Strutting up the stairs of New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, hundreds of celebrities flaunted extravagant outfits created by the most exclusive of designers last week. From flowing ball gowns to neon suits, the 2022 Met Gala enthralled audiences with a glimpse of the world’s most luxurious fashion. Held on May 2, the Met’s ‘Gilded Glamor’—a theme focusing on a fashion period between 1870-1890—gave way for artful innovation and, at times, questionable choices. Here are my picks for the celebrities who nailed the theme and those who fell short of the standard.
#1—Blake Lively: A Tasteful Twist on Lady Liberty
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/met-gala-best-dressed-2022
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/met-gala-2022-red-carpet-live-celebrity-fashion
A frequent attendee of the Met Gala, American actress Blake Lively impressed yet again with her Versace-designed gown, matching gloves, and a delicate tiara. Inspired by the Statue of Liberty, Lively’s dress was designed with a surprise—while she would arrive on the red carpet in a vibrant copper gown, it would later be revealed to ‘oxidize’ into a brilliant teal. Lively nailed the theme by incorporating glitzy copper detailing and paying tribute to the most notable monuments of late 19th century New York. For her outfit’s flawlessness and unique time relevances, she easily tops this list with a 10/10.
#2—Laura Harrier: Simple Yet Elegant
From the black gloves to the silver detailing and pearl necklaces, model and actress Laura Harrier looked as if she walked from the Gilded Age straight onto the steps of the Met. Fashion from the 1880s to 1910s was characterized by dresses with cinched waists and an emphasis on the era’s luxury—a direct result of the expansion of wealth and industry at the time. Harrier’s H&M-designed dress, though a relatively more simple take on gilded glamor, takes consideration of the small details. From the neck line to the accessories, Harrier’s thoughtfully dazzling look earns a 9/10.
#3—Kim Kardashian: A Little Confused, But She’s Got the Right Spirit
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/met-gala-best-dressed-2022
American socialite Kim Kardashian never disappoints at the Met Gala, and her appearance on this year’s red carpet may have been one of her best. Paying homage to one of the most well-known pop icons of the 1880s, the highlight of Kardashian’s outfit was the crystal-studded dress from Marylin Monroe’s culturally significant “Happy Birthday” performance to President John F. Kennedy. Yet not everything about her dress was as perfect as it seemed. Not only was she historically off mark—fur coats and slim-fit silhouettes were most certainly not honoring any aspect of the early 20th century—her public statement regarding her extreme diet to fit into the dress didn’t sit well with many including Lili Reinhart and Jameela Jamil, especially when considered alongside her supposedly body-inclusive clothing brand, SKIMS. While she may have lacked in tact and thought this year, her iconic moment of the carpet still passes with a 6/10.
#4—Kylie Jenner: Missing the Theme and the Fashion Standard
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/met-gala-2022-red-carpet-live-celebrity-fashion
American model Kylie Jenner could have used some advice from her sister Kim, because her wedding dress and backwards hat missed the mark entirely. Designed by Off-White, a brand most famously known for its streetwear, the silhouette is completely in contrast to the vintage aesthetic that she was supposed to abide by. What’s worse is Jenner’s choice to style her illusion neckline with short sleeves, making the outfit clash in its elegant and informal design, and her backwards baseball cap. She makes a statement that not only defies the Met’s annual theme, but also misses the standard for acceptable, good-looking fashion. For this year, Jenner falls short and earns a 4/10.
#5—Camilla Cabello: Floral, Flowy, and Everything But on Topic
Donning a two-piece Atelier Prabal Gurung dress, Camila Cabello’s floral palette would have been spot on if the theme were ‘Fairy Garden.’ With a creatively, angularly structured top and extravagantly layered lower half, the Cuban-American singer and songwriter sweeps the carpet with an expansive outfit that certainly makes for an iconic moment. However, try as they might, the fluorescent flowers and hourglass-shaped torso have seemingly no connection to the Gilded Age aesthetic. Overall, Cabello receives a 3/10.
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/met-gala-2022-red-carpet-live-celebrity-fashion
#6—Keiran Culkin: Uninventive and Unrelated
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/met-gala-2022-red-carpet-live-celebrity-fashion
While the Met is a night of astonishing fashion and iconic moments, it seems like actor Keiran Culkin put no effort into his look. His Dior suit isn’t bad looking per say, but it has no place in an extravagant red carpet––especially when the look is paired with horrendous sunglasses and sneakers. Consequently, Culkin earns a 1/10 for lack of trying (and doesn’t even deserve a full paragraph review because of how atrocious the outfit is).
