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The Met Gala is frequently a showcase for the most wild, the most outre, and the haute-est of haute couture. Although this year had fewer really overblown and ugly outfits than past years (for example, last year when Jared Leto dressed as Karl Lagerfeld's cat, Choupette, Kim Kardashian's 2012 floral couch dress with attached gloves, or Janelle Monae's Mr. Potato Head dress from 2019), there were certainly some deliciously outrageous looks.
This year's theme was "The Garden of Time," and it highlighted the current Costume Institute collection on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (believe it or not, this is - or at least, was the original - purpose of the Gala), which is called "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." Most years there is quite a mix of outfits that absolutely conform to and even highlight the theme, and looks that are just couture for couture's sake, but the year the majority of attendees really worked within the theme. For that reason - as well as the fact that there are waaaay too many notable looks to discuss them all here - I am limiting my comments to the looks that worked particularly well with the confines of the theme as well as the delightfully outrageous and ridiculous ones.
Baz Luhrman and Catherine Martin were one of a number of beautifully-coordinated couples, both in deep green silk with silver floral accents. Luhrman's impeccably-tailored suit featured a modified mandarin collar with high, unfinished satin lapels, and was adorned with deep green fabric and silver sequin flowers spattered with silver from shoulder to waist, while Martin's long-sleeved column featured a short train, a high round neck with a wide silver collar and cuffs, and a long trail of silver flowers from neck to hem.
Zendaya wowed in not one, but two amazing looks. Her first, a vivid metallic blue and emerald green gown of hand-painted organza, was embellished with grapevines at the hip and shoulder and wrapping her upper arm and a hummingbird peeping around her neck, and topped with a green beret with a tall feather and a birdcage veil. Later in the evening, she changed into an even more dramatic creation: a black silk off-the-shoulder gown with a long-sleeved corset top and a cathedral-length train. But the real stunner of this look was the tall, asymmetrical hat festooned with multi-colored roses balanced with a long tuft of black tulle. Simply stunning.
Jordan Roth was pretty out there in a brown tulle hooded robe encrusted with hundreds of pink taffeta roses and green leaves, paired with long pink gloves. The outfit was intended to represent "the cycle of life," as it began with rosebuds on the hood and transformed into fading and browning blooms and falling petals at the hem. Although I found the overall shape bulky and ugly, the process of creating the piece was interesting, and the concept and execution of the flowers was fascinating and lovely.
Jenny Chandler wore a simple but very pretty strapless fit-and-flare gown with appliqued purple and yellow flowers over a black base, creating a lovely stained glass effect. This look was simplicity done right.
Kelsea Ballerini wore a sheer nude gown with pink and orange roses covering - ahem - strategic areas. She wore it with a matching long-sleeved caped jacket with sleeves fully covered in flowers, which created an overly bulky and uncomfortable look, which I really disliked, but when I saw the dress without the wrap, the silhouette was much more balanced and flattering. Her simple updo with a single wavy tendril, pinned back with a matching flower, was a lovely touch.
Jessica Serfaty also wore a flower-encrusted look that transformed from terrible to...let's just go with "less terrible." Originally worn as a robe similar to Jordan Roth's, but without the hood, the dress at first appeared to be a bulky red robe with blobby fabric flowers covering it, also starting slightly smaller at the shoulders and growing in size towards the hem. Serfaty later revealed the look to be a jacket, opening it at the top to reveal a quite pretty sheer red halter over a glittery silver bikini-style top. If the jacket were merely a full skirt paired with the halter and bikini, and made a bit less bulky, I would have liked it much better. Also, the bright pink gloves clashed terribly.
Cynthia Errivo began with a more interesting base look, and her designer was more light-handed with the flowers, which resulted in a much more effective look. She paired an ab-baring cropped tuxedo jacket (complete with white shirt and black necktie) with a straight skirt and a multiple-layered narrow train, also in black. Instead of full flowers, her outfit was studded with pale pink petals, arranged more thickly over one shoulder and forming rays radiating from one hip. Errivo's pink bag was a nice accent, as was the beautiful jeweled dragonfly on the back of her head. Her look was also a subtle nod to the upcoming Wicked movie: "Black is this year's pink," after all.
Julia Carey (with husband, James Corden, in a standard black tuxedo) wore a gorgeous pink watermarked taffeta column with a straight train falling from the waist. The dress and train were embellished with pink, white, and olive green satin blossoms, the latter of which perfectly matched her olive satin pumps.
Tory Burch wore an ivory gown with a structured, off-the-shoulder, asymmetrical wrapped bodice and a soft, full skirt, with multicolored pastel flowers and vines wrapping around it and draping gracefully at each shoulder.
