My Favorite Looks from This Year's Met Gala
Can we please stop inviting the Kardashians??
For the last ten years or so, the first Monday in May has become a bit of a national holiday for me. That’s because it’s the day of the Met Gala, and as someone who loves high fashion and celebrity, it’s like Christmas.
I think in recent years, the Gala has gotten a bad rep because people perceive it as celebrities in fancy clothes just being famous and having their picture taken. And while that is certainly a part of it, the Met Gala has a really important job.
According to the Vogue website, “The Met Gala is a charity event and fundraiser for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. It has traditionally been timed to mark the opening of the department’s annual fashion exhibition. Year after year, the event raises eight-figure sums.”
I think people tend to forget that preserving art and history costs money. And a lot of it. At a time when those things are being stripped away from us by the orange fuhrer and his cronies, it’s more important than ever that people with deep pockets put that money towards a good cause. We can’t cry that we’re losing everything and then sneer at the people who are trying to preserve it.
Every year the Costume Institute chooses a different theme for the big exhibit that is then translated into the theme for the Met Gala. I was incredibly excited about this year’s theme: “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” The theme puts the focus on the Black dandy and how clothing and style formed Black identity.
Dandyism, for the unacquainted, is an exuberant attention to dress. In advance of this morning’s announcement, Miller said another definition is “dressing wisely and well.” She described Black dandyism as “a strategy and a tool to rethink identity, to reimagine the self in a different context. To really push a boundary—especially during the time of enslavement, to really push a boundary on who and what counts as human, even.” The history of Black dandyism that the exhibition showcases will “illustrate how Black people transformed from being enslaved and stylized as luxury items, acquired like any other signifier of wealth and status, to autonomous self-fashioning individuals who are global trendsetters.”
More specifically, the dress code for the Met Gala was “Tailored for You,” which was to pay homage to menswear and suiting.
I was super excited, because I love menswear. I think most men are boring dressers, but there’s so much potential in their clothing! A well-tailored suit is powerful, regardless of gender. There’s something really fun to me about taking the tenets of menswear and showcasing how it can work on literally any body. Menswear doesn’t have to be a suit; it’s an ideology, not a hard and fast style rule.
Every year, the theme allows for that potential, and every year, people are short-sighted and safe. My best friend Sarah spend every Met Gala Monday glued to our devices, texting each other as new celebs cross the famous stairs. (In 2019, when the theme was “Camp” (think flamboyant not summer), she was visiting me in LA, so we Met Gala’d together and it was awesome.) Our conversation is almost always equal parts cooing over our favorite ensembles and bitching that people didn’t stick to the theme. If we were in charge, most people wouldn’t make it inside; we’d turn them away for not living up to their potential and sticking to the theme.
It’s easy to play it safe. But the Met Gala is literally a costume party. Safe is the red carpet of the Oscars; not a costume party. If we’re talking dandyism, then I wanted something that emulated a more tailored version of the costumes from Hamilton, or the broad shoulders and narrow waist of a Zoot suit. I wanted to see texture, sparkle, statement jewelry! Bold choices! People got too hung up on the word “tailored” and forgot about “dandy.” And it was a real disappointment! I also really wanted more color! Black people have never shied away from color, especially Black men.
There were some big swings; not all of them were home runs, but I appreciate the people who took a risk! Then there were the people who always do something boring and barely on theme. (Can we never invite the Kardashians ever again??) So here my my top faves (because I ended up saving 35 looks!) even if all of them didn’t bring me to tears with how good they are.
This top set were the ones that brought me to my knees for various reasons. Top row was EXACTLY what I was looking for when it came to the theme. Big swings that paid off. Jodie Turner-Smith in Burberry had me in a state. And I love everything Doechii wears. She’s stunning. (also, can we make some noise for these beautiful dark-skinned women??) Jeremy O. Harris gave me exactly what I was looking for! I loved Zendaya’s look; it’s very 70s chic, but I dunno, I wanted more from her. We know she’s capable of it, so this just felt a little safe. Brian Tyree Henry always goes bold on a red carpet, so I wasn’t surprised by his choice to do so here. And I was grateful for it!
Mother Angela came to serve! Look at that texture! Pattern! The cane! We were BLESSED. Sarah Snook has worn similar looks on red carpets, so I was very happy to see that she came correct. Also!! Shaboozey!! I was unfamiliar with your game!!
For once, the men really upped their A-game this year! While many of them did go for boring black suits, many took a chance that paid off! I cannot believe how much Caleb McLaughlin has grown up?? But also Stranger Things has been out for eleventythousand years so I guess it makes sense. Soon to be Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Andre 3000 is giving eccentric musician, and yes! J Balvin is definitely one of my favorites because real men wear pink! And he went for it!
I didn’t see Mother Regina until late in the night, and I’m sorry I didn’t get to squee in real time. I am never mad when Cardi B shows up at the Met Gala, because Belcalis does.not.play! Tessa Thompson always shows up and out, and tonight was no exception! And of course, Janelle Monae!! They always come to serve. (Later in the night, they were tits out, and I also appreciate that!) Bayou Barbie Angel Reese is an absolute fashion plate, and I love that she was invited!! More female athletes invited to high fashion events please!
I don’t know how they got Ms. Lauryn Hill to show up, but I for one am grateful! Yellow looks SO GOOD on dark skin, and I’m glad she knows it. Also, Ms. Cynthia was showing! That thigh! The skirt!
Doechii tho
I adore her endlessly