If you're like me, you have a perfectly normal and not crazy obsession with the Met Gala! It's a time where the rules of fashion can be pushed to their limits, and where artists of all mediums can let their creativity roam. One theme, hundreds of people, each one with an individual look.
From this I have somehow managed to narrow those down to my 15 favorite looks. Without any further ado, here are 15 people who 100% won the 2021 Met Gala with the theme of American Independence.
1. Lili Reinhart
She looks like a princess 🥺🥺 Her dress is covered in the state flower from every state in the union! And the fact that she's wearing a Christian Siriano dress makes my heart happy 💖 Lili by far, was winning this year's Met Gala!
2. Tessa Thompson
When you think of America, chances are at some point cowboys run through your head! Tessa took these wild westerns in a whole new direction, and we are better off because of it.
3. Olivia Rodrigo
It's no secret that Olivia has been making waves both on and off the red carpet this year. I would literally sell my soul for this outfit!
4. Cara Delevingne
Cara is sporting a message you can't argue with...
5. Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X is an absolute king and this Met Gala, he decided to flaunt that! No matter which look, he absolutely stole the show 🖤
6. Chloe & Hallie Bailey
First off, I know this list says 15 people, but let's go ahead and count twins as one set 😁 Especially twins as fabulous as Chloe & Hallie! They absolutely owned the Gala this season.
7. Gabrielle Union
A 2021 best dressed Gala list wouldn't be complete without this absolute stunning look from Gabrielle Union!
8. Emily Blunt
Emily Blunt rocked one of my personal favorites this year paying tribute to the one and only Hedy Lamarr! She absolutely nailed the theme of American Independence, for the story of Hedy Lamarr is one of Old Hollywood and perseverance. Hedy was trapped in her own skin, never being accredited for all the good that she did for the world. After all, Hedy is the reason we have Wifi, GPS, and Bluetooth!
9. Precious Lee
This outfit is drop dead gorgeous. It's inspiration came from the significance of braids and braiding in African and African-American culture. On top of being this stunning, she has such an amazing representation of what it means to have American Independence.
A concept our ancestors had to fight for, and many died before ever seeing it. A major bonus is that she got to go to her first Met Gala, on her birthday, while looking this good! I don't know about you, but I know I wish I wielded this much power on my birthday.
10. Nikkie de Jager
Another beautiful woman with a beautiful tribute! Nikkie de Jager, or as we may know her, Nikkie Tutorials, gave a magnificent shout out to Marsha P. Johnson.
Marsha is the perfect face of this year's Gala theme. She fought hard for the independence of LGBTQ+ individuals her entire life.
11. Barbie Ferreira
Beloved Euphoria star stole the show with her wonderful nod to burlesque Old Hollywood! She and the outfit are ✨stunning✨
12. Amanda Gorman
After this past presidential inauguration, Amanda Gorman is the very essence of American Independence. She's a beautiful, talented, creative, intelligent young woman, and she most certainly was among those winning the Met Gala. While her outfit's not as wild as some of the others in attendance, you can most certainly tell she's repping a Lady Librity look! Especially when you can see that the book she's holding says "Give Us Your Tired".
13. Carolyn Maloney
What better way to celebrate American Independence than voting YES to ratify the ERA!? After all, women's rights are human rights! Carolyn Maloney nailed this assignment!
14. Lewis Hamilton
I don't think this list could've been completed without the presence of Lewis Hamilton. He took the theme to heart this year and worked with a round table of three up and coming black designers to give their voices a chance to shine. Needless to say, they did not disappoint! He, his outfit, and the attention to detail are absolutely incredible.
15. Iman
Even though she is last, Iman most definitely isn't least with this jaw-dropping Gala look! There wasn't a news program, or fashion magazine that wasn't talking about this amazing outfit for days after the Gala had concluded! Her jaw-dropping outfit was based off of America's golden age.
Final Takeaways
While I'm sad that this year's Met Gala is over, I'm looking forward to the theme of the next! If you know me, you know that I hope to go into the film industry, and a small part of that dream is finally being able to attend the Met Gala! The time, energy, effort, and stories put behind each of these looks is astonishing.
There were so many great ones to choose from, I couldn't have possibly shown you all of the best ones. However, I am completely biased in saying that anything that references Hedy Lamarr is automatically a winner in my book! As sad as it is that we have to wait a whole year before seeing the Met again, luckily enough, it is officially award show season, and there are plenty of amazing looks yet to come!
