Fashion’s biggest night has come and gone, and another rousing round of iconic wins and faux pas have graced our eyes via live streams of the exclusive invitation-only event.
The 2023 Met Gala is here, and as the celebrities enjoy the charity fundraising event, we’re talking about all of the wild, beautiful, and head-scratching looks of the big night as we wait for them to share glimpses into the evening on social media before stepping out for Met afterparties and don new (and sometimes outrageous) outfits. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has seen some incredibly talented stars grace its steps throughout the big night, including Viola Davis, Jennifer Lopez, Lil Nas X, Alton Mason, Pedro Pascal, and Margot Robbie. Hollywood’s biggest names have let their hair down, their capes fly, and they’re currently rubbing elbows with their peers as they talk, toast, and meow the night away.
As we know, Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson made their official red carpet debut last year before ultimately going their separate ways. Still, what a moment that was! Then there was Lizzo playing the flute on the red carpet, Jared Leto’s doppelgänger, and of course, we can’t forget Blake Lively’s jaw-dropping reveal in which her oversized copper bow unfolded into a teal-colored train resembling the Statue of Liberty.
This time around, a few couples showed up as total relationship goals (here’s looking at you, Suki and Rob and Nick and Priyanka), while others showed up dressed up as Karl Lagerfeld’s cat. Yep, you read that right; there was no shortage of creativity while embracing this year’s theme, and there’s no guessing what will happen as the stars and cats enter the gala to embrace the ode to Lagerfeld’s impact on fashion. As we said before, the theme this year wasn’t without controversy, but as celebrities on the Met steps were asked about the theme and how Lagerfeld inspired their looks, one thing was obvious — his contributions to fashion are held as an iconic status by many in the fashion industry.
What time did the Met Gala start, and how did fans tune in?
This year’s Met Gala red carpet kicked off at 6pm ET/5pm CT, and while the idea of watching celebrities walk up tall steps might seem like a weird thing to tune in to, fashion lovers can’t get enough. It’s an interesting concept to watch the lead-up to the event with as much excitement as we sometimes have to watch an awards show or a film premiere, but that’s the name of the game for the Met Gala.
The best and easiest way to tune in is always through Vogue’s livestream, which can be accessed through the network’s website or mobile app. Fans also tuned in on NBC and E!’s live stream. A cable subscription is required to enjoy the full night’s worth of festivities, so if you aren’t able to link to a TV provider, you might want to look into a free trial to cable apps like fuboTV before next year’s big event.
The big event is always the highlight of the entertainment realm, so if you missed tonight’s big ceremony, you can prepare to tune in next year on the first Monday of May, as it always belongs to the Met.
What is the theme for this year’s Met Gala and why is it so controversial?
This year’s theme was “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” which paid tribute to fashion mogul and industry icon Karl Lagerfeld. The theme is a far cry from last year’s “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” which birthed some pretty head-scratching outfits (Blake Lively’s stunning ensemble not included, of course).
This year’s ode to Lagerfeld has produced a mixed bag of opinions due to the German fashion designer’s history of dodgy comments, reprehensible actions, and bigoted remarks. In a string of Instagram posts, British actress and activist Jameela Jamil compiled a list of damning receipts that paint Lagerfeld in the most unflattering light, and let’s just say the decision to vote him as this year’s tribute no longer looks so good for Anna Wintour and the Met Gala team. As our very own Charlotte Simmons so wisely put it, “Someone had to say it,” and Jamil let it rip.
While Wintour said that the theme this evening was in relation to his work, not a biographical ode to the man, his controversy couldn’t be forgotten. However, many celebs this evening sang his praises in the fashion realm.
The cat mane event:
As stars began to grace the Met steps this evening, fans got a front-row look at a year where the theme was followed almost exclusively. With the general idea being a look at Lagerfeld’s fashion legacy, we anticipated seeing many suit jackets, a lot of black and white looks (with hints of blue and pink thrown in), and the stars of the evening followed suit.
In fact, if you’re a trendy young adult, you’d say they followed the assignment. With several gowns, some looks from Lagerfeld’s collection, and an ode to his cat, Choupette. While an invitation was extended to the late fashion designer’s beloved pet, she didn’t show up for the night’s big events.
