Gilded Glamour: Best and Worst from the 2022 Met Gala

Last night was the first Monday in May. And for those of you who love fashion, celebrity gossip, or both, you’ll know what that means: the Met Gala! It’s one of the most exclusive social events of the year. And as far as red carpets go, it’s easily the best.

So, just as I’ve done for the Oscars and Grammy’s, I’m breaking down some of the fashion highlights from the 2022 Met Gala.

Related Read: Oscars Fashion: Best and Worst from Hollywood’s Biggest Night

Met Gala Theme: Gilded Glamour

Every year, there’s a specific theme for the Met Gala. For 2022, that theme was Gilded Glamour. The theme is a tribute to the Gilded Age in America, a period of time from roughly 1870 to 1890.

Historically speaking, this era was known for rapid economic growth, industrialization, and social reform. There was also rampant political corruption and lavish displays of materialism along with a marked divide between the wealthy and the poor.

In fact, the term ‘Gilded Age’ was coined by Mark Twain to imply a glittery surface with a seedy, corrupt underbelly. It certainly seems fitting with Hollywood, but the Gala faced plenty of criticism for the theme.

Gilded Age Fashion

But, since this post is about the fashion of the Met Gala, not the politics, I’m going to skip over the controversy and get to the attire.

The Gilded Age was all about luxury and opulence, and that most definitely showed when it came to clothing. Women wore elbow-length gloves, corsets, feathered hats, and fur coats. Typical dresses exposed a great deal of cleavage as well. As for the men, tuxedos and top hats were common.

Met Gala Red Carpet

Met Gala attendees are highly encouraged to dress according to the theme, so I expected a lot of gold. But, the Gala is a fashion event above all else, so I also expected plenty of over-the-top ensembles.

On most red carpets, people fall into one of three style categories: good, bad, and WTF. For the Met Gala, though, those three categories are a bit different: relevant to the theme, edgy and dramatic, or boring.

And, at least for me, the best dressed stars are the ones who manage to be both on theme and interesting.

On Theme Looks

As for those who stuck to the Gilded Glamour theme, some went literal (gold or glittery gowns) while others went for silhouettes and styles reminiscent of the Gilded Age.

I was a big fan of the gowns worn by Khloe and Kim Kardashian. Kris Jenner also stuck to the theme with a soft, buttery yellow dress.

Full skirts, corsets, elbow-length gloves, fans, and feathered hats were seen. Billie Eilish and Sarah Jessica Parker both stood out to me.

There was also a lot of heavy beading and gowns that emphasized the hourglass shape (another common style from the Gilded age).

I was particularly loving Janelle Monae’s sparkly look.

A lot of the gowns were Gilded Age inspired with a modern twist, which is always really fun to see.

Avant Garde Looks

Then, there are those who don’t really do the theme and instead use the occasion as a place to showcase more unique and interesting styles. Again, that’s part of what makes the Met Gala such a fun red carpet to watch!

Dove Cameron wore one of the evenings most daring getups, along with Cara Delevigne.

The award for most unique would have to go to Fredrik Robertsson, though, don’t you think?

I definitely didn’t understand some of these gowns, or how they could relate to the Gilded theme, but again, they were fun to see.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Kourtney Kardashian’s look, but I could at least see some of the Gilded Age inspiration. But I’m honestly not sure what Kylie Jenner was trying to do with the veiled baseball hat and bridal gown.

Best of the Night

The BEST Met Gala gowns are those that manage to be on-theme AND avant garde. I’d have to say, then, Blake Lively was the clear winner of the night. Her coppery gown had plenty of Gilded Age aspects and then that mid-carpet transformation, turning the bow into a blue train, was stunning.

I also found Vanessa Hudgens and Gigi Hadid’s looks interesting and edgy.

Boring Looks

Finally, the “worst” dressed. Honestly, a bad Met Gala look is just one that’s boring or safe. Claire Danes and Julianne Moore definitely stuck to the Gilded Age theme, but their gowns were way too safe.

Miranda Kerr and Emma Stone also had very tame gowns and neither one seemed to fit with the Gilded Glamour dress code.

What do you think of the 2022 Met Gala fashion? Who did you think was Best and Worst dressed of the night? Let me know in the comments below!