The fashion and beauty world’s biggest red carpet of the year returned to its regularly scheduled time slot (the first Monday in May) this year after being canceled in 2020 and moved to September in 2021 due to Covid.
The annual fundraising gala benefits the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. It’s the only red-carpet event that draws celebrities from all professions—such as fashion, film, television, music, sports, politics, and social media—together.
The gala, which is organized by the American fashion magazine Vogue, has been chaired by editor-in-chief Anna Wintour since 1995.
It also marks the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit, which dictates the evening’s theme. This year’s theme was “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” with the formal dress code being “gilded glamour, white tie.” The inspiration for this theme draws from America’s Gilded Age, the period between the Civil War and World War I in the late 1800s into the early 1900s.
Attendees of the Met Gala are encouraged to be excessive, dramatic, and over the top with their interpretations of the theme, and many often take liberties to modernize it. This year’s event saw lots of gold pigment, dewy skin, bold lips, extravagant updos, and tiaras, with many of this year’s looks taking a futuristic depiction of “gilded.”
The Met Gala’s red carpet has a history of creating memorable beauty moments, and this year was no exception.
Blake Lively
This year’s co-chair Blake Lively wore a tiara, one of the night’s hottest accessories, atop a wrap-around braid. Her makeup artist Kristofer Buckle perfectly matched the metallic rose gold hues in her ballgown with products from Charlotte Tilbury.
Venessa Hudgens
Live stream co-host Vanessa Hudgens opted for an intricate updo with a rhinestone chain weaved throughout her structural bun. Her makeup featured a natural smoky cat eye with wispy lashes, carved cheeks, and a nude lip by artist Tonya Brewer for Pat McGrath Labs.
Megan Thee Stallion
Looking like a bronze goddess, Megan Thee Stallion chose a slicked-back updo with a deep side part and coiffed edges for her sophomore appearance. Makeup artist Lauren Child gave Megan her trademark smokey cut-crease cat-eyes in black and white and paired them with a nude lip and bold liner combo using Revlon.
Kaia Gerber
Model/actress Kaia Gerber (Cindy Crawford’s daughter) wins the award for long, cascading, voluminous curls, which she embellished with pearl clips on either side of her middle part. The makeup was kept soft and romantic with glowing skin, sharp winged liner, full arched brows, and a neutral lip; a look created by Naoko Scintu using YSL products.
Isabelle Boemeke
Model Isabelle Boemeke brought a Euphoria-inspired vibe to the iconic Met stairs with over-the-top swirled graphic liner and face jewel adornments by makeup artist Tami El Sombati. The steampunk-esque, jewel-encrusted manicure was by Juan Alvear.
Alicia Keys
After famously ditching makeup in 2016, singer Alicia Keys was once again glammed up while debuting her just-launched namesake line (Keys Soulcare) with a muted look that featured razor-sharp, bejeweled winged liner. It was her hair, however, that stole the show. She rocked a slicked back, super long braid adorned with architectural disc embellishments, and meticulously swooped, tiny jewel-accented baby hairs framed her face.
Kiki Layne
Actress Kiki Layne was pretty in pink thanks to the perfectly placed rose petal eyeshadow embellishments and matching flush cheek,s compliments of makeup artist Billie Gene. The gorgeous afro was actually a wig styled by hairstylist Tish Celestine.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Fashion darling actress SJP wowed in a veiled fascinator hat featuring tulle, faux feathers, and a pink flower that sat atop the front of her head, revealing her elaborate, twisted updo. The Met Gala veteran opted for a black smoky eye paired with pink sculpted cheeks and a muted, nude gloss on her lips.
Naomi Campbell
Supermodel Naomi Campbell literally sparkled thanks to her gem-adorned makeup, perfectly matching her embellished Burberry dress. Her hair was pared down and sleek, allowing her face to shine.
Fredrik Robertsson
Bejeweled eyes are not just for the gals to enjoy as proven by Fredrik Robertsson, who was mistaken by some news outlets as Jared Leto at first. He is the creative director of Swedish haircare company Bjorn Axen and his face was painted by makeup artist Linda Hallberg.
Jodie Turner-Smith
Luminous, glowy skin was the perfect canvas for Jodie Turner-Smith’s drapped cheeks, smokey eyes, and pencil-thin brows adorned with a trio of rhinestones strategically placed as a browbone highlight. All makeup came from Gucci Beauty. The actress also wore her hair in period-inspired finger waves.
Kendall Jenner
Supermodel Kendall Jenner was barely recognizable with on-point bleached brows, soft smokey eyes, and spider lashes. She wore her auburn hair in long, loose waves with a middle part. Makeup artist Mary Phillips used products from Kylie Cosmetics to complete this look.
Hillary Clinton
Former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton made her first appearance in over 20 years at the Met Gala, opting for understated glam with rosy-pink lips and cheeks as well as a partially pulled-back blow-out with cascading waves framing her face.
Gwen Stephani
Singer Gwen Stephani had to paint her own face after an emergency with her makeup artist. Abandoning her signature black winged eyeliner for blue, and red lips for nude, the singer debuted colors from her just-launched brand, GXVE Beauty. She kept her hair simple and sleek and manicure long, squared-off, and neon yellow to match her Vera Wang gown.
Lizzo
Popstar Lizzo’s makeup artist, Alexx Mayo, used Charlotte Tilbury products to create her neutral, smoked-out eyes, orangey-flush cheeks, and matte burgundy lips. Shelby Swain styled the singer’s hair in slicked finger waves at her center part that morphed into voluminous curls. Her show-stopping corkscrew talons were painted black and gold using OPI Gelcolor.
Gigi Hadid
Supermodel Gig Hadid was red hot by paring down most of her makeup to focus attention on her blood-red ombre lips that perfectly matched her corseted Versace jumpsuit. The look was created by her makeup artist Erin Parsons using the SuperStay Lipstick by Maybelline. Her hair was slicked back into a tight warrior bun with spikey flyaways.
Venus Williams
For tennis pro Venus Williams’ sophomore appearance at the Met Gala, she sported long braids adorned with tiny rhinestones that matched the ones bedazzling her eyes. Makeup artist Karina Milan kept the makeup focused on the eyes while keeping her complexion luminous using products from Burt’s Bees.
Olivia Rodrigo
Pop superstar Olivia Rodrigo arrived with shimmering lilac smokey eyes, thinned brows, white eyeliner accents, and spikey lashes. Makeup artist Lilly Keys finished the star’s flushed glow with a soft peach wash across the apples of her cheeks. Her hair was a lush cascade of loose waves embellished with silk organza butterflies.
Cardi B
Rapper Cardi B was channeling Pamela Anderson not only with her 90s-inspired voluminous updo featuring wispy bangs but also with her retro lips that were dark-lined and glossy. Her makeup artist Erika LaPearl used Pat McGrath Labs for this look and added wispy lashes by KISS for extra drama.
Maude Apatow
Euphoria actress Maude Apatow made her Met Gala debut in a period-inspired pin-up hairstyle with structured swirls and a jewel-encrusted hairpin. Her makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan used Giorgio Armani products to give her clean but classic glam that featured heavily blushed cheeks and bold jewel-toned lips.
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