After months of intrigue, speculation, gossip, rumors, and more than a few outfit predictions, the night everyone’s been waiting for is finally here — and not a moment too soon. The 2022 Met Gala has officially commenced, and it’s attracting more stylish A-listers than your favorite award shows combined. As the be-all-end-all of fashion events, the Met Gala combines classic Hollywood glamour with unbridled creativity to make the evening more than just an important museum fundraiser — it’s a full-fledged institution that sets the stage for year-defining (and even decade-defining) pop culture moments. This year’s theme is an especially enticing one, coaxing even the most reluctant stars up the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s famously steep steps for an evening of dinner, dancing, and browsing the museum’s newest Costume Institute exhibit.
Themed In America: An Anthology of Fashion, the spotlight is on foundational American fashion and its tastemakers — especially the underrecognized. With a special emphasis on “Gilded Glamour” in particular, guests are encouraged to pay white-tie homage to 1870 to 1890, an America on the cusp of cultural — and technological — revolution. Think gloriously puffy sleeves, gilt details, delicate tiaras, bustled skirts, and plenty of opulent jewels. This year’s hosts promise to make the evening an unforgettable one, too. Husband-wife duo Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds are joined by Regina King and Lin-Manuel Miranda to keep the festivities going, while Tom Ford, Adam Mosseri of Instagram, and Vogue’s Anna Wintour serve as co-chairs.
Though the evening has just begun, celebrities like Vanessa Hudgens, Emma Chamberlain, and Kacey Musgraves have already arrived decked out in their varied takes on gilded glamour, and Byrdie is rounding up the very best fashion looks below. Keep it locked here for ever-growing updates on the attendees and check out the action for yourself on the official Met Gala livestream.
Blake Lively
As one of the evening’s hosts, the bar was high for Blake Lively — and she cleared it with ease in her two-in-one Atelier Versace ballgown (complete with some very on-theme opera gloves) and a bustled shawl revealing the sky-blue detailing beneath.
Vanessa Hudgens
An undeniably sultry take on the classic Gilded Age silhouette, Vanessa Hudgens’ Moschino gown — accented by Messika jewels — throws down the gauntlet as one of the first dresses on the scene.
Kacey Musgraves
An homage both to the gossipy ladies of the Gilded Age and her own Grammy-winning album, Golden Hour, Kacey Musgraves’s feather-covered fan and embellish Prada gown are flawless.
Tommy Dorfman
Proving that tiaras will undoubtedly be the accessory of the evening, Tommy Dorfman’s own golden version shines like a 19th-century halo — the perfect complement to that glorious, goblet-green Christopher Kane cutout gown.
Janelle Monáe
Already an evening standout, Janelle Monáe’s Ralph Lauren-designed silver-and-black jeweled stripes cover their hood, crisscross their arms, and even continue as a nail art motif. Forget gilded glamour — this is pure opulence.
Kaia Gerber
Though its impossible to not stare at Kaia Gerber’s voluminous, hip-skimming curls (not to mention the twinkling barrettes holding it all back), her Alexander McQueen gown and its strict adherence to theme deserves just as much applause.
Evan Mock
In a butter-yellow corset-suit hybrid complete with a high, ruffled collar, Evan Mock’s Head Of State-designed Met Gala look is both on-theme and wildly cool, like the Gilded Age as produced by A24.
Maude Apatow
Blending Gilded Glamour with classic Old Hollywood elegance, Maude Apatow’s Miu Miu gown is a masterclass in fabrics — velvet gives way to sheet-paneled lace while glossy beadwork and silky tassels catch the light.
Quannah Chasinghorse
Breathtaking in a gossamer sky-blue gown trimmed in silver sparkles, the best part of Quannah Chasinghorse’s Met Gala ensemble is the collection of traditional jewelry she wears as a nod to her indigenous heritage.
Ashley Park
In a hot-pink corseted bodice (complete with historically-accurate bow-tie sleeves, of course) and fabulously feathered skirt, Ashley Park and her Atelier Prabal Gurung gown are works of art.
Gemma Chan
Does Gemma Chan ever miss? Her back-to-back-to-back Met Gala looks, all equally flawless, spell out the answer. This year, her black-and-silver jeweled (and pannier-enhanced!) Louis Vuitton SS22 RTW dress is the picture of on-theme elegance, topped by a light leather-trimmed jacket covered in what looks like tiny beaded fans.
Glenn Close
Absolutely resplendent in a Valentino hot pink brocade cape, a matching pantsuit and glove set peeking out just beneath, Glenn Close reminds the world exactly why she’s a living legend.
Laura Harrier
The ever-elegant Laura Harrier is among the best of the best-dressed this evening, putting her special spin on the theme in a glistening black brocade Glemaud gown, the corset-cut bodice so striking on her. The details — including velvet evening gloves and beaded chokers — just up the ante.