Morgan Spector wore wide-legged black pants and a vivid scarlet double-breasted jacket with broad shoulders and high, wide, peak lapels, self buttons, and pocket flaps, accessorized with two huge fabric poppies with black centers on the lapel, black gloves, and black patent shoes. Tres elegant!
Maria Sharapova wore a horizontally-pleated pale yellow column with a portrait collar and a chartreuse wrap with a full train, accented with giant fabric flowers at each elbow. She finished her look with large pearl drop earrings and a delicate spray of fabric flowers in her hair.
Gigi Hadid's white gown cleverly incorporated twining yellow roses with black leaves and black piping that formed the outlines of a billowing tuxedo jacket forming the skirt. Look closely and you can see not only the clear outline of the lapels, but the sleeves and pocket flaps. The gown illustrated the garden theme, but also demonstrated the combination of whimsy and impressive construction and structure that has become the hallmark of this event.
Ayo Edibiri's white halter dress faded from white flowers on the bodice and upper skirt into pale pastel flowers at the hips and then into deep pastel flowers for the rest of the skirt. This took away from the busy-ness, bulk, and visual clutter that was a problem for many other flower-encrusted ensembles. The dress was thematic, colorful, flattering, and kept the attention on the wearer rather than the dress, as it should be. I would love to wear this dress!
Odell Beckham, Jr., wore flared black pants with a cropped, double-breasted black tuxedo jacket decorated with appliqued flowers and birds, scattered pearls, and white lace edging. Both the pants and the jacket sleeves were a little short for my taste, but the crossed black ribbon tie was a nice touch.
Dove Cameron wore a dress with a sheer nude base with long bell sleeves and a flared skirt, covered with deep pink flowers and beige and green fringes to create texture without too much weight. This is another look worth zooming into to truly appreciate its construction. The ensemble also included a superlong wrap that formed a train - and a fun arch when Cameron flipped it up!
Reece Feldman wore a somewhat similar outfit: a double-breasted grey jacket with white patterning across the front over a white dress shirt and white bow tie, paired with a matching pleated skirt with a black tulle underlay, paired with a black leather handbag shaped like a dachshund. I found his look a bit less charming.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph's look focused on the "Sleeping Beauty" aspect of the theme, in a midnight blue denim (denim? DENIM.) off-the-shoulder princess gown with seamed corset bodice, three-quarter-length bell sleeves, circular ruffle skirt, and double rows of beading along the neckline, cuffs, and hem. I loved the lighter blue fabric in the lining of the sleeves, skirt inset panels, and trailing at the sides of the skirt. The weight of the denim fabric created a gorgeous structure and body in the skirt that was simply magnificent.
Demi Moore's black gown with huge hand-embroidered pink peonies was also made from an unusual material: vintage wallpaper (wallpaper? WALLPAPER). I loved the exaggerated lines of the gown, which flared from the knee to the floor, ballooned slightly at the hips, and exploded from the shoulders to form heart-shaped wings edged with arrowheads. I loved the addition of chiffon fabric to the lower part of the flower on the skirt to add just a touch of texture and dimension, and Moore's large emerald necklace was beyond gorgeous. The ensemble managed to evoke both flowers and birds, and was structurally unique without being completely insane.
Eiza Gonzalez wore a gown comprised of layers of organza in varying shades of pale pink and ivory. The layers formed the shape of butterfly wings, and the look was very evocative of the traditional ballet costume worn in the Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker (the Boston Ballet version, anyway).
Mona Patel also wore a butterfly-inspired dress. Her champagne-and-pale-gold gown featured a wings-shaped bodice, a keyhole-shaped front slit, a frothy train, and a series of gold armbands with small fabric wings (or perhaps petals). It was fantastical and fascinating, but the top of the skirt was badly fitted and Patel would have benefitted from a better foundation garment.
Iris Law's gown looked like a butterfly wing, complete with delicate iridescent panels in the faintest of pastel shades, against a black framework. I loved the iridescent stripe curving down the one sheer sleeve. Simply lovely.
J. Harrison Ghee took the butterfly motif in a completely different direction in a mint-green gown with beading at the top and feathers at the hem, with a longer pink feathered panel at the back below a giant double bow forming butterfly wings, topped with a golden headpiece in the shape of a butterfly's head, complete with rhinestone goggle eyes and long trailing antennae. I hated the look at first, but the more I looked at it, the more I saw the whimsy and playfulness, and in the end, I decided I kind of love it.
Kim Kardashian started strong in a metallic silver strapless bustier with a sheer skirt and a short train, covered with silver flowers. I liked the details of the short chains at the hip and the overall silhouette, but she topped the look with a gray shrug she referred to as a "boyfriend sweater" but which was jut a pilled, dirty-looking mess.
