I’m not a fashion blogger, I just like pretty clothes. I also have a degree in Art History. This makes it obligatory for me to point out that the annual Met Gala is not just an excuse for famous people to dress up and get their pictures taken, but rather a benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. It’s been going on since 1948.
You might think the Met Gala became A Thing when Anna Wintour of Vogue took over, but you’d be wrong! It was actually Diana Vreeland (RIP) who first began embiggening the Met Gala, turning the fundraiser into a celebrity affair instead of just a New York City-rich-people event. Vreeland was the one who started holding the gala at the Met itself (with those incredible stairs) and introduced themes to the party. Which, let’s face it, is genius. What’s the Met Gala without a theme? Why, just another boring party with gazillion dollar outfits!
Anna Wintour took over the Costume Institute in 1995, and the Met Gala has only gotten bigger and better even though her hairstyle has remained the same. The gala’s themes are chosen in conjunction with the Costume Institute’s exhibits, examining historic trends and occasionally honoring individual designers, as with this year’s Karl Lagerfeld theme.
Personally, I found the fashion this year to be a bit too tasteful and classy. I prefer my Met Gala looks to be more costumey–it IS the Costume Institute, after all. But then Jared Leto showed up in a freakishly realistic cat costume and I had to rethink my life.
Let’s take a look at it all.
Did I mention that in addition to Jared Leto dressed as a cat, there was a cockroach on the stairs at the Met Gala? Because there was! May I remind you that this shindig takes place in New York City? Every single building in NYC has roaches, people. It’s just the price you pay for being in the greatest city in the world. No, I’m not being sarcastic, I’m a New Yorker. It’s the best city on Earth and roaches happen. Step on them. Or better yet, get a cat! Cats love hunting and killing roaches. I don’t know why Leto was there if not to take care of this problem for the Met.
This entire thread of outfits as economics books is great. I don’t love sending people to Twitter, but since everyone refuses to choose an alternative, we’re stuck with Elon’s rapidly decompensating platform for now, and sometimes it’s still amazing. Go check this one out!
These looks are all incredible, although Cardi B isn’t actually in Thom Browne.
Shout out to Tems! We loved her look at the Oscars but also made fun of it for being rude to the person sitting behind her. We’re sorry, she’s amazing and looks beautiful once again. And also anyone sitting behind her would be able to see through this headpiece.
If you ask me, the men took more risks than the women this year, and I am here for it. Men don’t get to have as much fun with fashion as ladies do in most situations, and we should normalize the guys getting to live a little! Hell, I’m happy when I see a businessman daring to wear a pastel shirt or fun socks–there are so few choices for your average dude. Our stupid–and getting stupider by the day–gender rules put men in such narrow clothing boxes. Let men play! Look at these gorgeous manly creatures. (But don’t wear cat costumes to work.)
And now, because you’ve all obviously been waiting for them, here are my personal faves. I’m not calling them Best Dressed because I have absolutely no qualifications to do so, I’m just saying these are the posts that made me go “oooooohhhhh!” and especially the Thom Browne class photo, which looks like an Alice in Wonderland chess set.
P.S. If you were wondering why Jared Leto was dressed as a cat, here’s why. Doja Cat made a little more sense with it.
