This year the 2021 Met Gala was held on Monday, September 13^th and took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Attendees were presented with the theme of this year’s thrilling event which was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” Celebrities paid tribute to American fashion throughout the years, and they did not disappoint. The guest list included A-List celebrities such as Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Billie Eilish, Kim Kardashian and so many others. Celebrities have some of their most memorable and iconic looks in fashion at this jaw-dropping event, which is why as viewers it makes it all the more fun to watch.

1. Billie Eilish

It’s no doubt that Billie Ellish gave us one of the best looks of the night. Wearing Oscar de la Renta Billie gave us the embodiment of Old Hollywood. Her look was inspired by Marylin Monroe aka Americas Sweetheart who made a staple in American Fashion throughout the 50’s and early 60’s. The look she serves is drastically different than what we have seen in the past. Billie explains in an interview with Vouge that she has always wanted to dress this way but has just never had the confidence to do so. She says “It just was time. You know what I mean? It was time for this. And I feel like I’ve grown so much in the last few years and my confidence has gotten so much better, and I’ve always wanted to do this. It’s not like I had, you know…I was just scared and like didn’t feel comfortable in my skin, and I feel like I finally did, and it was time.” It’s great to see the young superstar not be afraid and show us different ranges of her style and who she is.

2. Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X did not just give us 1 not 2 but 3 jaw dropping looks. Starting off in an extravagant cape draped in gold he takes it off to reveal a shiny golden piece of armor. The cherry on top is when he removes the armor to reveal a gorgeous, bedazzled jumpsuit dripped head to toe in gold jewels. Although the royal Versace look didn’t quite meet the theme it had a much deeper meaning to Nas. In an interview with Vouge, he explains that each layer of the look represents his “coming out” and being proud of his sexuality in the industry. He says “We wanted to start with royalty, you know? Or a cloak you know? Like where in our shell. Right? And then we break out of it a little more, you know? Ya know? It’s kind of like me in the industry nobody knew who I was. And then we got the armor, right? It’s like I built this shell around myself, you know? And then I came out. And then this year I feel like I really came out, you know? It was this breakdown to this”. Like Billie, it’s great to see Nas open his shell and not be afraid to share himself with the world.

3. Lili Reinhart

Many attendees wore floral this year such as Anna Wintour and Irina Shayk, but Lili Reinhart gave the perfect execution with a bullseye shot to this year’s theme. Wearing Christian Siriano the pink floral look has a flower from each one of the 50 states. With the dress being a floral masterpiece Lili outstandingly stapled the theme of American Lexicon Fashion to a tee at this year’s event.

4. Saweetie

As her first Met, Saweetie did not shy away from showing her representation in her fashion. Wearing a dazzling sparkly gown designed by Christian Cowan Saweetie showed off her mixed heritage by wearing the Filipino flag and the Black American Heritage flag showing off her proud mixed heritage. Her mother who is Filipino-Chinese and her father who is African American is what Saweetie describes as in interview with Vouge “What makes me an American girl”. The proud representation in her look shows us what true American fashion is all about.

5. Kim Kardashian

After strutting the red carpet in a full black skintight Balenciaga body suit covering her entire body including her face, Kim Kardashian left everyone in question about what her look was. Kim has undoubtedly given us some of the best Met looks over the years, but this year specifically it was one that made people talk.  No one really understood what the look was until she explained it herself. Kim took to Instagram and posted the process of getting ready and the caption on the post read “What’s more American than a black t-shirt head to toe”? Many people were still in question if her outfit was really that easy. The look was questionable but will most certainly be talked about for years to come.

6. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC)

Politician Alexendria Ocasio-Cortez also known as AOC made a bold political statement and looked gorgeous while doing so. It was not only important have her dressed designed by a black women designer but for her to walk the carpet with her. Over the years there have been very few or no black women designers to walk the carpet, and that representation was important to her. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez wears a glaring white mermaid gown designed by Aurora James and in bold red letters on the back the dress reads “Tax the Rich.” Cortez explains in an Interview with Vouge that fashion is a medium and opening and bringing more outsiders into the institution that is the met can help us open more conversation about the community. She says “I was one of those folks on the fence outside, and I’ve always felt you know? The met is really an institution that belongs to the people. What are we doing if we are not constantly growing that table and bringing in more people into that conversation…the gala is the opportunity to have conversations about the communities were from. Geography, class, race, present events, climate change. In politics there is a classic adalage that the medium is the message. Fashion is a medium and it is important to defend that medium when people try to diminish it.”