The Met Gala 2025: Sartorial Style with a Story

There are two things I love about the outfits on the red carpet at the Met Gala: 1) they are WILD; and 2) they have a theme (at least theoretically). Unlike other red carpet events, the Met Gala has a specific theme each year, one that ties into the exhibit currently featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. This year's theme is "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." In addition, the dress code is "Tailored for You," and the featured exhibit is inspired by Monica L. Miller's book "Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity," which explores how Black people, particularly Black men, used fashion to establish their identities and assert themselves in high society. 

"Black Dandyism" was on full display during the Harlem Renaissance from about 1918 to 1937, but continued through the "zoot suit" era of the 1940s, and its roots can be seen in Black fashion of the 1970s and beyond. Pin-striped, tailored suits; high-waisted, baggy, cuffed pants; slim silhouettes; polished shoes; great hats; high-quality fabrics and finishes; bold colors and patterns; purposeful and well-chosen accessories were all hallmarks of Black style during that period. As Black Americans continued to reclaim their dignity, independence, and culture, clothing that reflected elegance and taste took on greater importance. In addition to European fashion trends, they incorporated their own heritages from places like Africa and the Caribbean, bringing in the color, patterns, and flair of their homelands. 

Let's look at how the celebrities expressed that theme on the red carpet!

I want to begin with Ava DuVernay (top), not only because I adore her outfit, but because I adore the story behind it even more: it is based on an outfit worn by her grandmother, Annie Fisher, in a 1919 photograph (bottom). I love the high, wide waistband of the skirt, the rakishly tilted hat with a pert little birdcage veil, the sheen of the white satin shirt, and the sparkle of the silver pinstripes. I love that it takes what was likely an everyday look and elevates it to red carpet chic. A perfect peek at women's fashions at the very beginning of the Black Dandyism era! 

Gigi Hadid (top) wore a sleek gold gown that was modeled after a gown worn by Josephine Baker in a 1951 film (bottom). The gown was intended not only as a tribute to Baker but even more as a tribute to the gown's designer, Zelda Wynn Valdes. Valdes opened a dressmaking shop on Broadway in 1948 (possibly the first Black-owned business on Broadway), dressing celebrities from Dorothy Dandridge to Jessye Norman and Mae West to Eartha Kitt. She also designed costumes for the Dance Theatre of Harlem from 1970 until her death in 2001. Hadid's victory roll hairstyle was a nice finishing touch.

Jodie Turner-Smith (top) wore a burgundy leather equestrian outfit modeled after Selika Lazevski (bottom), a Black female equestrian featured in series of 1891 portraits by French photographer Paul Nadar. Turner-Smith's jacket and hat have been slightly "Dandy-fied" with the exaggerated angles and curves more evocative of the 1920s and 1930s, and contemporized by adding pants under the full, open-fronted overskirt. 

Keke Palmer (top) wore a stylized tuxedo that was a tribute to Dorothy Dandridge (bottom), a legendary Black actress and singer who was the first African-American Oscar nominee for Best Actress (for 1954's Carmen Jones), and who was widely-recognized as a fashion and style icon, particularly in her choice of flattering accessories. Palmer's ensemble topped black cigarette pants with a white satin fitted bodice with halter-style straps formed by tuxedo lapels and an open-front pannier-style white skirt. The center of the bodice and the top of the skirt were embellished with pearl detailing. Palmer accessorized with sleeked-back hair topped with a luscious black feather cocktail hat and pointy black pumps. 

 

Megan Thee Stallion (top) wore a silver and white ensemble that was also inspired by a screen and fashion legend, French/American actress Josephine Baker, who was the first Black woman to star in a motion picture (1927's Siren of the Tropics), a star of Paris' Folies Bergère, part of the French Resistance during World War II, and a civil rights activist. Megan's silver spangled halter gown was simple and elegant (if a bit ill-fitting in the bust), featuring a thigh-high slit, and was topped with a stunning snow-white off-the-shoulder fur cape that formed an elegant train. But the literal crowning glory of her look was a three-tiered diamond studded ponytail inspired by a hairstyle worn by Baker in 1950 (bottom). 

