Who Missed the Memo at This Year’s Met Gala?

What is a theme but a suggestion? Perhaps a loose guideline for the curious, but not everyone plays by the rules. The Met Gala will always bring its fair share of rule-benders who don’t seem to have read the invite. This time, the theme called for an exploration of Black style through tailoring, yet here we are, counting the deviants who missed the memo. 

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Sadie Sink

The Stranger Things actress wore custom Prada, sheer lace, and a dramatic train. But “black” wasn’t about color this time, so a black dress isn’t a free pass to theme alignment.

Sydney Sweeney

She cited Kim Novak as her muse. Surely a timely reference given her role in the upcoming Scandalous by Colman Domingo, but why spotlight a white personality at an event celebrating black sartorial heritage? The curls were a good start, but the rest was a beautiful Miu Miu bypass.

Shakira

In a voluminous pink gown, Shakira emerged dressed for a ball—just not this year’s gala. We love a dramatic Prabal Gurung, but this one felt like it walked in from another calendar entirely.

Maya Hawke 

Another Prada moment, another thematic miss. It was surely elegant, but this year called for sharp tailoring and sharp stories, and Hawke’s look gave us neither.

Nicole Kidman

This Balenciaga piece reminds the internet of a certain 1950s Cristóbal Balenciaga silhouette. However, there was still no whisper of Black style influence. A vintage nod, but not to the right history.

Heidi Klum

Returning to the Met Gala after 12 years, Klum wore a simple Vetements LBD, which she revealed to have seen just 72 hours prior. While chic, it felt underwhelming for such an event.

Hailey Bieber

We love a Saint Laurent blazer. But Bieber’s mini was too simple, it felt more CEO than celebratory. The Met Gala isn’t a Monday meeting, and for once, she could’ve ditched the minimalist memo.

Anne Hathaway

She referenced the late André Leon Talley and paid homage to Carolina Herrera’s signature white shirt, but homage only gets you so far. Was it a corporate tribute or a cultural statement, which this year’s Met was all about?

When the night is meant to honor Black brilliance and dandyism through tailoring, showing up off-theme is louder than it looks. Not dressing the part? That’s a statement, too. The Met asked for interpretation, after all, not indifference.

Featured Image and Photos: HEIDI KLUM, ATHINA, SHAKIRA, CAROLINA HERRERA (via Instagram), SERIES BRASIL, JAILEYSWORLD, and MET GALA CRAVE (via X)