The Met Gala has once again come and gone, and with it, we have gotten the privilege to witness the Good, the Boring, and… the very odd. This year’s theme was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, in honor of the late fashion designer. Just between you and I, I don’t love Karl Lagerfeld– both aesthetically and due to his abusive personality, but I still expected to be wowed on fashion’s biggest night. And boy was I wowed (somtimes not in a good way, however). Here are my picks for the best and worst dressed of the night.
THE GOOD
Honestly, I thought that most of the attendees did wonderfully this year, and there were so many great looks throughout the night. I couldn’t get to everyone, but here are a few in no particular order.
Anne Hathaway
If Anne Hathaway has 1 fan, it’s me. If Anne Hathaway has 0 fans, I’m dead. I loved the texture of this dress and I thought that it framed her body wonderfully. I also felt that her hair was perfect for the look: done up but not taking away from the main event, which was the dress. Her stylist, Erin Walsh, never seems to miss and I have been so impressed and happy with Anne’s looks since they started working together. Overall, Anne Hathaway looked magnificent and as always, she slayed.
Jordan Roth
Jordan Roth’s fabulous fan dress is the perfect mixture of extravagance and perfectly tailored. The silhouette of the dress is phenomenal, and its campiness doesn’t sacrifice glamor.
Michaela Coel
Michaela Coel’s stunning Schiaparelli gown was beautifully constructed and suits her personal style perfectly. The intricate bead and jewel work made this look not just a dress, but a work of art. I also loved the addition of the gold shoes, which I feel pulled the look together without pulling focus from the main garment.
Brian Tyree Henry
Brian Tyree Henry’s look was beautiful and followed the theme perfectly. This suit was anything but boring– from the intricate sleeves, to the elaborate shawl, Brian Tyree Henry was by far the best dressed man at the Met Gala.
Anok Yai
Anok Yai was perhaps the best dressed at tonight’s event. I was– and still am– speechless over her look. The color is striking and stunning on her complexion, her hair is beautiful, the matching train and eye piece is a wonderful way to tie the look together. Overall, she looks phenomenal and I can’t get enough.
Penélope Cruz
This gown was stunning and I found myself pulled to it from the moment I saw it. This sheer, hooded Chanel gown looked amazing on her and it was one of my favorite looks of the night.
Pedro Pascal
I thought that Pedro Pascal’s red Valentino set was a perfect spin on the usual boring suits that men usually wear to red carpets. The color was stunning, and who doesn’t want to see heartthrob in short shorts? It’s truly a win for the Pedro girlies today.
Tems
This look is showstopping, and I was absolutely floored by its beauty when I first saw it. The construction of the dress and its intricate details resulted in a beautiful gown that flattered Tems perfectly, and the matching gloves and headpiece elevated the look even further. This was definitely one of my favorite looks from the night.
Viola Davis
I love a pink gown, especially when worn by the right person! Viola Davis is a constant on my best dressed list, and last night was no exception! This Valentino gown was so much fun and she looked wonderful.
Chi Ossé
Chi Ossé did a fantastic job of elevating the traditional suit. I loved the execution of an exaggerated silhouette while also wearing a simple white shirt and black tie. I also felt that the fabric used allowed for some very interesting texture. Overall, I thought this look was on theme and very well done.
THE BORING
Bradley Cooper
Another red carpet, another man in a boring and simple suit. Yawn.
Maude Apatow
I absolutely love Maude Apatow– I would go as far as to say that she is my favorite nepo baby– but I was just hoping for a little more from her. I thought the dress was beautiful, but I was hoping she would amp it up just a touch.
Gabrielle Union
You know it’s boring when a professional basketball player looks better dressed than you. It’s even worse when that basketball player is your husband. I thought that the coat overtook her and resulted in a shapeless silhouette that I didn’t love. I wish she had a look that was a bit more intricate.
Margaret Qualley
What in the 2016? Margaret, please fire your stylist. Not a slay.
Dua Lipa
I really wanted to love this look, as it is a bridal look originally modeled by Lagerfeld’s muse, Claudia Schiffer, during the Chanel couture fall/winter 1992 show. The dress is beautiful, but Dua opted to omit the cropped jacket and matching hat that originally accompanied the gown. I just wish she had done something more with her hair, as I feel like the stunning dress falls short without its accessories.
THE BAD
Ariana DeBose
I don’t find many gowns ugly… perhaps they aren’t to my taste, but usually I either like them or find them boring. Ariana DeBose’s gown is, however, extremely ugly. The color was gaudy, the weird addition of the jacket silhouette on top was… definitely a choice, and the fur accents just created a truly disappointing look. It seems like Ariana DeBose can’t catch a break these days, and this look definitely didn’t help.
Lily James
Perhaps it was the microbang, perhaps it was the unnecessary details on the gown itself, but I just really didn’t like Lily James’ look this year. It’s such a shame too, as she is beautiful and often styles well. I don’t think this look suited her and I hope she wears something more flattering next year.
Marion Cotillard
I’m not 100% sure what her plan was here, but I was disappointed. The pink bowl cut looked awkward and unflattering, and the dress’s shape was unfitted and boring.
Alexandra Daddario
I feel bad to say this, because the dress is quite intricate, but the color completely washed out Alexandra Daddario and thus, I have to say that this dress was a miss.
THE EXTREMELY WEIRD HYPER REALISTIC CAT SUITS
Jared Leto
Oh, Jared. It seems like everytime he comes into the public eye, it’s for something even more strange than the last time I thought of him. Jared Leto came in a hyper realistic cat suit based on Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved cat, Choupette. Even though it does follow the theme, I find myself disturbed by the suit’s life-like eyes and its fluffy exterior. Jared, you are so strange, and oftentimes, not in a fun way.
HONORABLE CAT MENTION
Doja Cat
I am willing to let more slide with Doja Cat as this is on theme, on brand, and more stylized than a gigantic hyper-realistic cat suit. Seriously, imagine looking over while driving home from work and seeing a ginormous cat in the car next to you. Who let Jared do that?
HOT TAKES
Alexa Chung
I actually loved Alexa Chung’s outfit and I felt it was the perfect mixture of quirky and on theme. I loved the detailing of the head piece along with the lacework in the skirt. What can I say? I’m a sucker for ribbons and bows. I am also an Alexa Chung 4lyfer and she can simply do no wrong in my eyes.
Allison Williams
Very polarizing, but I absolutely loved this look. I loved the gown itself, the coral color, and even the black headband and opera gloves. I think this was a huge fashion risk, but I found it glamorous and fun.
Wow, what a night. I was honestly impressed by a lot of the looks and I am already so excited for next year. It is always such a pleasure to see the beautiful looks that celebrities put together and I can’t wait to see more.
Featured image via The Hollywood Reporter.
About Mercedes Ohlen
Mercedes was The Crescent’s Editor-in-Chief from 2022-2023. She graduated from Tulane with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She enjoys going to the movies, fashion, and writing about the great city of New Orleans. She will be pursuing a career lifestyle journalism, publishing, or a job within comedy upon her graduation from Tulane. No topic is too obscure, and no story too niche. Roll Wave!
Mercedes was The Crescent’s Editor-in-Chief from 2022-2023. She graduated from Tulane with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She enjoys going to the movies, fashion, and writing about the great city of New Orleans. She will be pursuing a career lifestyle journalism, publishing, or a job within comedy upon her graduation from Tulane. No topic is too obscure, and no story too niche. Roll Wave!
