Met Gala 2024 - The Best and the Least Best

I totally forgot about the Met Gala until my mom asked me if I had seen any of the outfits (she was watching a clip on the Today Show about it). So of course I had to go down the rabbit hole and look at the outfits! I checked out the list on Vogue's website, but I have to admit I only made it halfway through. But you get the idea!

The official exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” but the general theme of the Met Gala was “Garden of Time.” I find this a little confusing, since I would interpret the two of those things very differently. The first would make me want to wear an outfit from a particular time period in the past, paying homage to the corsets of Marie Antoinette or the avocado greens and tangerines of the 1970's. But the "garden" theme instantly makes me think of flowers, perhaps with a little wink to the White Rabbit of Alice in Wonderland. And yet, of course there were celebs who took neither of those approaches and wore whatever the hell they wanted. I was surprised how many wore black. I feel like the Met Gala is the time to wear anything but black, really experiment!

Here are some of the best, and the least best (thank you, Keith Habersberger), ensembles IMHO:

BEST

Vogue's Anna Wintour of course has to be on the best list! While this piece may not be the most exciting, I appreciate the flowers and the color they bring to the whole outfit.

Zendaya looks AMAZING! Someone on X posted saying she's ready for The Hunger Games. So true!

I love the layering flowers that Ayo Edebiri is wearing, and the fade from color to white is so cool.

I'm not sure I love this dress (the pointy not-straps are strange), although the train is superb. And I do love this color on Kerry Washington.

I'm not sure how Mindy Kaling's dress matches the theme, but I do think the sleeves and fabric framing her head are magnificent. And I appreciate that she is supporting other Indian artists.

Taylor Russell looks like a wooden toga goddess! I've never seen clothes look like polished wood before!

I adore Karlie Kloss, and this pink and Swarovski crystal dress is a VISION.

Although this look from Nicki Minaj is childish, it's very playful, which is on-brand for her. And it clearly fits the garden theme, no doubt!

While a more somber outfit, Penelope Cruz looks so sophisticated and looks like she stepped out of a time machine.

Giovanna Engelbert is a reptile-turned-hot human! How creative to think of an animal in the garden instead of a flower?!

Jenny Chandler's dress is something I would want to wear to this event! I love Oscar de la Renta, and the flowers look like they are from stained glass.

LEAST BEST

I had forgotten Ashley Graham existed until I saw this photo. Biker chic is NOT doing it for me.

While I appreciate how hard Lana Del Ray leaned into the garden theme, it's just too literal.

I guess Dua Lipa is channeling the Madames of the brothels of old?

Amanda Seyfried is wearing tin foil and a torn metallic swimming cap.

This is probably the most lackluster outfit I've seen worn to a Met Gala. Zoe Saldana looks like she could just be walking down the street going to grab brunch!

I couldn't help but make an ugly face when I saw Chloë Sevigny's dress. The hair makes it worse!

Another brothel look, this time from Teyana Taylor. I'm not trying to shame sex workers of the past! It's just that I'm not loving the reinterpretation of those kinds of outfits...

There's too much to look at! You don't know where to start!

This dress that Jordan Roth (who I only realized was a man upon Googling) is wearing is even with Cynthia Erivo's outfit above. Flowers are beautiful, but not when pink petals are just sticking out everywhere.

Paloma Elsesser looks like an Amazonian warrior who got tangles in her own bedsheets.

I don't know WHAT Erykah Badu is wearing, but it's BAD.

Just, no. No one wants to see your pregnant belly, Adwoa Aboah. What is up with celebrities revealing their pregnancies at big events (like at the Superbowl)? No one cares.

I've never liked Cara Delevingne, so I'm a bit biased, but I just don't understand the combination here.

Is Rachel Sennott part of the Von Trapp family? Because she looks like she's wearing an apron made of curtains.

I can't tell if Raye's dress is covered in wires, dust bunnies, or static energy.

The dress Camila Mendes is wearing looks like a high schooler made her own prom dress. But it was actually designed by Joseph Altuzarra, the man next to her!

Sarah Pidgeon looks like if Little Red Riding Hood and the witch from Hansel and Gretel had a baby. Oh, and it's what Cinderella would wear to clean the house: they look like torn rags!

I love Lizzo's sinched-in waist, but the headpiece is wack! 

SHEER DRESSES

I am giving this its own category because in my mind these don't fit the brief at all. But I do think they are very pretty! I think these women just wanted to show off as much of themselves as they could. If you've got it, flaunt it, I guess!

J.Lo can pull off any outfit!

I had never heard of Greta Lee, but now I feel like I know her intimately...

All I can see is Emily Ratajkowski's butt crack.

I can barely call this mini-outfit on FKA Twigs sheer because there's barely anything to begin with!

I can't tell if Elle Fanning is wearing plastic or ice. Maybe shower curtain?

Janelle Monae ALMOST made it into my Mermaid category (see below). But you can still see her legs, so sheer it is!

It doesn't get more sheer than showing off your nipples, Doja Cat!

Compared to the dress she wore at the 2019 Met Gala, this look seems tame for Kim Kardashian! And it does have the floral touch, which I like.

Angel Reese (a basketball player. I didn't know who she was!) is in a tutu gone wrong. And I love the ballet, too!

Vera Wang's hair is helping to cover her up. But nothing can cover those scrawny arms!

BRIDAL

Also its own category. Perhaps there have always been weddings, so therefore a wedding dress is timeless...?

Ariana Grande looks like she's just about to walk down the aisle. I don't even know whom she's dating these days!

Kylie Jenner. Not sure who her current beau is either...

Law Roach could be a bride in this tux!

I love how the white completely contrasts with Jodie Turner-Smith's beautiful skin!

I really like the tight collar on Cailee Spaeny's Miu Miu dress.

Jeremy Pope is doing some major gender bending here with his fashion! Part bride, part groom!

Adut Akech's outfit could have also gone under the sheer category, but the pair certainly looks like they're getting married!

MERMAIDS

I'm not sure when in time mermaids were at the peak of fashion, and I'm not sure what they have to do with gardens. But many celebs were inspired by the magical sirens.

Kaia Gerber's outfit could be in the bridal category, but it's screaming albino fish to me.

Is Hari Nef in the same dress, just with a big bow on the back? No, it looks like an H&M knock-off of the Tiffany & Co. dress.

I LOVE this dress that Gabrielle Union is wearing. I want to wear that dress! The only reason this is not in my "best" category is because it most obviously belongs with the other mermaids.

Anok Yai is a mermaid with legs in this Swarovski crystal bodysuit!

If you made it down this far, thanks for reading! What were your favorite looks?