Michelle Yeoh
So regal in her jade green Atelier Prabal Gurung gown, Michelle Yeoh’s Met Gala look is both fashionable and functional thanks to some well-concealed buttons that allow her to remove the sweeping cape whenever the mood strikes.
Grace Elizabeth
Irreverent, decadent, and deliciously colorful, Grace Elizabeth’s take on Gilded Glamour — from her opera gloves to the explosion of rainbow-colored feathers at her hem — is both on-theme and mercifully fun.
Paloma Elsesser
Accenting her famous curves with a soft pearl corset made from sumptuous satin and a dainty, lacy skirt, Paloma Elsesser’s modern spin on the evening’s theme is more than screenshot-worthy.
Nicola Coughlan
Though technically Bridgerton is set amid the Regency Era (it predates the Gilded Age by just a few decades), series star Nicola Coughlan’s Met attendance was high anticipated from the moment the theme was announced. Arriving in a puffy pink-and-black feather-accented masterpiece, the look was well worth the wait.
Riz Ahmed
A high-fashion to the era’s working immigrant experience, Riz Ahmed and his Louis Vuitton-designed jacket, pants, and boots tell the story of a Gilded Age America from a very different (and necessary) perspective.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker returns for form in an all-out deluge of Golden Age glamour Carrie Bradshaw would surely approve of. The spot-on gown silhouette, complete with an off-the-shoulder Spencer jacket by Christopher John Rogers, is dwarfed only by the fanciful burst of feathers coming out of her top hat.
Billie Eilish
In a surprising twist, Billie Eilish actually had one of the most theme-adhering ensembles of the evening. Her Gucci gown, featuring delicate sage-green lace sleeves and a pastel mum tucked into her corset, is straight out of an Impressionist painting.
Alicia Keys
To truly appreciate Alicia Key’s jaw-dropping Met Gala look, it must be seen from all sides. Only then can you properly take in the full scale of her Ralph Lauren-designed cityscape cape, a twinkling Manhattan fanning around her ankles. To complete the look, vintage Tiffany & Co. jewels shine at her wrists and ears.
Naomi Campbell
Legendary supermodel Naomi Campbell is practically synonymous with glamour itself — which makes her jewel-encrusted Burberry (and face, for that matter) a natural choice.
Olivia Rodrigo
Leave it to the Gen Z queen herself (and Betsey Johnson!) to add just enough Y2K flair to her Gilded Glamour look for a perfect confluence of the two eras — they were both distinct, signaled the arrival of an entirely new society, and went heavy on the butterfly motifs thanks to a custom Jennifer Behr x Betsey Johnson hair piece design.
Lizzo
A vision in a sweeping midnight brocade cape complete with hand-stitched golden roses embroidered down its length, Lizzo and her Thom Browne-designed ensembles helped end the evening’s red carpet on a high note — quite literally, too, considering she brought her flute along.
Gigi Hadid
Putting a devilish spin on classic Gilded Age fashion, Gigi Hadid’s latex Versace corset and matching pants — not to mention the puffer-cape fanned out around her — is a delightfully cheeky choice anchored by her classic Chopard jewels.
Chloe Bailey
Gilded Age meets siren-for-the-ages Jessica Rabbit, Chloe Bailey’s Area SS22 Couture gown and its unforgettable silhouette is like a pop-art take on Gilded Glamour — and it wears to excellent effect.
Hailey Bieber
Opting for some simple sophistication for a solo moment on the red carpet, Hailey Bieber’s silky ivory Saint Laurent evening gown, feather-trimmed cape, semi-sheer Wolford tights, and heaps of Tiffany & Co. jewelry are a treat.
Kendall Jenner
Arriving near the end of the red carpet with the rest of her famous family in tow, Kendall Jenner’s black-on-black Prada set struck a strong balance between modern and sexy (hello mesh!) and spot-on historic with her cathedral-length ruffled skirt.
Precious Lee
Laying the foundation for her sleek and sultry look in an all-over black mesh catsuit, Precious Lee’s structured corset and sequin-accented skirt, fingertips, and wrists. A captivating blend of finishes, it’s a standout look from the evening.
Cardi B
Cardi B’s Met Gala moments are always major but this year’s look might be her all-time best. A shimmering, Versace-designed nod to the theme, the golden chains, charms, and beads snaking around her body are a literal personification of Gilded Glamour.
Tessa Thompson
A breathtaking candy-pink confection full of swirling tools and elegant draping, Tessa Thompson’s Carolina Herrera gown (all several feet of it) was an instant fan favorite. The Delfina Delettrez jewelry glimmering at her ears and hands make it an unforgettable look.
Kim Kardashian
It was expected that Kim Kardashian, in typical show-stopping fashion, would arrive at the museum last — but who could have predicted she’d show up in this dress?! The exact gown worn by Marilyn Monroe as she delivered her now-legendary birthday serenade to President John F. Kennedy, it’s a fitting choice for our modern siren. To keep the gown safe, she changed into a replica just after the red carpet wrapped.