Sydney Sweeney (top) emulated a more recent screen icon, Kim Novak (bottom) in the 1968 film The Legend of Lylah Clare. The form-fitting black spangled trumpet gown featured a large keyhole neckline closed with a silver floral brooch. Sweeney added a nod to female Black Dandyism with a slicked-back chignon with a pair of kiss curls in lieu of Novak's '60s bob, although her double-winged eyeliner was pure '60s glam. 

Anne Hathaway (top) looked very Audrey Hepburn in a crisp white cotton shirt (a hallmark of the designer, Caroline Herrera) and black-and-white beaded column skirt accessorized with black slingbacks, a bouffant ponytail, and a spectacular 123-carat sapphire necklace. The look was a tribute to the late André Leon Talley (bottom), fashion journalist, author, stylist, and editor known for his support of incorporating ethnic looks such as caftans, capes, and robes into contemporary fashion. Talley had a longstanding friendship with Herrera. In addition, the shirt that tied at the waist was intended to be "nod to the effortless style and individual cool of Dandyism," and the beaded skirt was a take on the pinstripes that were such a mainstay of the style. 

Tessa Thompson (top) also paid tribute to Talley by carrying a church fan printed with his photograph (center). Thompson's sculptural jacket dress and top hat had the feel of a riding habit, perhaps another tribute to Selika Lazevski (bottom). Her ivory dress featured black lapels, large black buttons, and frothy black cuffs, over a white dress shirt and black necktie. Thompson accessorized the look with black hose and black platform stilettos, as well as a rakishly tipped stylized top hat. 

Zendaya (top) wore an impeccably tailored white suit inspired by Bianca Jagger's many white suits (top center), including her 1971 wedding suit and hat (bottom center), which was, in turn, inspired by the styles of the 1940s (note the cane in the center photo).  The look might also have drawn inspiration from Diana Ross in the 1975 film Mahogany (bottom). Zendaya's suit featured a single-breasted jacket with slim sleeves, patch pockets, and wide lapels, over a white dress shirt, long white necktie, and high-buttoned vest, paired with crisp, flared trousers and a wide-brimmed white hat.

Monica Barbaro (top) wore a recreation of a 1947 design by Christian Dior (bottom) as part of the "New Look" collection. Her ensemble topped a tea-length black tulle pleated skirt with a fitted hip-length ivory jacket worn over a white dress shirt and black necktie, accessorized with black leather gloves, a low-crowned ivory boater with a wide black hatband, a diamond brooch, and pointy black pumps, plus sideswept wavy hair. 

Aimee Lou Wood (top) wore a white dress shirt with narrow black necktie, topped by a long black drape falling from the left shoulder to the right hip then cascading to the floor, with a super-cropped tux jacket over the drape, paired with black bike shorts, sheer black hose, white ankle socks covered with large beige, white, and red silk carnations, and pointy-toed black Mary Janes. Her look was intended as a tribute to a fashion movement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo called La Sape (bottom), but it lacked the vivid colors, prints, and crisp tailoring of La Sape, and simply fell short for me. 

Diana Ross (top) wowed the crowd in an all-white ensemble with a silvery-white beaded column gown with narrow spangled straps (from her personal collection, possibly the one she wore to perform at the Oscars in 1985, center), a huge feather-edged hat, and a feather wrap with an impressively long train (which was embroidered with the names of each of her children and grandchildren - awwwww!), plus huge chandelier earrings. Her look embraced the extravagant, opulent "pimp fashion" of the 1970s (bottom), with its love of feathers, fur, and wide-brimmed hats. 

Teyana Taylor went to Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter to design her historically-inspired look. Her black-on-black pinstriped tailcoat and baggy cuffed trousers were set off by a rich burgundy vest, exaggerated platinum chains and a stylized platinum and crystal filigree necktie, topped with a super-square-shouldered burgundy cape adorned with brooches and chains and an oversized fabric flower, accessorized with a burgundy hat with long ostrich plume and spectator-inspired burgundy and black platform shoes with crystal and buckle embellishments. It managed to combine the zoot suit silhouette with the opulence of 1970s pimp fashion, as well as the emphasis on elegant accessories of Black Dandyism through the years. It was a lot, but it was a lot of the right stuff. 