Many celebs did show up, however, but some were notably missing — even if we knew it ahead of time, it felt weird without them. It felt strange to go through the Met Gala without seeing Blake Lively and the beautiful Zendaya. Chrissy Teigen and John Legend were also no-shows this year, in addition to Taylor Swift, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Katy Perry. Oh, and where were Shawn Mendes and Austin Butler? Justice for us for having the immense displeasure of not seeing their looks tonight. We’re only mildly heartbroken.
Several stars did take the steps this evening, however, and we really didn’t have many looks that made us watch through squinted eyes or turn away entirely. With a lot of odes to Lagerfeld’s personal and runway fashion, there were a lot of tasteful looks that did make us cheer in appreciation. If you want a look at the looks that stood out most, you can check out our coverage from the Met steps below.
Before you do, however, we’ve got to give it up for the cats tonight — in all of their glory, once more. Here’s to taking a theme literally and having fun with it, and to Lil Nas X for answering interview questions with nothing but a meow. That’s method acting if we’ve ever seen it.
10:30pm: A queen is never late; the iconic Rihanna finally took the Met Gala steps, and her look proves that perfection is worth the wait. We’re officially signing off now and still missing Austin Butler. – Ashley
9:30pm: That’s it for us on coverage tonight; if you ask us — it’s all about the cats, baby. From Jared Leto and Doja Cat to Lil Nas X — Lagerfeld’s cat was the center of affection tonight, and he deserves it. We can’t wait to see what after party looks stars step out in later, but for now, we’re sending a sweet goodbye to this year’s Met Gala. Here’s to the sparkles, glitter, and whiskers of it all. Signing off and missing Shawn Mendes, Ashley.
9:27pm: With the Met steps live footage ending, fans will soon be waiting on bated breath to see what happens through celebrity posts on social media. Woe is us.
9:25pm: We’ve talked about him before — we’re talking about him again. Lil Nas X is only answering questions tonight with a meow, and we are living!
9:22pm: She who needs no introduction: Viola Davis is here, and she looks like a queen, princess, warrior, and the most beautiful woman alive.
9:18pm: We have to give a shout to Paramount’s Scream for one of our favorite Tweets of the evening. While the image is photoshopped (or is it…don’t kill us Mr. Ghosftace, we want to be in the sequel), this is iconic.
9:15pm: While the ladies of the evening looked beautiful tonight, many fans on Twitter are saying the men won tonight’s best style. There were so many suit jackets, capes, and stunning fashion moments for the guys tonight; we have to agree.
9:10pm: In a continued trend of those who can do no wrong: Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway both look like absolute princesses tonight, too; no, like queens.
9:06pm: Bradley Cooper came to serve with a clean Lagerfeld-esque look, complete with aviator sunglasses and beautifully tanned skin. He is iconic in a suit or sweatpants, and even if some are calling this one simple — we can’t get enough.
9:03pm: We have to talk about Cardi B’s gown again; if you scroll through social media or listen to anyone talking about the Met Gala tonight, her look is reigning as a top contender for best dressed — and not just this year. She has one of the best looks we’ve seen in Met Gala history.
9:00pm: We have to take a moment to shout out to the Cincinnati Bengals. First things first — WHO DEY. Second, we are totally wondering why some of our favorite players weren’t invited to the Met steps this year. Can we say Joe Burrow? The man is fashion, thanks in large to Ja’Maar Chase, but we digress. The whole team shows up looking like a fashion magazine spread on game day, and we demand their recognition next year.
8:56pm: We’ve already talked about how lovely Ortega looks tonight, but Elle Fanning also looks phenomenal, and this is a pairing we’d love to see more of. It’s giving gothic bride vibes and bridesmaids vibes for us.
8:53pm: Janelle Monae knows fashion, she embodies it, and her look tonight is a creative and ingenuitive take on Lagerfeld’s signature colors and style.
8:49pm: Dua Lipa, one of this year’s co-chairs for the Met Gala, looks like an actual Disney princess in this gown. We are having a moment about it.
8:45pm: Cardi B looks like she belongs in Margot Robbie’s upcoming Barbie movie, and we can’t get enough. Also, we’d love to rock that dress and that hair and be Cardi B, if we’re honest.
8:41pm: Pedro Pascal is giving big dad energy tonight — that’s it, that’s the Tweet.
