Ever since I was a little kid, I have been obsessed with the idea of the Met Gala - a glamorous night full of celebrity drama and new fashion. The Met Gala will celebrate the new "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" Costume Institute exhibition this year.
This exhibition will include 250 of the most memorable and significant pieces of Elsa Schiaparelli, Hubert de Givenchy, Christian Dior, etc., pieces that are too fragile to be re-worn. Meanwhile, the guests are expected to adhere to the dress code "Garden of Time" inspired by the short story written by J.G. Ballard.
The Met Gala: What is it?
The Met Gala is a charity event and red carpet. It is nicknamed "fashion's biggest night" because some of the most iconic looks can be seen throughout this night. It is an event held annually on the first Monday of May.
This red carpet has a guest list of the decade's most influential celebrities and icons. The outfits worn by these celebrities often shape fashion trends for at least the next year or so. It started gaining interest in 1948 and has been thriving ever since.
Guests of the Met Gala are to follow strict rules, such as not using phones for pictures and social media. However, thousands of photographs are taken of the guests throughout the night. Tickets to the event are extremely difficult to come by and cost roughly $50,000.
The History
Eleanor Lambert, also known as the Empress of Seventh Street, was a fashion publicist and icon based in New York. Although she was born in Indiana, she quickly fell in love with New York style and moved there in her early 20s. She gained respect for her work ethic and dedication to globalizing American fashion there.
During her 75-year career, she pioneered a new frontier of American fashion and revolutionized the industry with her ideas.
"Her story is intertwined with the history of fashion in the 20th century. You can't really talk about one without the other." -CFDA
One of these ideas was the Costume Institute gala, which she held in May of 1948 in order to fundraise for the then-newly started Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts. This gala was an invitation-only event, and the guest list was comprised of the most influential members of the New York Society. Lambert recognized the event's potential and made significant changes, shaping it into what we know as the Met Gala today.
After Vogue Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour took over the event in 1995, it turned into one of the prime events of the year.
The Theme
The Met Gala has quickly evolved from a dinner event for New Yorkian socialites to the most anticipated fashion moment for the year. Unlike other red carpets, it is not enough to simply show up in any outfit. Guests must adhere to the specific theme for that year in order to be considered "well-dressed."
There have been different themes, some being more controversial than others. One example of this is the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme from 2018. Many did not believe that religion should mix with fashion.
Other themes were focused on commemorating important deceased figures, such as the theme from last year, which honored fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.
The dress code for this year will be "Garden of Time," and it is celebrating the new Costume Institute exhibition titled "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." Garden of Time is a short story by English novelist J.G. Ballard. This story is thought to be a metaphor for the infinite cycle of creation and destruction- an idea that can obviously be seen in the Costume Institute exhibition.
The Guest List
One of the most interesting aspects of the Met Gala is the celebrity drama that happens throughout the night. Some of the biggest scandals in American pop culture happened during the gala. For example, back in 2014, Solange Knowles was seen fighting Jay-Z while Beyoncé watched in a nearby elevator.
This year, some of the biggest A-list names are expected to attend. Penèlope Cruz, Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, and Zendaya are among the people who have been invited.
Predictions
The Met Gala dress code for this year will allow a lot of forgotten fashion to be renewed. Older and more historic pieces will definitely play a big role throughout the event. I personally think that older and more fragile pieces will be worn for one final time. Pieces created in the '40s, '50s, and '60s by luxury fashion houses are sure to be seen. Because the dress code is "Garden of Time," I think there will be more earthy and nature-y pieces.
The predominant aesthetic will be cottagecore and coquette. We will most likely notice a color palette of greens, blues, and maybe even subtle yellows. 
Although it is difficult to say what fashion houses will shine the most in this setting, I think that older Chanel and Givenchy pieces would fit well with the theme. I think that the jewelry will consist of crystals and gems such as Topaz, Amber, and maybe even Tanzanite.
The night of the first Monday of May, the night of the Met Gala, is regarded as one of the most important days for fashion. It marks the beginning of new trends being started, and the rebirth of old trends finding their way into modern-day society. I am so excited to tune in!