Regina King (top) wore a navy tuxedo with a sculptural raised portrait collar, wide-legged pants, and gold leafy embroidery, as well as an embroidered trio of Black angels. The angels were a look at Biblical imagery through a multi-cultural lens [editor's note: The Bible never specifies that angels are white, merely that they sometimes wear white clothes. Just saying.], such as the painting "Three Angels with Black Jesus" (bottom) by Haitian artist Edgar Brierre. King commented that the design gave her a sense of "connection to [her] ancestors". 

Other Looks

Dua Lipa embraced the earlier years of Black Dandies in a 1920s-inspired sleeveless spangled black dress with a sheer criss-crossed waist and a thigh-length feathery skirt topped with a floor-length semi-sheer black overlay, accessorized with sheer black spangled opera gloves, a stunning multi-strand diamond necklace, diamond ear bobs, and a slicked back hairstyle with kiss curls. I especially loved that she had a full-length, sheer beaded jacket to wear over the whole outfit (bottom). 

FKA Twigs wore an elegant Art Deco flapper dress with a spangled beige bodice with a plunging neckline, silver scalloping across the hips, and a knee-length brown feather skirt, accessorized with a narrow ivory silk wrap ending in large tufts of white feathers and fabulous crystal-embellished brown satin Mary Jane shoes. 

Imaam Hammam paid tribute to the 1940s "zoot suit" in a stylized single-breasted suit that looked like it might have been a jumpsuit. Her tail-less jacket was severely nipped-in at the waist and featured oversized shoulder pads, with baggy pants that ballooned at the hip for an almost cartoonish silhouette (but in a delightful way, like Jim Carrey's yellow zoot suit in Mask). She accessorized with a black dress shirt, a black-and-white polka dot fabric necktie, a silver-handled cane, and a black pillbox hat festooned with tall black and white feathers. 

Lauryn Hill (top) and Lupita Nyong'o (bottom) both chose pastel double-breasted suits with modern details. Hill's butter yellow ensemble included a fantastical cape with a sculpted high collar and ripples over one shoulder, worn over a white dress shirt with a brown necktie, accessorized with a coordinating parasol, long yellow earrings, and a contrasting blue satin handbag. Nyong'o's mint green suit featured a large flower on the lapel, a matching mint green dress shirt with a starburst brooch in place of a necktie, and a lightweight chiffon cape that barely skimmed the floor, and was accessorized with a matching short-crowned boater hat and matching shoes. 

Alicia Keys and husband Swizz Beats wore coordinated his-and-hers zoot suits. Keys' stylized red-on-red striped suit comprised a double-breasted jacket featuring a strapless bodice with a sweetheart neckline and a twisted front off-the-shoulder wrap, and flared trousers, accessorized with a red beaded headpiece and topped with a puffy wrap in the same red-and-navy stripes as Swizz's tamer narrow-legged zoot suit worn over a black dress shirt with a silver starburst brooch in lieu of a necktie, accessorized with a bright red durag, dark glasses, and shiny black shoes. 

Chappell Roan looked very Elton John circa 1973 in a bubblegum-pink patchwork suit combining metallic stripes with various shades of pink and pink prints, and flared, slashed pantlegs and sleeves, accessorized with riotous long red curls and her trademark large-eye makeup. 

Cardi B also looked very '70s in a green textured velvet suit over an open front shirt with lighter green ruffles along the neckline and cuffs, with a darker green cummerbund. She accessorized with full, natural hair and long diamond earrings and a diamond pendant. The look was said to be inspired by Victorian fashions, specifically a dress with a round cutout at the back that would have been very edgy for the time. The jacket here featured a similar back cutout that revealed one of Cardi's tattoos. 

Doja Cat opted for a look seemingly inspired by the '80s "power suit," wearing a pinstriped leotard/jacket combination with oversized, squared-off shoulders and a front panel of metallic animal print with a Madonna-esque conical bustline. She accessorized with sheer black hose, black platform stilettoes, and a tall, hat-like wig. It gave off just a hint of a Grace Jones vibe. 

