#26. Past performance is not indicative of future results
Met Gala Review & Wardrobe's Most Wanted #2
WELCOME TO A SPECIAL EDITION OF WARDROBE WANTS.
The first Wednesday1 of the month calls for an updated want list. But coming just two days after the Met Gala, we ought to go beyond my ideal wardrobe, especially since I’m sitting on 72 looks’ worth of your opinions.
I’ve been running red carpet polls for a while now. There’s a Highlight on Instagram for each, and at this point, it’s a pretty extensive archive. If you ever feel like going down the rabbit hole, I highly recommend revisiting a few — you might find that some of your opinions have changed, or enjoy casting a first-time vote.
Though my consistency as a pollster has waned, I’ve long toyed with the idea of building out some kind of quarterly bracket, putting rankings across carpets head-to-head and slowly working toward a “best looks of the season” list. Maybe this is the year I actually do it. But for now, let us take one small step towards immortalizing a poll in print.
Not all approval ratings are created equal.
A 65% showing from a newcomer is one thing, the same from someone whose Met Gala history precedes them is another. So, rather than discussing the looks based on the raw scores alone, I’m doing so relative to the standard set by each person’s own legacy. Those with the strongest discography have the biggest shoes to fill, and, much to my chagrin, it seems a few weren’t too passionate about filling ‘em.
The poll results were compiled to create a crowd-sourced rating for 72 celebrities who walked the carpet. With your opinions in hand, I looked at press coverage in the days leading up to the Gala to identify those arriving with a proven track record — and, by extension, a higher standard to meet on the night. I also dropped in a few general red carpet darlings for good measure. In some cases, a strong track record cushions an unremarkable look; in others, it looms large over an otherwise solid showing.
Chase Infiniti in Thom Browne — 95% (-) — As a first timer, she was exempt from pre-gala data point collection, but I consider her to be one of the best among us and she cracked the overall W13 top three! While her looks continue to go from strength to strength, I am often particularly taken by the subtlety of hair & makeup. Fabulous.
A$AP Rocky in Chanel — 87% (↑) — Earning the second most unanimous “yes” in this group is a far more generous result than I anticipated. Mr. Rocky wasn’t explicitly mentioned in any of the qualifying pre-gala coverage, but he’s on enough of a sustained fashion run that expectations travel with him regardless. Perhaps a perk of being one half of Fashion’s Royal Couple is an unearned 87%, bestowed by way of accumulated goodwill. Had he worn this to Chanel’s cruise show in Biarritz, I would have been entirely on board. At the Met, however, I’m not convinced it’s a true top-ten contender.
Teyana Taylor in Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann — 82% (↑) — Teyana has built a reputation for consistently turning out standout looks. Monday’s silver fringe gown was a “yes“ for 82% of the crowd, and I feel strongly that her historical fabulousness was in their ear. On someone else, this look comes in around the mid-60s.
Anok Yai in Balenciaga — 83% (-) — I’ve come to think of Anok first for her glam (see: the beloved 2024 look), and this year she delivered another knockout on that front. Set against a relatively simple hooded black gown, the Black Madonna–inspired tears put her among the evening’s top looks and I think that is correct.
Bad Bunny in Zara — 74% (-) — Here too, it was the glam— not the black suit and oversized bow tie — that carried the look. The aging makeup was a clever nod to the museum’s exhibition on the states of the body, though perhaps a stretch for the “fashion is art” mandate for the evening.
Kendall Jenner in Gap Studio — 78% (-) — Had I shown a photo with the wings open, I’m certain the rating would have been even higher. But wings down, nipples out is a 78 indeed.
Rihanna in Margiela — 78% (-) — It is universally understood that an all-time best list is incomplete without at least one Rihanna mention. Which is why a 78%, when set against her own canon, is distinctly average. She likely averages 90+ over her lifetime of looks on the steps of the Met, so I found this to be well-ranked but underwhelming.
Doja Cat in Saint Laurent — 64% (↑↑↑) — She’s been known to bring the drama. A nude latex Saint Laurent gown is neither bringing it nor worth a 64% approval rating in my eyes. In fact, I wouldn’t have predicted this edging above 35%. You guys must love her.
Beyoncé in Olivier Rousteing — 64% (-) — Quite grand but not particularly memorable, and thus, aptly placed in the mid sixties. If anything, having her 14-year-old daughter in tow (who landed in the W13 top 10) gave her a point boost. As you can hear, I was pleased to see Blue shine.
Janelle Monáe in Thom Browne — 62% (↓) — On someone less fashionably inclined, this would have been ranked higher. But we’ve seen more extravagance from her and thus, expect more.
Coleman Domingo in Valentino — 60% (↑) — I think this is quite generous. I love Coleman but this was not his most artful look.
Blake Lively in Versace — 25% (↓) — We’ve seen versions of this dress and color story on Blake many times before. 25% suggests you all weren’t moved by it this time around but it may be a tad harsh. I would have placed her in the 40s.
BEST
Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo in Jean Paul Gaultier — 96%
Chase Infiniti in Thom Browne — 95%
Emma Chamberlain in Mugler — 95 %
WORST
Katy Perry in Stella McCartney — 14%
Alyssa Liu in Louis Vuitton — 17 %
Sabine Getty in Ashi Studio — 17% **crazy because I quite liked this**
UNDECIDED
Hunter Schafer in Prada — 55%
Skepta in Thom Browne — 55%
Lily-Rose Depp in Chanel — 51%
Doechii in Marc Jacobs — 51%
Dree Hemingway in Maison Valentino — 50%
Kylie Jenner in Schiaparelli — 49%
Last but not least, the latest additions to my ever-expanding want list.
1. DIOR CLUTCH // 2. I’m not currently in the market for a bag of this size, but if I was, this MULTI-COLOR TOTE would be hearing from me // 3. These are my most worn and my most complimented shades, so considering a BROWN PAIR with a similar silhouette // 4. NAVY BUTTON DOWN // 5. My favorite thing to wear is a tank and I’m particularly excited about this STELLA/H&M TANK one. I’m sending this the morning the collaboration drops, so you’ll have to stay tuned to see if I managed to secure it. I have a feeling it won’t last long2. // 6. SUEDE FLATS in the perfect shade of blue // 7. PLATFORM FLIPS // 8. If the stripes on these STRIPE MULES ran left to right, rather than top to bottom, I’d buy them. However, I can’t imagine a vertical stripe does anything for the foot other than liken it to that of Bigfoot.
9. I’ll never not want a PINK TRENCH // 10. This is the third time I’ve shown you this bag, now in a NEW BLUE // 11. BANDEAU BIKINI (+ really good, but sold out, skort) // 12. LONG SHORTS. This time in linen, rather than wool // 13. YELLOW MINI, though I do prefer it with a V-neck.
I know today is Thursday, but the day continued to escape me yesterday, so we are finishing this off on a morning flight to LA (plus I can just back date it a day once it’s published and my tardiness will remain our little secret)
Update: I did not manage to get it. My restock alerts are ON