Photo by TeenVogue
Renowned as an event for the most famous and exclusive guests, The Met Gala may be the biggest staple in the celebrity fashion world. Every year, actors, models, influencers and more gather together wearing stunning (and sometimes stuffy) outfits in accordance to a certain theme. This year, under the umbrella of “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” stars were inspired to use American designers to bring the glamour of old Hollywood and brazen political messages to life. We ranked the looks of ten celebrities that stood out to us the most based on relativity to the theme, wow factor and the overall aesthetics.
#10 Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello
Relativity to Theme: ☆
Wow Factor: ☆☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆
Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello walked the carpet in outfits designed by Michael Kors. They followed the theme by picking an American designer, but did not do much else. Shawn’s outfit seemed to follow the trendy e-boy aesthetic currently sweeping the internet, and for someone who got famous on Vine, it seemed to make sense. However, we believe that Shawn should have chosen to wear something that fit the theme better, or at least fit his own style more. Camila didn't fit the theme either. Her two-piece purple dress was too modern to capture the luster of old Hollywood, but too plain to make a statement about the country. The bright shade of purple certainly added to the wow-factor, but overall, it was not her best look.
Photo by Theo Wargo
#9 Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
Relativity to Theme: ☆☆
Wow Factor: ☆☆☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are notorious for their eccentric outfits that never follow the themes of events, this year being no exception. Kim and Kanye seem to try so hard to be different every year that no one is surprised anymore. The outfits simply looked like black morph suits with a little bit of flare. The wow factor was strong not because of the outfits, but because of the celebrity drama surrounding Kimye’s separation. Also, the fact that we could not see their faces on the beige carpet makes us wonder if it was actually them under the masks.
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris
#8 Addison Rae
Relativity to Theme: ☆☆
Wow Factor: ☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆☆☆
Addison Rae was a controversial guest at this year’s gala and sparked a large debate about whether influencers should be included among the ranks of the most exclusive stars. Her attention to the theme seemed minimal despite the patriotic shade of red chosen, and her dress lacked a certain zesty element usually present in looks for this event. That, coupled with rumours that her dress was repurposed from Kourtney Kardahian’s Christmas outfit, resulted in an anticlimactic first Met Gala for the popular TikToker.
Photo by Mike Coppola
#7 Timothée Chamlamet
Relativity to Theme: ☆☆☆
Wow Factor: ☆☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆☆
For a celebrity with a strong sense of fashion like Timothée, we had high expectations. As Chalamet walked 10 blocks to the Met Gala in his high top converse, we could not help but feel slightly disappointed. Although Converse fit the theme because nothing says American fashion like a pair of Chucks, not many other aspects of his outfit seemed to work. The scrunched, ankle-baring sweatpants did fit his aesthetic; however, the white silk tuxedo top made the look impossible to pull off, even for charming Chalamet.
Photo by Theo Wargo
#6 Emma Chamberlain
Relativity to Theme: ☆
Wow Factor: ☆☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆☆☆☆
Emma Chamberlain’s Louis Vuitton mini dress turned heads and drew the right amount of attention for her first Met Gala. The a-symmetrical cut and geometric design was flashy but stayed tame in comparison with some of the night’s looks. While the hair and makeup gave some nods to the popular dreamy vintage aesthetic, Chamberlain’s outfit overall did not embody a “lexicon” of American fashion.
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris
#5 A$AP Rocky and Rihanna
Relativity to Theme: ☆☆
Wow Factor: ☆☆☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆☆
The vibrant quilt worn by A$AP Rocky was clearly the elephant in the room, looking oddly similar to the cereal Captain Crunch. Whether or not cereal was the idea behind the quilt, we were still just confused as to how it fit the theme. Rihanna, on the other hand, walked the carpet looking a little less cozy with a one-of-a-kind black dress that contrasted A$AP’s colorful quilt. She looked elegant and classy and fit the prevalent vintage theme. Without the quilt, A$AP’s outfit looked better. It was a sleek, old-timey suit which did a much better job of matching Rihanna. Overall, both Rihanna and A$AP Rocky had impressive outfits that turned heads at the red carpet.
Photo by John Shearer
#4 Kendall Jenner
Relativity to Theme: ☆☆☆
Wow Factor: ☆☆☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆☆☆
In a sparkly and sheer Givenchy gown, Kendall Jenner dazzled spectators around the beige carpet. The barely-there dress stood out with strings of crystals inspired by the face of old Hollywood glamour, Audrey Hepburn. While the dress would have been a statement piece on anyone else, a dress of this magnitude was expected of Jenner. The stunning gown and Jenner did exactly what they were expected to do, but nothing more, landing them in pure mediocrity.
Photo by Theo Wargo
#3 Pete Davidson
Relativity to Theme: ☆☆☆☆☆
Wow Factor: ☆☆☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆☆☆
Pete Davidson showed up to the Gala in an outfit that paid tribute to his father and other 9/11 victims. The Jackie Kennedy-esque look fit the theme beautifully, yet it wasn’t something that wowed us. Let’s face it-- no one was surprised when the SNL comedian showed up in a dress and pearls. The accessories, like the sunglasses, further developed this meaningful look which promoted gender fluidity and 9/11 awareness.
Photo by Taylor Hill
Elissa's Pick: #1 Frank Ocean
Relativity to Theme: ☆☆
Wow Factor: ☆☆☆☆☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆☆☆☆☆
Did the green robot baby named Cody that Frank Ocean was carrying draw more attention to him than his actual outfit? Probably, but this was the type of creativity that made his look iconic. Frank Ocean showed us that the prominence of a look doesn’t have to come from what is being worn, but instead from props. My one criticism is that I don’t really know what message Frank Ocean was going for with the whole baby stunt, and I really don’t see how it fits the theme. Nonetheless, with his sleek Prada outfit, neon hair and, of course, Cody, Frank Ocean had a standout look at the Gala.
Photo by Theo Wargo
Grace's Pick: #1 Billie Eilish
Relativity to Theme: ☆☆☆☆☆
Wow Factor: ☆☆☆☆
Overall Aesthetic: ☆☆☆
Clearly inspired by Marilyn Monroe, Eilish’s look was incredible. She captured the magic of early Hollywood stardom in every way. Her hair, makeup and outfit were reminiscent of her newest album, Happier than Ever, with a vintage twist. Eilish has been making statements with a new style and the Met Gala was no exception. Her peach gown designed by American designer Oscar De La Renta was worn under one condition: the label would stop selling fur products. By making a political and fashion statement, Eilish stunned viewers of the Gala. Staying true to herself and the theme, Billie truly made a confident splash on the beige carpet.
Photo by John Shearer
This year’s Met Gala served some looks to remember. With ensembles that blossomed with creativity to the classics, there was something to be said about every celebrity who attended. The Met Gala has always been an opportunity for designers to showcase their edgiest looks and this year did not disappoint. After the absence of last year’s Met, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” filled the fashion void with nods to the greats that paved the way for our generation’s stars.