Jean Shafiroff, socialite/author of Successful Philanthropy: How to Make a Life by What You Give – a guide to modern day philanthropy – was living her Barbie princess dream in this sweet spun-sugar couture confection at the opening night of the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center in New York. The opera? A dreary five-and-a-half-hour staging of Wagner’s Tristan ind Isolde – which seems like a looooong time to be wearing a corseted dress and dozens of billowing crinoline. I only say this out of concern.

Jean made headlines in New York earlier this year when she fainted at the American Cancer Society’s Taste of Hope ball from a combination of the 90-degree heat and the weight of ANOTHER enormous pink ball gown.

She ALSO fainted in her Park Avenue apartment just two weeks ago, after contracting a tropical virus in Nicaragua while on a rescue mission to save street dogs.

From Page 6:

We’re told Shafiroff was treated for a large bump on her forehead and a cut lip and has been in bed for nine days. She was even forced to cancel two book signings in Southampton and had to skip a Hillary Clinton fundraiser.

Bless her. We just hope she stayed hydrated last night. HEALTH BEFORE COUTURE, GURL! (Photo: Pacific Coast News)