Sabrina Carpenter wore a similar silhouette, but a much sleeker and more fitted version. Her burgundy ensemble featured super-subtle pinstripes, in a bodysuit with a sweetheart neckline topped with a modified cropped tailcoat accented with crystal buttons, white cuffs, and a white raised collar closed with a double crystal chain, with two long fabric strips taking the place of tails and forming a stylized train. She accessorized with a diamond anklet, several delicate diamond rings, burgundy platform heels with a dainty bow at the back, and in true 1980s fashion, her long hair was voluminous, which gave her just a bit of a disproportionate, bobblehead look, although overall I liked the outfit. 

Ayo Adebiri wore a white shirtdress that was open nearly to the waist, accented with multiple strands of red beads forming a U on the bodice and an upside-down U on the skirt, topped with a leather jacket with floor-length tails and trailing bands falling from the sleeves. It was simple, striking, and dramatic without being overly weird. 

Miley Cyrus aimed for "celebrating identity and uniqueness" in a two-piece black ensemble comprising a belly-baring textured leather jacket with a high neck and a flared taffeta skirt with a short train, accessorized with a triple-tiered choker and a sleeked-back hairstyle. 

The three members of Blackpink, Jennie (top), Lisa (center), and Rosé (bottom), interpreted the theme in different ways. Jennie's look was inspired by Coco Chanel's runway designs of the 1920s and 1930s, with black satin cigarette pants topped with a black satin off-the-shoulder tuxedo jacket with silver buttons, two strands of pearls hanging from additional silver buttons, white edging and a white rosette at the front of the bodice, and a full, open-fronted black satin skirt lined in white, accessorized with a black boater hat with a wide white hatband, and pointy black stilettos. A beautifully tailored look that clearly has its roots in Black Dandy style while also feeling fresh and contemporary. Lisa wore a black bodysuit topped with a fitted semi-sheer black lace jacket with slightly flared sleeves, accessorized with sheer black tights embellished with the Louis Vuitton logo, a pearl and gold bead watch chain (a lovely Black Dandy nod), a gold and white pendant necklace, and a black and white LV logo handbag. Rosé wore a stylized black tuxedo with a plunging neckline that framed a gorgeous sapphire starburst pendant,  accessorized with a black cape that fell from her elbows to form a full skirt, and a fabulous pop of color in a pair of red strappy sandals embellished with crystal details. 

Nicki Minaj wore classic navy pinstripes from head to toe in a form-fitting trumpet gown  of a single-sleeved, fitted jacket with a portrait collar with a peep of white tank at the top, and a fitted-to-just-above-the knee skirt that flared into a short train. The detail that made the look pop was a large spray of black, white, and gold flowers on the long sleeve that cascaded to her knees. I especially loved the matching gold bow in her elegant updo. 

Doechii wore a custom Louis Vuitton ivory and grey suit that paired a cropped tailcoat and matching vest emblazoned with the iconic "LV" logo with baggy pleated shorts in a large ivory-and-grey check pattern, worn over a white shirt with a brown satin bow, calf-length brown socks, and thick-soled polished brown leather shoes with a buckle accent. She accessorized with a small checked handbag (which she later swapped out for a cigar), and a natural, full Afro. It felt a bit mismatched to me, although the hint of "Little Lord Fauntleroy" was fun. 

Priyanka Chopra wins an award from me for having the most versatile look on the red carpet. She began the evening in a fabulous white-with-black-polka-dots slim button-front skirt topped with a jacket with flared peplum and black piping along the lapel, hem, cuffs, and flap pockets, with a matching flared train falling from the waist, accessorized with a black cartwheel hat, black wrist-length gloves, and a huge, stunning emerald necklace. But then she removed the train to walk the red carpet for a second fabulous look, and later removed the jacket as well to reveal a sleeveless fitted bodice and a narrow black belt for yet a third phenomenal look.  I would wear every one of these looks!

