Met Gala Looks

The Met Gala takes place on the first Monday of May, every May. It is the theme party to end all theme parties. People who are either very famous, very rich, or both, parade around in outlandish designer clothes to raise money for a museum that is also very famous and very rich. I love it. It's like a holiday for me, because if there is one thing I will always love, it's a theme. Also judging. You would think these people had never had to dress for a theme in their life. They have loads of money, and connections with all sorts of designers, and they could just hire someone to do the research for them, but no. Swear to God, these people couldn’t find the theme if it kicked them in the eye. You may be thinking that I'm just jealous because these people are rich and beautiful in gorgeous clothes. You would be absolutely correct. With that in mind, let’s talk about this year's theme. Only my favorite looks because who wants to be negative?

The theme for 2022 was “Gilded Glamour; Gilded Age New York.” The Gilded Age was from 1870 to 1890 in the US, and for the purposes of the Met Gala, New York City specifically. It was a time of massive industrialization and prosperity, and the size of bustles, sleeves, and hair grew according. In fashion, there was no such thing as minimalism. You wanted to fit as many frills, bows, ruffles, and lace as humanly possible on one dress. It was also a time known for its extreme and devastating wealth inequality. The industrialization that I spoke of was highly exploitative of its workers, taking advantage of the flood of immigrants coming to America at the time. The rich were very rich, and getting richer, but the workers driving all this industrialization and economic prosperity didn’t see a penny of that wealth! No trickle-down economics in sight! The Gilded Age has regained relevance recently, even before becoming the theme for the Met Gala. This relevance is due to the fact that many experts believe that we are in a second Gilded Age, but worse. The wealth disparity in America has surpassed the previous high of the Gilded Age, and hey, it’s a topic of conversation. With all of your new background knowledge, doesn’t it seem a little tacky, in sort of poor taste, for a party with $35,000 tickets to declare that their theme? I thought so too. Either way, the clothes were pretty, so let’s dive in!

Blake Lively

You cannot talk about the Met Gala without talking about Blake Lively. She kills it every single year, and this might be her best year yet. Her dress is a modern take on Gilded Age fashions and the Statue of Liberty, not to mention gorgeous. The bustle is a fun historical reference on its own, but it also unfurled to become a massive blue-green train, referencing the oxidization of the Statue of Liberty. She also is wearing a headpiece to mimic the Statue of Liberty, with the same number of peaks and the same number of jewels as the statue has windows. Her attention to detail and history is appreciated, and she looked stunning. She killed it!

Genesis Suero

Genesis Suero was actually not a guest at the Met Gala, but a reporter. She was also one of the most on-theme people there, and definitely one of the most beautiful. Her dress kind of reminds me of Amy Adams in Enchanted? Do you see it? It just looks so magical, like a fairytale dress. She is also literally glowing. The sleeves reference the puff sleeve style of the Gilded Age, and just the opulence of the dress feels like a nod to the theme. It's not a historical recreation, but the silhouette and vibe are absolutely perfect. Takes my breath away.

Quannah Chasinghorse

This is her second Met Gala, and her second time highlighting her heritage. Isn't she stunning? Quannah Chasinghorse is a climate activist and an advocate for native communities, and everything about her outfit reflects that. Her dress is made from upcycled fabric and her jewelry was custom made by Lenise Omeasoo, a native artist who runs Antelope Women Designs. She wore two eagle feathers in her hair, a symbol of strength. Both were gifted to her by other native people, a great honor. Her look, besides just being jaw-droppingly gorgeous, is a great reminder that minorities played a huge part in America's history, even if not wearing bustles.

Taylor Hill

She is giving us drama, fake flowers, and a massive train embroidered with massive flowers, you could not get more gilded. I absolutely love it. She's got kind of a Pamela Anderson bun going on, and the earrings are perfect for this look. I just cannot get over the train and good God can we have a moment for the boots? You can't really see them properly in this photo, but they're thigh-high and perfect. She really went all out, it's perfect. I love a look that's not afraid to fully commit to the theme. There's so much going on, but she carries all of it wonderfully. Can't get enough.

Rosalia

See I have conflicting feelings about this look, because the dress is just about perfect, but why keep the glasses on? It seems so tacky. I honestly don't know anything about Rosalia, maybe it just fits her personal brand, but I am not a fan. The dress itself? Incredible. Show-stopping. The sleeves are very Gilded Age appropriate and the bodice of the dress mimics the corsets commonly worn. It's a phenomenal dress.