8:35pm: Another couple we love is on the carpet tonight! Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra look like they just stepped out of a fashion magazine and onto the steps tonight. Both dolled up and dressed to the nines, they have a beautiful energy together, and we just can’t get enough.
8:32pm: Jimmy Fallon is on his way to take a Zyrtec after having seen Jared Leto in his cat suit on the carpet.
8:29pm: First things first, we love the play on words on this Tweet; thank you very much. Second, this suit? Yes, yes, and YES. We’ve got the black and white color close to Lagerfeld’s stylist heart, the layers, and the intricate details that keep you looking. Gilgeous-Alexander is the look tonight.
8:25pm: Kim, Kylie, and Kendall posed together for a photo, and Kendall’s look might be our favorite of the three. In fact, this might be our favorite look Kendall has ever worn, be it at the Met Gala or on a red carpet.
8:22pm: Capes are the look tonight, and Diddy is a jaw dropper in his; adorned in flowers overtop a cropped suit jacket, he is another celebrity that understood the assignment.
8:17pm: A different spin on the classic suit Lagerfeld so often wore, Barry Keoghan is rocking it in a blue and black suit with a unique pattern. He’s absolutely stunning tonight.
8:14pm: One of the few looks of the night with a lot of colors, Kylie Jenner is here in a red and blue number.
8:10pm: Michelle Yeoh has taken to the Met Gala steps, and she is gorgeous in a nod to Lagerfeld’s classic style and color combo.
8:07pm: Kim Kardashian brought her daughter, North West, to the Met Gala tonight, and they look stunning together. Fans wondered if the Kardashians would be in attendance tonight, and it seems like they got what they were hoping for.
8:03pm: Serena Williams is expecting again, with an Instagram post standing alongside her hubby, saying she was so excited when the three of them were invited to the Met Gala tonight. She’s absolutely glowing at tonight’s big event and, in true Lagerfeld fashion, rocking a suit jacket.
8:00pm: Vanessa Hudgens is always perfect at every event she attends — tonight is no different. She looks like an angel, flowing alongside her dress as she ascends those stairs.
7:55pm: The first Monday in May belongs to the Met, but today, it belongs to Jenna Ortega. Wednesday Addams herself took the Met steps with grace, lace, and an outfit we love so much that we’d release piranhas at our enemies just to wear.
7:52pm: Okay, we hate to bombard you with images, but that’s what we’re all here for tonight, right? We’ve found out the personality behind the cat costume, and it is — Jared Leto. Lagerfeld’s cat must be feeling the love from home.
7:48pm: Doja Cat, Jared Leto, and now Lil Nas X — people aren’t just here for Lagerfeld’s fashion; they’re here for his cat. Also, can we get the next team of brilliant minds who decide to try to remake Cats to remember these looks? They’re serving…and now we want to adorn ourselves in sparkles and pearls and whiskers of our own.
7:45pm: Keke Palmer is giving big mom energy tonight, and she looks like a vision in a white gown with thousands of crystals, and the thing we’re paying attention to most is the sparkle in her eyes and smile.
7:41pm: Kristen Stewart, that’s it — that’s the tweet. Okay, so we’re not tweeting right now, but we are updating this live blog, and Stewart is making our hearts race a mile a minute. Wearing a look from Lagerfeld’s Chanel Resort 2017 — she understood the assignment and got extra credit. She’s effortless, she’s cool, and she’s doing it for us.
7:39pm: Billie Eilish has also made her highly anticipated appearance at tonight’s Met Gala, and she looks gorgeous — as to be expected. Keeping up with the black tie theme of the night, she is stunning with more sheer cutouts, classy sparkle, and a simple makeup look.
7:32pm: In a direct nod to Karl Lagerfeld; Blackpink’s Jennie is wearing a number from the designer himself.
7:29pm: Louisville’s own hometown hero Jack Harlow is in attendance for this year’s Met Gala once again — and he looks like a gift to us as a people. There’s something about him that just takes the cake, and that’s a slice we’re not big on sharing.
7:26pm: Dare we say, we’ve not seen anything too outrageous on the carpet tonight. No, instead, we’ve seen a lot of styles that are truly iconic in a way that honors Lagerfeld for his contributions to fashion. A lot of black and white numbers, an ode to the clean, classic style he loved.
