine Fashion Boutique in Pretoria).
Ngcobo, wife of Deputy Agriculture Minister Bheki Cele, showed winning style again. "Gold is in this season and it was his idea," she said, pointing to her husband when asked about her gown designed by Orapeleng Modutle. It featured a neckline and shoulders encrusted in beads...