The biggest and most important red-carpet event of the year has happened! That’s right, the MET GALA 2019 has taken place and we’re still trying to get our breath back! From the incredibly beautiful to the incredibly outrageous, we ooh’d and ahh’d as some of our favorites graced us with their presence!
This year, the theme was Camp: Notes on Fashion. In simple terms, as defined by Susan Sontag, “Camp” is “an aesthetic “sensibility” that is plain to see but hard for most of us to explain: an intentional over-the-top-ness, a slightly (or extremely) “off” quality, bad taste as a vehicle for good art.”
And there was a lot of it at this years gala!
Here are 5 of our favourites, and 5 that kind of left us stumped.
THE BEST
1. Lady Gaga
The incredibly talented Lady Gaga enthralled the audience with her red carpet performance. Walking in, in a fuchsia gown with a voluptuous train, we thought we had seen it all, but we were wrong! Steps ahead, she revealed that her actual dress was a strapless black ball gown and the fuchsia gown was just the coat. I applauded her brilliance only to be left in awe when a few steps later, she appeared in a fuchsia sleek dress (was the black ball gown also a coat?) paired with her blonde wig, she was dazzling! But Lady Gaga shouldn’t be underestimated, in true Gaga style, off came the dress to reveal a two piece black suit paired with iconic towering heels as she scampered up the MET’s steps and into the company of MET Veteran and host, Anna Wintour.
2. Janelle Monae
With her Picasso – Dali inspired gown, designed by Christian Siriano, Janelle Monae was a vision! Her signature black and white style, coupled with bright pinks and yellows, her love for technology, abstract art and surrealism, the outfit ensured you looked twice! Also, the eye blinks. Umm, whaaaat?
3. Harry Styles
Flouting gender norms, our favourite boyband prodigy, Harry Styles strutted the carpet in a gorgeous Gucci lace top paired with classic black trousers and chunky men’s heels. Styles, as one of the three co-chairs at this year’s MET gala certainly did not come to disappoint.
4. Zendaya
Just like her life story, Zendaya walked in, in a beautiful LED lit Cinderella gown. Ironic that Kylie and Kendall looked like her ugly step sisters as they walked the carpet earlier. Zendaya was so gracious and charming on the carpet, even getting her stylist Law Roach to stand in as her fairy godmother. There’s nothing that Zendaya can do wrong and we’re here for it, sis!
5. Ezra Miller
It’s best if everyone ever invited to a red carpet event just turns around and goes home because Ezra Miller went hard at the MET GALA this year in a Burberry ensemble. As described to a magazine, Miller explained his outfit as “The celebration of camp is almost funereal…It’s almost like it dies as it walks in the room. But I think it consumes the other as well. You know? I think it’s like fire and oxygen.” We’re still figuring that one out as we soak in the surreal beauty that Ezra is.
THE WORST
1. Kylie / Kendall Jenner
I hope they were paid to attend the gala in this outfits because that would be the only valid excuse for what they wore. We get that the theme is ‘Camp’ but we’re pretty sure ‘tacky’ isn’t a synonym for it. They looked like a pair of highlighters that were sent to remind everyone of the muppet show. We’ve seen these girls do better, wonder why they seemed to lose out on this fantastic opportunity for creativity, though.
2. Rita Ora
Contrary to her young, fresh and incredible music, Rita Ora’s dress was anything but. The bland ensemble by Marc Jacobs hid Rita’s incredible complexion and let her drown in a slinky suit of gold foil. Not even that plunging neckline could resuscitate her attempt at Camp fashion. 2/10 Rita, 2 out of 10.
3. Jared Leto
We’re all for the absurd pushing boundaries in Fashion but Jared, c’mon now. If like me, you’re still raw from the latest Game of Thrones episode or Thanos’ dismissal in Endgame, Jared walking around with a replica of his decapitated head isn’t going to sit well with you. Adorned in a Gucci cape like outfit, that we secretly love, all of it comes undone when he introduces his head clutch, literally clutched under his arm. Good luck sleeping after these visuals!
4. Lupita Nyong’O
We’re actually surprised the Lupito made it to this section of the list cause she’s generally impeccably dressed for 99% of these events. Versace has been knows to push the envelope with their attire but this rainbow winged gown just didn’t do it for us. Hiding Lupito’s slender frame and using a rainbow fluffy fan as a prop, we think we’re gonna pass on this!
5. Kim Kardashian
Maybe it’s a family thing… while the Jenner sisters top the worst dressed list, sister Kim is not very far behind. Clad in a Mugler creation, Kim told E! that the dress was 8 months in the making. So basically, it took 8 months for her to look like she rolled around in mud and only washed her hair because she was late to the MET Gala? No, thank you, sis.
What is the Met Gala?
The Costume Institute Gala at New York‘s Metropolitan Museum of Art is the biggest event on the fashion fundraising calendar. Founded by publicist Eleanor Lambert, the benefit was first held in 1948 to encourage donations from New York’s high society. In its modern incarnation, the most famous faces from the realms of fashion, film, music and art come together to raise money for the Met’s Costume Institute and celebrate the grand opening of its latest exhibition. The night is centred on the theme of the new exhibition, with previous themes encompassing everything from Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, to Manus x Machina, Punk: Chaos to Couture and China: Through the Looking Glass. This year’s exhibition theme is Camp: Notes On Fashion.
