My Favorite Looks From The 2022 Met Gala

You know the saying “April showers bring May flowers”? I think it should be “April showers bring Met Galas” 😉👏🏻 Fashion’s big night out happens every year on the first Monday in May and it’s one of the few nights of the year when celebrities go all-out and are known to wear over-the-top ensembles all in the name of fashion and art. I haven’t followed the Met Gala super closely in previous years, but I’ve definitely watched some recap interviews and scrolled through photos of all the outfits. This year I saw so much hype about it on Instagram that I decided it would be fun to do a recap of my favorite looks like I’ve done with previous red carpet events. But first, let’s dive into a quick history of the Met Gala and what this night is all about!

What Is The Met Gala?

The Met Gala, formerly known as the Costume Institute Gala, was established in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert as a fundraiser to mark the opening of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. During the first few decades of the annual gala, members of New York high society and the local fashion industry were primarily in attendance, and the event wasn’t actually held at the Met like it is today, but rather at venues such as Central Park and the Waldorf Astoria. It wasn't until 1972 when Diana Vreeland, then editor-in-chief of Vogue, that the Gala evolved into a more glamorous affair, with higher-profile celebrities joining in attendance such as Elizabeth Taylor, Elton John, and Madonna. It was also during Vreeland’s “reign” that the Gala was first held at the Met and when themes were introduced.

From Fundraiser to Fashion’s Night Out

Today, the Met Gala is a highly renowned fundraising event that serves as a celebration for the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit. According to Forbes, the Met Gala has raised more than $175 million for the Costume Institute. Since the evening is centered around fashion and costume design, it only makes sense that the Met Gala is known in pop culture as “Fashion’s Biggest Night”. Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor-in-chief and a chairwoman of the Gala since 1955, oversees the benefit, guest list (limited to about 650-700 people), and theme. Over the last decade or so, the evening has become a platform for celebrities to dress in elaborate costumes made by some of the biggest fashion houses in the industry and to truly make a statement. This year, the theme was “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” with the dress code being gilded glamour and white tie. The idea was for attendees to channel the time period between 1870-1890 and to “embody the grandeur - and perhaps the dichotomy- of Gilded Age New York”, according to Vogue.

2022 Red Carpet Moments

Now that we know how the Met Gala came to be, let’s dive into my top 3 favorite looks of the evening! Some may argue that Kim Kardashian stole the show wearing Marilyn Monroe’s “Happy Birthday JFK” dress (I have so many thoughts on this, which I’ll save for the end), but the queen of the night for me was (and always will be) Blake Lively.

Blake Lively

Blake always understands the #MetGala assignment and she nailed this year’s theme! Her gown was a love letter to New York and paid homage to so many of its iconic landmarks. In an interview with Vogue, she explained that during her red carpet transformation, “she patinated” just like classic New York architecture. The beading on her bodice represented the Art Deco style of the Empire State Building, her crown, which had 7 points, and the sash on her waistline represented the Statue of Liberty, and her train featured constellations which matched those painted on the ceiling of Grand Central Station. I loved her gown pre-transformation because of the gorgeous copper tones throughout, but I love it even more post-transformation! It’s a stunning work of art that captured New York’s history and beauty all at once.

Lily James

I loved this sleek, sexy Versace gown that Lily wore to the Met Gala - her entire look was flawless! She told her hairstylist that she wanted a “contemporary Helmut Newton x mermaid look” and that “her hair was meant to appear as if she just came out of the water. Think Elizabeth Taylor exiting the pool in her jewels.” I definitely got Gilded Glamour vibes from her outfit and loved the beads that hung from her wrists and draped across her shoulder. She also wore Versace to the Oscars and I’m curious if the theme will continue at the next red carpet event!

Vanessa Hudgens

I thought Vanessa’s red carpet look was a beautiful blend of elegant and sexy. She wore a sheer Moschino gown which featured puff sleeves, lace detailing along the bodice, and a dramatic lace train that had so much movement when she walked! She also really played up her accessories by wearing stunning diamond earrings, bangles, and rings which added to the overall opulence of her red carpet moment. It was so cute seeing both her and Olivia Rodrigo at the event and commenting on the fact that they are soul sisters who have both played Gabriela Montez in High School Musical!

I’m not going to go on a rampage about the Kim Kardashian/Marilyn Monroe topic, but the whole thing makes me really upset. This is an iconic and historical dress that was specifically designed for Marilyn Monroe when she knew that she was going to be performing at JFK’s birthday gala, and the fact that it was removed from the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! museum just so Kim could wear it is disappointing. The dress is 60 years old, making it extremely delicate and fragile, and I honestly don’t understand why anyone else had to wear it. The dress belonged to Marilyn and it makes me sad that someone else other than her has now worn it. This People article pretty much expresses all of my thoughts if you want to read more about it 😅 We’re all entitled to our opinions, so I’m curious what you think about it!

Be sure to head over to my Instagram to see a few more of my favorite looks that I didn’t do a deep dive on in this blog post ✨ Who wore your favorite look of the evening?