7:24pm: Out of the sea, into our world is Halley Bailey, and she is taking on the role of Ursula for the Met Gala tonight because she stole it all from us. Signing away everything in our power, we give it all to Bailey. A true vision in a stunning white gown, she didn’t come to play…er…swim tonight. She’s here to take names, voices, and crowns, y’all.
7:21pm: Daisy Edgar Jones has come to win tonight, too, in a look that reminds us of pieces Lagerfeld picked out for himself. With a unique twist, she looks phenomenal and has hit the mark on tonight’s theme 100%.
7:16pm: She’s a Barbie girl in a Barbie world — wrapped in (not) plastic, she’s fantastic — Margot Robbie is here, and she is SLAYING the game tonight. First things first, we expected a pink moment, but we love that she said “no” to that Barbie box and pulled out her own look tonight. Stunning in a black gown, we’ve never wanted to be here more.
7:14pm: Our jaws hit the floor when we saw Sydney Sweeney take on the steps at tonight’s Met Gala. She looks like something out of a painting, seriously — we aren’t saying that no one can top her look tonight, but we’re saying that she’s easily going to be in the top three best-dressed list tonight.
7:11pm: Dwayne Wade took a moment to take a stand for something he believes in, and when asked what he’d say if he had the chance to speak to Ron DeSantis; he said that he doesn’t know him, but he does know that numbers don’t lie.
“When children feel accepted when 43% of our children feel accepted by their parents and from the world, it lowers the death rate. Suicide is high in the trans community, it’s high in youth, so I’m going to step on the side of acceptance.”
7:08pm: Is it just us, or did Ashley Graham step onto the steps of the Met Gala and steal everyone’s breath? The gown she’s adorning is absolutely stunning, and the pink and black look fits her in all the right places, accentuating her phenomenal body and eye for style. So far, this has to be one of the best looks we’ve seen.
7:04pm: One thing we love to see during any big social event is the couples who step onto the red carpet and completely own it — case in point at this year’s Met Gala: Robert Pattinson and Suki Waterhouse.
7:00pm: Hey all — Ashley here, and be still our beating hearts. Amanda Seyfried looks like a vision in her sparkly little number, and we can’t get enough of it.
6:05pm: The Met Gala is officially underway, and what better way to kick things off than with a Tiffany diamond the size of a literal rock? Anyone want to take a guess at how much this (not so) little nugget around Dua Lipa’s neck costs? It ain’t cheap, that’s for sure.
5:50pm: Anna Wintour has arrived ladies and gentlemen. Arm in arm with Bill Nighy.
5:47pm: We’re just a handful of minutes away from the red carpet premiere! And look who’s on their way: Rita Ora and Taika Waititi turning heads with that floor-length grey suit (or is it a dress? Robe? Whatever it is, it looks great).
4:35pm: Are you sitting down for this? You’re going to want to sit down, because not only is The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey expected to grace the red carpet tonight, but supposedly her co-star and the Internet’s Daddy, Pedro Pascal will too.
4:30pm: Controversy or not, the stars are still going to show, and now we have BTS’ Jimin to look forward to. Rolling Stone included Jimin’s name among a list of expected stars to grace the red carpet tonight. If he does, this will be Jimin’s grand Met Gala debut, so we’re not sweating with excitement, you’re sweating with excitement.
4:25pm: In case you thought She-Hulk: Attorney At Law actress Jameela Jamil was the only person opposed to this year’s Met Gala theme, well, think again… The people are not happy with Karl Lagerfeld.
4:00pm: This star-studded guest list is just a fraction of Hollywood’s star power. As it turns out, several big-namers are banned from attending. Those individuals include both movie stars and fashion icons, Met vets and Met newcomers, and — thankfully — politicians like Donald Trump.
3:55pm: And it wouldn’t be a full list if we didn’t have the return of Rihanna (who was severely pregnant last year), Bella Hadid, and Ryan Gosling.
3:50pm: That’s not all. Part two of the confirmed guest list includes Zendaya, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Kylie Jenner.
3:47:pm ET: In case you’re wondering who plans to show up tonight, here’s a sneak peek at the confirmed guest list, which includes Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Megan Thee Stallion. — Cody
Through the upsets, the wins, and the catty behavior tonight, the 2023 Met Gala is officially in the books, and it was an iconic evening for sure.