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Met Gala 2022: Which Celebs Wore ‘Gilded Glamour’ Best?

Between 1870 t0 1900, skyscrapers and fortunes seemed to rise in New York City overnight. Known as “The Gilded Age,” this period was marked by massive economic expansion and new innovations that changed life as we know it today.

The opulent and over-the-top style of the period returned to the mainstream at the 2022 Met Gala on Monday, May 2. The theme of the gala, Gilded Glamour, saw celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Hailey Bieber, and the queen of fashion Anna Wintour pay homage to this eccentric period in history – but who wore it best?

The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age first got its name from an 1873 novel by Mark Twain called The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today. Twain coined “The Gilded Age” as a play on “The Golden Age” that was promised following the Civil War. Twain adopted the term to attempt to describe the period between 1870 and 1900 when social problems were masked by the gilded foil of economic expansion.

Telephones and lightbulbs were introduced around this time, and plenty of “new money” families who struck the jackpot in oil fields and coal mines began to arrive on the American high society scene.

Black and white photograph of two women in 1890's dress with parasols and hats.
Mrs. W.K. Vanderbilt, right, with Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt III, left, strolling in New York City during the early 1890s. (Photo Credit: Bettmann via Getty Images).

The upper echelons wore outfits dripping in excess: elaborate dresses, furs, hats, and jewelry were part of the daily uniform for many Gilded Age women. Men wore simple but impeccably made suits with tails and top hats.

But the outfits are the least outlandish thing about the Gilded Age. The mega-rich families like the Vanderbilts and the Astors were known for consuming a copious amount of anything lavish, from lobsters to mansions to solid gold toilets (yes, you read that right).

The opulent Astor mansion photographed in 1899.
The Astor Mansion, home of John J. Astor IV and Mrs. Caroline Astor located in New York’s Upper East Side on 5th Avenue circa 1899. (Photo Credit: Bettmann via. Getty Images).

An article from Vogue gave us a hint into what Met Gala attendees might be wearing. Celebrities might stick to the strict dress codes of the Gilded Age: “Women put on tulle dresses exposing their décolletage, opulent fur-lined cloaks, and elbow-length gloves.” Women in the Gilded Age were also known to wear multiple outfits every day, so outfit changes can be expected following the Met Gala red carpet.

Kim Kardashian at the 2022 Met Gala
Kim Kardashian attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art wearing Marilyn Monroe’s “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress from 1962. (Photo Credit: Kevin Mazur/ MG22/ Getty Images for The Met Museum/ Vogue)

This year’s gala was hosted by event chairs Regina King, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. With the “Gilded Age” dress code, we were expecting to see corseted looks, Gibson-girl hairstyles, and massive hats – but some celebrities rarely play by the rules. Let’s take a look at which celebs understood the assignment, and which ones missed the mark.

Best Dressed

Blake Lively

Actress and Gala co-chair Blake Lively stunned in an Atelier Versace gown with a reversible train. Lively told reporters that her look was inspired by the classic architecture of New York City. The intricate rose gold bodice of the gown represents the design of the Empire State Building, while the blue train reflects the “constellation” of Grand Central Station. Lively nailed her look right down to the accessories like the crown with seven points which represent the seven rays featured on the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

Actress Blake Lively on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Blake Lively attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Gotham/Getty Images)

Riz Ahmed

Taking a detour from the “glamour” part of this year’s Gala theme, actor Riz Ahmed decided to pay homage to a largely underrepresented group of the Gilded Age: immigrant workers. The outfit was also made by immigrant designer 4S Designs.

Ahmed’s stylist Julie Ragolia told Vanity Fair: “In thinking about the Met Gala theme of ‘Gilded Glamour,’ I wanted to focus on the people without whom nothing Gilded would exist: the laborers, the workers, the unseen. This look is for everyone who thinks they don’t have a voice. They do”.

Actor Riz Ahmed on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Riz Ahmed attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish truly echoed the style of the Gilded Age in this stunning Gucci gown. The corset and bustle both reflect the fashions of New York’s high society, while the lace sleeves and fitted skirt add a touch of modern flair. Eilish also claims that the gown was sustainably made using leftover fabrics!

Singer Billie Eilish poses on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Billie Eilish attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images)

Sarah Jessica Parker

Finally – a hat worthy of the Gilded Age! Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker made her triumphant return to the Met Gala Red Carpet this year in a custom Christopher John Rogers gown and a towering Philp Treacy headpiece. Even Met curator Andrew Bolton was wowed by how on-theme SJP appeared: “This dress was really exquisite and pretty much fit the period of time.” After all, nobody knows New York-style quite like Carrie Bradshaw herself!

