The first Monday of May is a fashion holiday. It's the Met Gala. When it comes to fashion's biggest fundraising night, The Costume Institute Gala at New York 's Metropolitan Museum of Art is as big as it gets.
2019's Met Gala Theme: Camp. What is camp, you ask? Well, it ain't summer camp, if that's what you're thinking. The motif is meant to call up on Susan Sontag's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" and even the most avid fashion gurus had to take time to unpack what that really means. After doing my homework, I found that the theme derives from Sontag's quote, "Indeed the essence of Camp is its love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration." To me, that means over-the-top extra and I was born extra.
GQ said, "In short, the Camp sensibility is going all the way, going too far, seeing that straight ahead there is a large yellow sign that reads, WARNING: END OF GOOD TASTE, and simply refusing to turn around."
With all of this in mind, we were clutching our pearls waiting to see how the celebs made this theme their own. Click through the gallery for some of the looks we adored from this year's gala!
Cardi B Wearing a red feather Thom Browne number, the Invasion of Privacy rapper dominated yet another Met Gala. We have never seen the world renowned rapper in such an elevated way. Browne told Vogue, "I designed this dress for Cardi specifically because she has the ultimate beauty in a woman's body, and that is what the dress is about for me: taking advantage of that beauty."
▲ Serena Williams akns-images.eonline.com
Serena Williams in Versace and Off-White Sneakers is a game changer. Who else could bring sporty chic to the red carpet like this goddess?
▲ Lady Gaga I try to keep my lists as melanated as possible but Lady Gaga shut down the carpet with more than three outfit changes. Her and Brandon Maxwell are the epitome of a dynamic duo. This is where extra meets more extra!
▲ Billy Porter akns-images.eonline.com
The Blonds intertwined Egyptian and Cleopatra vibes for Billy's look tonight. He represents so much for the queer culture.
▲ Yara Shahidi hips.hearstapps.com
The Grown-ish star told E! News, "I had so much to pull from with my lineage of cultural space makers." We loved Yara's custom Prada getup.
▲ Janelle Monae akns-images.eonline.com
Christian Siriano did the damn thing with Janelle Monae's custom ensemble. This was the perfect iteration of the Dirty Computer singer's black and white suits.
▲ Ciara Sometimes you have to position your foot right on their neck. Ciara did just that in a custom Dundas gown paired with a bigger than life afro. Two words: yassssssss queen!
▲ Regina Hall akns-images.eonline.com
Regina Hall decided to pay homage to Dapper Dan with her Met Gala look. "I really wanted to make sure we incorporated that idea, but with Dapper Dan... He's been such a legacy. This is his first Met and I wanted to make sure he stayed authentic to what he does, what he's done for black culture and what he's done for hip-hop. I wanted to make sure we did a little bit of that."
▲ Michael B. Jordan hips.hearstapps.com
Michael B. Jordan showed up on the pink carpet dripping in Coach. We love how he found a way to be extra in his own way.
▲ Janet Mock akns-images.eonline.com
Sequin and feathers were extremely popular tonight but no one rocked it like Janet Mock!
▲ Tracee Ellis Ross Because she is a work of art, our favorite auntie, Tracee Ellis Ross, graced the gala in a little black dress paired with a gold encrusted picture frame. She also wore cornrows and we can't get enough!
▲ Priyanka Chopra & Nick Jonas akns-images.eonline.com
Me and Somebody Son. Priyanka Chopra and husband Nick Jonas showed up and showed out once again but this time as Camp-themed royalty. It's hard to believe that two years ago, this newly-married couple met at the Met for the first time. The rest is history.
▲ Naomi Campbell akns-images.eonline.com
She will forever be THEE supermodel of the world. There ain't a look she can't slay.
▲ Lupita Nyong'o suntimesmedia.files.wordpress.com
Lupita Nyong'o Lupita's hair alone deserves an award. The details of the golden afro picks to the intricate colors of her Versace gown are unreal.
▲ Lena Waithe We would like to nominate Lena Waithe for president. "Black drag queens invented Camp," according to The Chi producer. Once again, she has used the carpet as a platform to bring awareness to populations that go unnoticed at events like tonight's.
Get into the suits she and Pyer Moss designer Kerby Raymond rocked. The buttons were detailed pictures of phenomenal human beings from Nipsey Hussle to RuPaul.
▲ Solange Wearing a custom head-to-toe python outfit designed by Salvatore Ferragamo, Solange stole the show in a completely different way at this year's Met gala.
▲ Zazie Beetz In a show-stopping masculine meets feminine number, Atlanta actress Zazie Beetz solidified her seat at the Met gala's table. At her first-ever Met, the actress shined in a Thom Browne design that was one part suit and one part wedding dress, coupled with a turban-veil hybrid.
▲ Zendaya Wearing Tommy Hilfiger, Zendaya rocked the theme of the Met once again. This time as a modern day take on Cinderella. And sis, slayed.
▲ Featured image by Getty Images
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