The Met Gala theme this year, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” should have prompted celebrities to dress and celebrate black excellence in fashion in the style of Black dandyism. Black dandyism is a cultural movement and fashion style where black individuals use fashion as a form of self-expression, identity affirmation, and resistance against society, usually in the historically European sensibility of the “dandy.”
A lot of celebrities saw the word “black” and stopped reading, maybe they thought a black gown or suit would suffice, but it didn’t. Celebrities like Hailey Bieber, Sydney Sweeney, Maya Hawke, Sofia Richie Grainge and Shakira completely skipped over the theme.
Let’s start with Shakira, don’t get me wrong, she looked gorgeous in her pink princess Prabal Gurung gown, but…did she even try to be on theme? Just Shakira, there was Sofia Richie Grainge, with her completely white dress with a huge bow. Vogue says the Tommy Hilfiger bow was supposed to represent dandyism, but what about it?
One could argue that Sydney Sweeney’s hair was more on theme than the rest of her outfit, but many others had the same vintage hairstyle, like Dua Lipa and even Bad Bunny. Sweeney wore a gorgeous Miu Miu dress to pay a homage to Kim Novak in “The Legend of Lylah Clare,” but Sweeney is also playing Kim in a movie directed by Colman Domingo, so was this really on theme, or was this a marketing opportunity?
Maya Hawke showed up in a custom baby-pink gown and a tan-colored cape. I’m not sure how this would ever relate to black dandyism, but at least she showed up.
Although I love Jenna Ortega to death and hate to talk badly about her, her blended metallic medieval armor went a lot further back historically than what the theme anticipated. She looked gorgeous, of course, but definitely not on theme either.
It’s not a surprise, though, every year, celebrities choose to completely ignore the theme of the Met Gala and wear what they want, which might be a statement within itself. At least no one pulled a 2023 Lil Nas X look this year.