Kerry Washington paired a sheer ivory tea-length skirt with what appeared to be a low-cut ivory dinner jacket - until she turned around to reveal that the jacket opening was actually in the back, a la Celine Dion at the 1999 Oscars. Washington finished her look with ivory pumps and a black-crowned, large-brimmed hat worn at a rakish tilt with a long bubble braid cascading over one shoulder. Although I didn't love the sheerness of the skirt, the silhouette was beautiful and the ensemble nicely combined a vintage and a modern look. 

Laura Harrier masterfully combined feminine and masculine aesthetics in a voluminous yet tailored ivory suit with a fitted waistcoat with a flared hem, gold buttons, and satin trim on the lapel and flap pockets, over a semi-sheer blouse with super-full sleeves with graceful seam accents and a popped collar, and hugely-flared cuffed satin trousers, accessorized with a pearl choker and long loose hair. The best part was that she knew exactly how to wear it - and SELL it. And I was totally buying it. 

Lizzo wore a stylized black and white mermaid gown with a black bodice with a plunging neckline and deep basque waistline, flaring in soft black button-topped pleats into a white full skirt just above the knee, with a white drape over the shoulders that mimicked a tuxedo jacket with sleeves forming a kind of cape. I loved her glamorous platinum blond wavy hair and her oh-so-long cigarette holder. Tres chic!

Mindy Kaling wore a sleek, military-inspired look with a black tuxedo jacket with broad white lapels and a long line of small brass buttons on each sleeve, over a white dress shirt with overlong cuffs, a long straight skirt studded with brass shapes in a line down the center front. The accent that made the look work, however, was a marvelous half white satin and half deep red velvet cummerbund that formed a long narrow train. Gorgeous!

Zoe Saldaña wore a slim-fitting black and white gown with a black bodice with a basque waist, white sleeves with thumbholes, a white collar, rows of tiny white buttons running down the center of the dress and each sleeve, a tiny line of white piping as if edging a breast pocket, and a slim white skirt that flared just slightly at the bottom. The gown also featured an oversized white bow at the back of the neck, with its long "ribbons" trailing to the floor. Saldaña wore her hair in a new short pageboy cut with baby bangs. Her whole look was a fascinating juxtaposition of masculinity and demure femininity. 

Cynthia Erivo wore a black jacket with elaborate red and white crystal beading. The jacket featured high floating shoulders and red corset lacing at the back, and she wore it over black micro-shorts and a full, open-fronted satin and tulle half-skirt that fell into a short train. She accessorized with knee-high black boots embellished red and white beadwork that matched the jacket. 

Halle Berry's form-fitting dress consisted of vertical bands of black sequins and sheer fabric, with a deep scoop neck edged with a wide black sequin band, and a skirt that puddled on the floor and extended into a short train, topped with a cropped black sequin tuxedo jacket and accessorized with a stunning diamond necklace. I found the lines of the sheer fabric to be very unflattering, and although her hair and makeup were stunning, her overall look was not up to her usual fabulous standards. 

I didn't understand Demi Moore's elaborately beaded black and silver dress when I first saw it only from the waist up. But as soon as I saw a full body shot, I was realized that the whole dress was a pinstriped necktie! I found the look charming and creative, and an absolutely delightful take on the theme as well as a beautifully constructed and flattering look for her. 

Janelle Monae's dress was covered with a squared-off jacket that completely enclosed her body, with a whimsical outline of a person's body in a suit, carrying a briefcase. But when she removed the jacket, underneath was the actual outfit! It was a delicious reveal, and I loved the symbolism of using clothing to break out of the mold into a real person instead of a flat, 1-dimensional image. 

Jenna Ortega's silver strapless gown was constructed of metal dressmaker's rulers! It reminded me of costume designer Lizzie Gardner's American Express card dress at the 1995 Oscars, except that it was - fittingly (sorry) - much more well-tailored. I loved the way the rulers were slightly bent to form the bodice and curve around the waist, and were cut to specific lengths to allow for comfortable movement. Delightful! 

With so many celebrities sporting so many looks, I'm sure I missed some favorites. Who caught YOUR attention on the red carpet?