The Met Gala is an exciting event for anyone who likes to keep up with fashion or celebrities.

     Usually, the gala would have been hosted on the first Monday of May, but this year it was delayed due to COVID-19. It is an annual costume ball fundraiser event hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City with tickets going for upwards of $30,000. This year the theme was American Independence, which brought in a wide range of outfits inspired by all kinds of different times in the U.S.  The costumes are the highlight of the event.

     One of the bigger names at this year’s gala was Lil Nas X who skyrocketed to success when he released his single “Old Town Road” in 2019. This was the artist’s first year at the gala, and he did not disappoint. 

     Arriving in a large royal-like cape, it didn’t take long for him to take off the cape and reveal a full set of gold armor. But his outfit didn’t end there. Even later in the night, he showed off a fully gold bodysuit he had under the layer of armor. For Nas’s first time on the red carpet, he made quite an impression.

     Another new face to the gala was Billie Eilish, another singer who rose to fame when she released her song “Ocean Eyes” in 2016. Eilish showed up in an old Hollywood-inspired look invoking the look of American actresses such as Marilyn Monroe and other celebrities from that era. 

     But what was really impressive about this look is what it took to make it. The company that made the dress, Oscar de la Renta, was convinced by the 19-year-old singer to stop using fur completely going forward. 

     Eilish has been a vegan and animal rights activist for years and in her words, she was “beyond thrilled” that they listened to her on this issue and urged others to do the same. 

     Although one of the best outfits has to go to a Met Gala favorite, Rihanna. Rihanna has been a guest six times before and has had a memorable look every time. She closed out the night by appearing in a large black overcoat with a matching black beanie. But what really made this outfit special was its other part. Her boyfriend ASAP Rocky came with her wearing a large colorful quilt-inspired outfit. The contrast between both outfits made both of them stand out against the crowd.

     Frank Ocean had one of the most unique outfits this year. He arrived at the gala with a robotic baby that he carried with him for the entire night. The baby had slime green skin and diamond grills on its teeth. This strange accessory also wore a patterned hoodie and would move its arms and head as well. To top it all off Ocean treated the robot as if it was a real baby the whole time cradling it and cooing at it. The robot definitely made him hard to miss.

     The Met Gala was a nice thing to see and a reminder that things are starting to go back to normal. The guests who attended really brought their A-game, and it was amazing to see all the fantastic outfits.