Met Gala 2025: Looks that Ruled the Night

It’s May, which means it’s time for one of the biggest fashion events of the year: the Met Gala. Most commonly known as a celebration of style, the Met Gala also serves as a benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Celebrities don extravagant pieces, and we viewers dissect each one to determine who ruled the carpet. 

This time around, the dress code is “Tailored for You,” meant to showcase The Costume Institute’s exhibit, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Co-chaired by Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour, the exhibit highlights Black fashion from the 18th century onward, with a special focus on dandyism.

What is Black Dandyism?

The art of dandyism stems from 18th-century Britain, where author Beau Brummell began to defy aristocratic extravagance with his more refined and understated tastes. His guiding phrase? “Don’t talk about your clothes, let your clothes do the talking.”

Fast forward to the 20th century: Black Dandyism flourished during the Harlem Renaissance, fueled by the era’s prominent artists and intellectuals. Black men used fashion as a form of resistance—a way to stand out in a society that meant to erase their existence. 

Today, contemporary styles are about celebration and reclamation, with labels like Balmain, Thom Browne, and Martine Rose forging new interpretations of the modern dandy. According to Vogue, the key elements of Black dandyism include fine tailoring, bold colors and patterns, accessorizing, and cultural expression.  

So, who did their research and rocked the theme best? Picking favorites from this year’s Met Gala proved difficult—many undoubtedly understood the assignment—but here are a few of my top choices. 

Teyana Taylor

Photos: Getty Images

My personal favorite, Teyana Taylor, stole the show in a custom design by Marc Jacobs and Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter. Paired with accessories by David Yurman, the ensemble pays homage to the Black dandy with a zoot suit layered beneath an embellished overcoat, topped off with a feathered fedora. 

Laura Harrier

Photos: Getty Images

Designed by Gap Vice President and Creative Director Zac Posen, Laura Harrier’s look is truly tailored for her. From the exaggerated balloon sleeves to the cinched waistcoat and wide-leg trousers, Harrier takes a feminine approach to a traditionally menswear-focused style. Photos of the actress’ father and grandfather inspired Posen, whose design aims to “challenge rigid binaries around masculinity and femininity, formality and rebellion.”

Shaboozey

Photos: Getty Images

Making his Met Gala debut, Shaboozey stunned in a Robert Wun-designed suit that nods to both the evening’s theme and West African aesthetics. Adorned with 3,100 turquoise beads and 2,900 black Swarovski crystals, the rising musician’s outfit is completed with David Yurman Jewelry, turquoise grills, and a wide-brimmed headpiece—making his one of my top male looks of the night.

Alton Mason

Photos: Getty Images

Alton Mason paid tribute to Jojo’s Bizarre Adevnture’s Giorno Giovanni in custom BOSS attire. The shimmering suit, paired with a silver eyepatch and dramatic black coat, is a perfect blend of past and future fashion—an ode to afrofuturism. It’s always a treat to see male guests embrace flamboyance, femininity, and opulence at the gala.