MY UNOFFICIAL MET GALA AWARDS

Last night, the 74th annual Met Gala once again made the first Monday in May a wonderful event. If you, like me, spent the evening refreshing the Vogue livestream for every interview, first look, and designer backstory, you’re in the right place. The theme of this year’s Met was “An Anthology of American Fashion: Gilded Glamour and White Tie.” For those of you who don’t know (because I didn’t), this theme is referencing the period of American history between 1870 and 1900, when the nation experienced rapid industrialization and is typically associated with economic prosperity. It was so interesting to see everyone’s interpretations from the event, and today I’m going to give awards to my favorite outfits based on the following criteria:

1. BEST ON-THEME

2. BEST STORY

3. BEST WILD CARD

4. BEST NEW-COMER

5. BEST OVERALL

I think the best part of the Met is the conversation it inspires. There’s something so enchanting about the world pausing for one night to watch the hard work of designers and their muses come together for a red carpet that has had some of the most iconic artists and influential people walk down it. I love watching everyone’s reviews and of course, the Vogue “Get Ready With So-and-So For the Met Gala,” (no pressure @Vogue YouTube team, I’m patiently waiting for Emma Chamberlain’s), but more than that, I love the way that designers are given a platform to tell stories across the carpet. So let’s dive in!

1. BEST ON-THEME:

Blake Lively shut down the carpet at her tenth Met Gala last night, wearing custom Versace. This is the fourth time the designer and Blake have collaborated for the Met, and they seriously served. Her dress was an all-over copper color before she transformed mid-carpet to reveal a teal-green adorned with delicate embroidery. The color transformation was meant to resemble the oxidation of the Statue of Liberty, a prominent symbol of American history. The embroidery across her skirt was made to resemble the ceiling of New York’s Grand Central Station, with constellations stitched delicately across the skirt. Railroads were a huge part of the industrial revolution, and this creative take, in my opinion, perfectly nails the theme of this year’s Gala.

2. BEST STORY:

Kim Kardashian is always a sight to see at the Met Gala, but this year was undoubtedly more special for the star, who was the last one to walk the carpet. Kim wore a 60 year old gown, iconically known as the “Happy Birthday Mr. President” Dress, famously worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang happy birthday to President John F. Kennedy. The dress was designed by Jean Louis and has 2500 hand-stitched crystals. It’s an absolute dream! The similarities between Kim K and Marilyn Monroe make this moment even more special, as both women began as sex symbols and turned into household names, all the while maintaining their sexy flair and unapologetic originality. The dress was stunning, Kim was stunning, and I was so happy to see her and Pete on the carpet together!

3. BEST WILD CARD:

If there’s one thing we can always count on, it’s that Lizzo is going to bring the fun. I loved the fact that she brought a flute with her to the carpet (and played it, too). The word “Gilded” means covered or adorned in gold, and I loved the way this was incorporated in the star’s Thom Browne look, especially in the ornate coat that she said took over 22,000 hours to make from start to finish. The artistry in her look is so amazing and I love that it speaks to the theme but also to who Lizzo is, a talented musician and a forever high school band kid who has made the world realize flutes are very, very hot.

4. BEST NEW-COMER:

Stormzy really carried the men last night. The British rapper and artist wore head to toe all white Burberry. To me, this was the perfect Men’s look. It was giving Great Gatsby, opulence, white tie, and perfect tailoring. He looked incredible and absolutely served at his first-ever Met Gala.

5. BEST OVERALL:

This is really more an opinion than an assertion, but my favorite looks from the Met this year had to be Kaia Gerber and Cardi B. Both of these looks were heavy metal, literally, and I thought it was really cool that they nodded to the theme with the use of metals (metal working was a huge part of the industrial revolution), and honestly, I’m a sucker for a metallic mesh look. Kaia wore Alexander McQueen and looked incredible with teased, tight curls and she looked so radiant next to her (red carpet official) boyfriend Austin Butler who wore Prada. Cardi B stunned in a form-fitting custom Versace, and she was accompanied by Donatella Versace herself. The custom gold, mesh, metallic outfit clung to every inch of Cardi B, who credited her womanly figure to the recent birth of her son. Love that for her.

Overall, this year’s Met Gala was, as usual, a sight to see. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone else’s takes on the looks today and hearing more about the design processes as the designers release their interviews and behind-the-scenes footage! <3