When we heard the dress code for the 2014 Met Gala was the super formal “White Tie With Decorations” we figured the red carpet would yield way fewer OMGs than last year’s fish nets-required punk theme. But we were wrong. The world’s best dressed brought it last night with looks that turned the glamour WAY up, from voluminous gowns to sheer dresses and yes, a crop top or two.
Best Dressed
Taylor Swift: We fully expected Taylor Swift to be the belle of this extremely elegant ball, and as we predicted, she nailed the look with this blush Oscar de la Renta gown, a classic wavy ‘do and of course, her sig red lip.
Beyonce: Queen Beyslayed in a sparkling Givenchy dress that pulled out all the stops with a plunging neckline + sheer train. Her gothic accessories tied the #flawless look together.
Emma Stone: Our dear Emma kept the red carpet playful in a pink Thakoon two piece that proves crop tops can look classy.
Liu Wen: Every single detail on Liu Wen’s Zac Posen gown is stunning: the voluminous ruffles, the asymmetrical bodice, THAT jade hue.
Allison Williams: While Solange’s sherbert just missed the mark for us, Allison William’s choice of tangerine knocked her Met Gala look out of the park. But she wasn’t the only Girls star killin’ it on the carpet — Lena Dunham’s flowery frock deserves a best dressed shout out, too.
Jessica Pare: We’re still not quite sure about what exactly the “Decoration” in the ball’s classy theme is supposed to be, but this so-chic floral print is certainly enough to win points with us.
Reese Witherspoon: Reese proves that she’s stepped up her glamour game in this smokin’ Stella McCartney gown. We’re wondering what WE have to do to pull off that neckline…
Zooey Deschanel: We love, love, LOVE that Zooey passed up on her usual retro style leanings and went with more of a classic silhouette in this navy and white Tommy Hilfiger gown (represent, girl!).
Sarah Jessica Parker: SJP had a serious glam moment on the red carpet in this black and white Oscar de la Renta gown — and our jaws dropped at the sight of it (Carrie Bradshaw, is that really you?). This is a dress you move out the way for, and Parker worked it to perfection.
Anne Hathaway: Our fave midriff bearing Oscar winner does it again and we approve. This fierce Calvin Klein number fits right in with the edgier looks Hathaway has been rocking lately, but it’s classic enough to look seriously chic.
Greta Gerwig: Yes, we know this Olivier Theyskens dress is in greyscale and we here at Brit + Co. worship all things technicolor, but Greta Gerwig’s gown might just be our fave red carpet look of the night. The volume amps up the dress in all the right places — a sexy shoulder, a flash of leg — and makes the look completely effortless. Bravo!
Dianna Agron: Dianna Agron’s getup is blinged out to the max! We still find it super appropriate for such a show-stopping event, so we give three cheers to the glitzy gown!
WTF Moments
Katie Holmes: It’s a tale as old as time: You try too hard to be the Belle of the ball, and it backfires. Maybe if Katie Holmes toned down the Disney princess vibes with a less obvious color, her look would at least be passable.
Kate Upton: Oh Kate, going sheer in all the wrong places. Adding a leather corset and a Frida Kahlo-esque floral crown definitely didn’t help.
Rita Ora: The worst part about Rita Ora’s gilded Met Gala look is that we actually LOVE the gown! But the strappy glove and thigh-high laces kill the glamour.
Lupita Nyong’o: We can’t believe we’re typing this, but Lupita Nyong’o completely missed the mark with her flapper-style sheathe. Though it would probably kill it on the Burning Man festival grounds.
Erykah Badu: Kudos to Erykah Badu for trying to take down Pharrell at his own crazy hat game. But in the end, was it really worth it? We do not think so.
(photos: New York Daily News + Huffington Post)
What were your most gawkable moments on the Met red carpet? Were they all crazy good, or insanely bad? Tell us who wore it best (or worst!) in the comments below.