Random Notes on a Met Gala (Abby's Version)

Let's talk Zendaya, Taylor Russell, Gigi Hadid, Tyla, Kendall Jenner, Ariana Grande, the Loewes, the Chloés, the Short Kings, the cardigan + more.

Helllllllo.

Another first Monday in May is behind us and while I was in no way deeply invested in this year’s Met Gala. I, of course, have notes.

I think I will forever have digital PTSD from covering red carpets and awards shows, and the like for legacy media brands in a time when approvals and photo research and the CMS were desperately slow and frustrating. I am, as always, so grateful for all of those doing the hardcore coverage so I can dip in and out as I please. I know how hard and exhausting it is, no matter the platform.

A special shout-out to my friends doing the lord’s work out there. I cannot wait to check out all of your coverage when I tuck into bed with my multiple screens and a gummy later this evening.

If you’re not subscribed or following the below, get on it—and not just for the Met.

• Heather + Jessica, aka the Fug Girls + a couple of broads I love to drink with.

• Amy Odell of the Back Row

• Lauren Sherman who writes the Line Sheet over at Puck

• My grief camp bestie (and actual youth!!!), Robyn DelMonte, aka Girlbosstown on TikTok + IG

As per usual with the Met Gala, you’ll find a bunch of people online running their mouths like they’re experts on the whole situation when they have no idea what they’re talking about and wouldn’t know a piece of contextual fashion history if it smacked ‘em in the face. I don’t mean people having opinions about famous people’s outfits at a massive public event—that’s a time-honored tradition.

It’s more like my media literacy rant vibes and the fallacy that saying something that gets a lot of likes makes it true. Sigh. Don’t even get me started on the way people are falling for AI images all over the internet these days. Y’all, just do a couple lil things to make sure something’s true. I swear it won’t kill you. But, AI is also terrifying in this way and that’s the kind of shit creatives have been ranting about. If you thought Rihanna or Katy Perry went last night, I’m afraid to tell you that they did not and those pics were fakes.

I’ve been around long enough to see the Met Ball (yes, I often still call it that) go from extremely chic fundraiser for the Costume Institute filled with fashion people and rich New Yorkers to major Hollywood event with all-out theme dressing to something that is trying to be that but feels pretty “eh, whatever”. Obviously, it’s still raising major amounts of money and plenty of people love it way more than I in the year 2024—but I do think it’s jumped the shark of this incarnation and needs a bit of a reinvention.

I remember my first Met after-party scene wayyyyy back in the day when people weren’t dressing on the theme of the exhibit¹ at the main event itself, and certainly not afterward.

I was at Jane and I borrowed this navy vintage ‘70s Armani that was from our fashion director’s personal collection². I can’t remember what party we hit, but then we ended up at Sway—as we did so often in that era—and were out and about until the wee hours. At some point, a candle was spilled ON MY DRESS and I was beside myself that this irreplaceable beauty was ruined by the wax. That’s when I learned about Chris French Cleaners and they saved my life. Though I’m not sure I slept until I got it back and it definitely cost me more than I could afford on my measly assistant salary.

That spot and Shoe Service Plus on W. 55th were the fucking best though. IYKYK.

The exhibit this year is “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” and the dress code was “The Garden of Time”, based on the J.G. Ballard short story—which could be interpreted in many ways. It’s not just, like, there are flowers here. Anna even acknowledged that there was likely to confusion around the looks. But, that aside, lots of people like to get big mad online about who’s on theme or not…even when they don’t understand the source of the theme.

I get it, to a degree. But I would like to tell some people to chilllllllllll.

I also think we need to put “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” into the vault for a few years like Disney used to do with movies. If I see one more caption or comment with that line from someone who thinks they’re the first, I cannot be held accountable for my actions.

In that vein, I’m just gonna run down some extremely WHN-coded categories/superlatives/awards/whatnot that I took note of while watching things flow into my social feeds last night. Do they follow a pattern other than they sound like me and the references I make here on the regular? No, they do not. I’m guessing you would expect nothing less chaotic than that.

Away we go…