AUTHOR: IRIS LEACH DOWE
DISCLAIMER: This is purely based on my opinion only. Further, my comments do not reflect my judgement of the celebrities themselves, simply my judgement on their outfits.
This year’s Met Gala theme was Gilded Glamour, a nod to the ‘Gilded Age’, which was a period of flashy materialism in the United States during the 1870’s. It is an interesting continuation of last year’s theme of “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”, but this time recurring elements of gold, opulence, and wealth are expected out of the outfits. I’m thinking of a ball straight out of the show “Bridgerton”.
I will be ranking each celebrity look on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being excellent, 1 being appalling), based on three criteria: reflection of the theme, creativity, and overall appearance. Basically, did they slay the red carpet?
Am I qualified to judge this? No… my own fashion is definitely questionable. But I am very passionate about celebrity fashion! Let’s get started as I take you on a tour of the highs (and lows) of the 2022 Met Gala. Will you agree with my hot takes?
Olivia Rodrigo
Okay… but why are there butterflies in her hair? I had a birthday party in Kindergarten with the exact same butterflies, but hey, she does look stunning. 1870’s? I’m getting more early 1920’s, but sure. 6/10.
Lizzo
Of course she brought the flute to the Met Gala! Her outfit is big, gold, and luxurious, and she’s exuding the energy of a wealthy monarch. I am a bit baffled at the pants situation… butI’m sure it’s attached somewhere. My favourite part about this outfit would have to be the gold roses. 9/10.
Cardi B
As soon as I saw this look, I got SO excited. However, I’m trying to work out what is on the dress… are those coins? Whatever they are, I love them. Gold. Opulent. Her figure looks amazing and not a single detail is out of place. 10/10.
Gemma Chan
I’m obsessed with this Louis Vuitton look. Everything from the leather jacket to the detailed drapery, to the flared, boxy skirt that reminds me of a Victorian ball… it’s strange and eccentric, yet somehow classy. Exactly what you need to give at the Met Gala, and it fits with the opulent theme. I give this a 9/10, just because the shoes don’t really fit with the outfit.
Pete Davidson and Kim Kardashian
If you’d told me a year ago that I’d see these two walking the red carpet together, I wouldn’t have believed you… but hey, they look good! Pete is wearing a simple black suit and rocking sunglasses, while miss Kim K is wearing the iconic $4.8M gown that Marylin Monroe wore to sing “Happy Birthday, Mr President” to President John F. Kennedy in 1962. This homage to an iconic moment in American history definitely boosts this couple’s score, but honestly, Marylin Monroe wore it better. And Pete, this look was boring. I give them a 5/10.
Winnie Harlow
This stunning Iris Van Herpen dress confuses me, but I love to be confused. What amazes me is that her silhouette doesn’t get lost in the large petals—we can still see an outline of her figure and every part of the outfit seamlessly fits together. 8/10, just because it doesn’t connect to 1870’s America very well.
Billie Eilish
The Gucci corset. The lilacs, creams and mints. Everything works so well together and she looks like a Disney princess from the 1800’s. It is obviously very fitting with the theme, and she looks absolutely beautiful, however I wish she did something more exciting with her hair. 8/10.
Amy Schumer
I get that she’s trying to go for a cool/casual look, but the least she could do was wash her hair. The outfit is lazy, with nothing making sense or feeling polished… I hate the mismatched lengths of fabric at the bottom, and her shoes aren’t exciting at all. If I was wearing this outfit on the red carpet, I too would be wearing sunglasses in the hopes that I wouldn’t get recognised. This is the Met Gala. You payed so much money for this ticket, Amy. 0/10.
Anitta
THIS is what I’m talking about. The gorgeous neon purple colour screams wealthy aristocrat. The fabric and pearl details are also perfect, and the figure is a unique twist on the classic ballroom silhouette. 10/10 absolutely no criticism. No detail out of place!
Fredrik Robertsson
Do I understand what is going on here? No, but I’m obsessed with it. I can’t tell if those things are wings or fins, but they’re stunning, and I love his makeup. It also connects to the theme through the spikes, I guess. They do look expensive! It’s a 9/10 for me.
Quannah Chasinghorse
This dress is a beautiful tribute to Quannah’s Native American heritage. This colour really works for her, and the traditional Indigenous jewellery designs elevate the entire look. This is the first time I’ve seen a neckline like this, and I love it. It also relates to the theme by truly referencing an important yet overlooked aspect in American fashion history. 10/10.
Joan Smalls
Uhh…. I think she’s wearing duct tape, and normally camp is very much praised at the Met Gala, but there are so many ways she could have successfully run with the theme of Gilded Glamour, and this is not one of them. 4/10 because at least the duct tape is glittery. You could call this dress “tacky”. Get it?
Precious Lee
This Altuzarra outfit has a lot going on: cinched black corset, golden choker, stoned translucent upper body, arms and lower half, falling into the dazzling train behind her. It’s very camp and interesting, fitting nicely into the opulent theme. But there are several different sections of the layers that seem very disconnected. Why am I seeing her underwear again? 6/10. It could have been exciting to see the glitter running head to toe!
Emma Corrin
It seems like when reading the theme of ‘1870’s Gilded Age’, Emma stopped reading after ‘1870’s’ and then she decided upon ‘1870’s little lad’. But hear me out… this outfit is iconic. It intrigues the audience, gets people talking, and it certainly is high fashion. It was clearly well-thought out, and for that I give it a 9/10.
Kris Jenner
Have you ever been so cold on the weekends that you drape one of your blankets around your body and waddle around the house? That’s what Kris Jenner reminds me of today. The amount of fabric, paired with the strange length that she is clearly STANDING on really ruins the outfit for me. Also, that shade of baby yellow and that dark silver is the worst combination of colours I’ve ever seen. Why the one white glove? Nothing else is white. I give you a 1/10.
Kylie Jenner
No, you’re not hallucinating. That is really a wedding dress she has on, and that is really a baseball cap on her head. I’m not really seeing the “Gilded Glamour” theme within this outfit, but I am certainly seeing America through the baseball cap. How can someone get a theme so wrong? 5/10.
Kodi Smit-McPhee
With the red latex gloves, the strange wide stance, and the empty look in his eyes, this man looks like he has just freshly murdered someone. But hey, maybe that’s just his resting face. This look pays homage to classic American farmhands, but it makes me so uncomfortable I must give it a 2/10.
Kieran Culkin
This really is lower than the bare minimum—the suit is so ill-fitting and he looks so visibly tired. Why the wrinkled dress pants? Somehow the Converse is probably the best part of the outfit. This is pretty lazy to me and has nothing to do with the theme. 1/10.
Blake Lively
And last, but not least… Blake Lively’s stunning two-piece performance of a gown! It starts with a stunning beaded dress with a large pink bow wrapped around the middle, then POOF… brilliant blue unfolds from the bow and here’s a second, even prettier gown! This look was inspired by the Statue of Liberty as she rusted over time, and this homage to the most American statue ever was really smart. But the best part was the look of glee on her face after she did the big reveal. 10/10! (Also, Ryan Reynolds: your tuxedo was plain but you get a pass because your wife stole the show.)
Overall notes:
- I don’t want to see your underwear!
- Men, stop wearing boring black tuxedos. At least have some fun colours.
- Celebrities pay so much for these tickets that they might as well pay attention to the theme. 80% of them were completely off the theme and it was sad to see.
- Best outfit of the night: Blake Lively!
- Worst outfit of the night: Amy Schumer. Obviously.