Ugbad Abdi wore a form-fitting, long-sleeved, metallic dress that was copper sequins from the high jewel neckline to just above the knee, where it flared into crinkly metallic silver fabric festooned with long fringe and petals. The dress was topped with a jeweled silver cobweb frame that fit relatively snugly to the waist, then flared, peplum-style, ending at mid-thigh. She accessorized with a jeweled silver skullcap adorned with pale copper flowers and large white floral earrings. I liked the concept, but the transition from copper and cobweb to silver with no cobweb felt abrupt and disjointed. I think I would have liked the look better if the dress were completely copper and the cage reached to the floor.
Lana del Rey drew from fairy tale inspiration in a strapless beige silk gown covered with bronze hawthorn branches that jutted up past the neckline, topped with a large frame draped in matching beige tulle that formed a bower around del Rey's head and cascaded to the floor to form a train. It was striking and interesting, although a tiny accent of red representing a thorn pricking a finger could have been a nice touch.
Doja Cat wore a wet, sheer, clinging, white t-shirt dress, stating that her "flower of choice is the most-used flower. And it's cotton." Her only accessories were diamond earrings and deliberately running mascara. Aside from being very revealing, I can't imagine that the wet look was comfortable (or that it stayed wet all night). I kind of understand what she intended, but it didn't work for me.
Amelia Gray Hamlin wore a delightful terrarium dress (terrarium? TERRARIUM.) that was another of my favorites of the night. Her strapless yellow thigh-length gown featured a fitted bodice and a bell-shaped skirt with a clear case inside housing purple roses and greenery. The dress was wrapped diagonally with sheer yellow tulle that created subtle, pretty lines. I didn't love the accessories: her hair was stringy and tucked underneath a metallic gold collar necklace with a pendant, and both the necklace and her metallic gold sandals were wrong for the yellow of the gown. But SHE WORE A TERRARIUM. What's not to love about that?
Rebecca Hall's strapless pale silver shift dress seemed a bit bland until I got a closer look. The ensemble actually consists of an underdress embellished with embroidered flowers all the way down, covered with a sheer overlay with flowers just around the hem, and a cape-style train also embroidered with flowers along the back edge. But the crowning detail was the hand-painted flowers on her sheer elbow-length gloves that continued up her arms in body paint. Gorgeous!
Gustav Magnar Witzoe looked like a stylized version of Prince Charming crossed with a statue of a Greek god in a flesh-colored spangled bodysuit topped with a toga-style drape held with a sash, and a pale copper satin shoulder wrap with a long train, edged with metallic silver embroidery. It was certainly memorable, if nothing else.
Mindy Kaling wore a structurally intricate flesh-toned gown with a sweetheart neckline and loops of fabric that formed a train and also swept over her head and around her shoulders, forming an oversized hood. I loved the way the fabric was crushed and gathered to form lines that emphasized her curves and swept around the train like ocean waves. Despite its structure, the fabric didn't look stiff, but instead created the illusion of movement and wind. Just beautiful.
Sarah Jessica Parker was Carrie Bradshaw levels of fashion in her bell-shaped flesh-toned dress with white lace flowers and silver vine details, accessorized with a nearly floor-length knotted string of pearls, a silver tasseled reticule, and a fantastical oversized fascinator embellished with a large sparkly brooch that matched her earrings. Bonus points for the matching lace and silver trim on her nude pumps!
Sabrina Harrison focused on the passage of time in her metallic gold mermaid gown featuring a large, melting clock on the front of the bodice and dozens of tiny clock faces from the bodice to the knee. She accessorized with a starburst headpiece and a teardrop-shaped gold bag.
Karol G dressed as a garden fairy, complete with long platinum locks, pointed ears, and a diamond headband with a pendant (fun fact: the official name of a band worn over the forehead, often with a jewel suspended in front, is a "ferronniere"). Her sheer gown featured a corset bodice, sheer sleeves that ended in gloves, and a short train, and was studded with large mirrored jewels in various shapes.
Tyla's dress seems relatively normal, even bland, until you realize one fact: it's made of sand. (Sand? SAND.) Three types of sand were made into a kind of plaster of Paris and molded to her body to achieve the effect. Her purse is even an hourglass filled with sand. The gown was so delicate that she had to be carried up the famous staircase, and if you're wondering (as I was) how on earth she would be able to sit down without damaging it, check out this video of the designer literally cutting off the skirt and turning the gown into a minidress after her arrival at the event.
Rita Ora's...dress? outfit? look?...consisted of a flesh-toned bodysuit and...one beaded curtain in front and one in back? Yeah, I got nothing. Much like this outfit.
Did I miss anything of note? Let me know!
