Last night's Glamour Women of the Year Awards ceremony held at Carnegie Hall was a rare thing — interesting and inspiring all at the same time (and how often can you say that?!) We've all heard more than once in the last twelve months that regardless of the outcome of this election this year has been all about the woman. And last night's line-up of recipients, which included Condoleezza Rice, Tyra Banks, Maureen Chiquet (the woman who heads Chanel is from Missouri!), Kara Walker, Nicole Kidman, the Nobel Women's Initiative, Jane Goodall, Najood Ali (the 10 yr old Yemen girl who convinced the courts to give her a divorce from her adult husband), and Hillary Clinton (two standing ovations) was an excellent representation of just that. Also perhaps a reflection of the magazine's pull, particularly in these tough times (Condi Rice said she's been reading since she was twelve). Also, Cindi Leive rocked the most amazing shoes of the night, just saying.

The star-studded event lived up to its glamour moniker (we joked on our way in that security was so tight it felt like the secret service was in the building...turns out they were!) and most of the recipients attended the packed dinner at the Essex House afterward — we spotted Nicole Kidman front and center with hubby Keith Urban, tiny Kate Bosworth floating about, and Harvey Weinstein "dropping in" on our way out. Later this twitter from Julia Allison turned us almost entirely green with envy. After the jump more highlights from the night as well as some vid of Hillary's, Condi's, and Tyra's speeches (all of them mention their mothers). [UPDATE: The video is now working!]

One of the most touching highlights of the night had to be award recipients Nujood Ali and Shada Nasser who had flown in from Yemen to be there. Ali made headlines last year when, after being married off by her family at the age of nine, and being abused by her much older husband, she took a bus to the courthouse all by herself and demanded a divorce. She was eventually granted one with the help of human rights lawyer Shada Nasser.

One of the more seemingly complicated moments of the night was Condoleezza Rice. Barbara Walters presented her the award, mentioning in her intro speech that perhaps Rice's future may even hold "time for love" Condi's intro film focused primarily on her humanitarian work on behalf of the woman of Sudan particularly and not on her role as a major player in the Bush White House. Still, Rice received a standing ovation as she took the stage, saying that as a child she had always imagined if she was ever to find herself at Carnegie Hall it would have been as a musician.

Undoubtedly, however, the star of the night was Hillary Clinton. The Senator from New York, after being serenaded by American Idol winner David Cook, received a screaming standing ovation upon taking the stage and another when she left. Video highlights below.

* Photos courtesy of the very glamorous Rachel Sklar.