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker on the MET Gala Red Carpet in a stunning gown and large headpeice.
Sarah Jessica Parker attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum in New York City. (Photo Credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Bella Hadid

Model Bella Hadid took a sexy spin on Gilded Age fashion with a lingerie-inspired Burberry look. The leather corset, dramatic opera gloves, and Victorian-esque hairstyle all point to an edgy execution of this year’s Gala theme.

Model Bella Hadid on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Bella Hadid attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

Sydney Sweeny

After nearly missing the Met red carpet while stuck in traffic, actress Sydney Sweeney arrived fashionably late in a white Tory Burch gown.  She began her walk up the Met’s iconic steps in a trailing ballgown with a peplum accent and structured corset top, only to reveal a short and spunky second look underneath! The 24-year-old rising star delivered the best of both worlds with a unique look that was both fun and on-theme.

Actress Sydney Sweeney stuns on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Sydney Sweeney attends “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” the 2022 Costume Institute Benefit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Laura Harrier

Actress and model Laura Harrier donned a custom H&M gown for her fourth Met Gala. The black and silver gown with corsetted bodice paired perfectly with black velvet opera gloves to deliver a rich and opulent take on “gilded glamour.”

Actress and model Laura Harrier on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Actress and model Laura Harrier attends the 2022 Costume Institute Benefit celebrating In America: An Anthology of Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

Quannah Chasinghorse

Indigenous model and activist Quannah Chasinghorse stunned in a Prabal Gurung gown and traditional jewelry made by Antelope Woman Designs. Chasinghorse traces her ancestry to the Hän Gwich’in and Oglala Lakota Nations of Alaska, Canada, and South Dakota. The balance of modern and traditional elements in her look speaks to how Indigeneity would have been represented in the Gilded Age as many Indigenous peoples were forced to assimilate into Western society. Chasinghorse’s effortless red carpet look brings empowering representation for many Indigenous women and girls today,

Model and Indigenous activist Quannah Chasinghorse on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Quannah Chasinghors eattends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue )

Worst Dressed

While there were plenty of amazing, on-theme looks on the red carpet this year, just as many seemed totally out of place. Here are just some of the celebrities that clearly didn’t understand the meaning of Gilded Glamour.

Gigi Hadid

Model Gigi Hadid wore this oversized Versace puffer coat over fitted latex pants and a matching corset top – and it’s really giving us maroon Michelin Man vibes. The corset is the only on-theme element of this matching ensemble, but unless the theme was Canada-chic why wear a winter jacket to the soiree of the season?

Model Gigi Hadid on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Gigi Hadid attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Kylie Jenner

From the neck down, Kylie Jenner’s custom Off White gown seems like a great fit for this year’s Gala theme. The ruffled skirt with a long train and fitted corset top are reminiscent of popular silhouettes of the Gilded Age, but the glamourous gown mixed with the strange athleisure elements of the mesh t-shirt and backward baseball cap is anything but a home run.

Kylie Jenner on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Kylie Jenner attends “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” the 2022 Costume Institute Benefit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Sebastian Stan

Actor Sebastian Stan donned head-to-toe neon Valentino to this year’s gala, but the pink highlighter look is so off-theme it hurts (which is probably why he needs those shades). For any other event, we could see why Stan chose this bubblegum ensemble, but certainly not for the fashion event of the year!

Actor Sebastian Stan on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Sebastian Stan attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

More from us: Ten Iconic Dresses That Changed Movie History

Cara Delevingne

Actress and model Cara Delevingne took the “gilded glamour” theme a bit too far, and maybe a bit too on the nose. Head to toe in Dior Haute Couture, Delevingne’s menswear-inspired look complete with a cane and a formal waistcoat with tails that looked surprisingly laid back the star – who is no stranger to challenging the fashion norm. But boy were we wrong once that coat came off to reveal a ton of gold body paint. Maybe not the best look of the night, but Delevingne wins extra points for braving the red carpet topless!

Model and actress Cara Delevingne on the MET Gala Red Carpet.
Cara Delevingne attends “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” the 2022 Costume Institute Benefit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. (Photo Credit: Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Elisabeth Edwards

Elisabeth Edwards is a public historian and history content writer. After completing her Master’s in Public History at Western University in Ontario, Canada Elisabeth has shared her passion for history as a researcher, interpreter, and volunteer at local heritage organizations.

She also helps make history fun and accessible with her podcast The Digital Dust Podcast, which covers topics on everything from art history to grad school.

In her spare time, you can find her camping, hiking, and exploring new places. Elisabeth is especially thrilled to share a love of history with readers who enjoy learning something new every day!

The Digital Dust Podcast

linkedin.com/in/elisabethcedwards