We have seen the tweets. We have seen the tiktoks. It is time to talk about the Met Gala. With beautiful people wearing outworldly dresses, it is bound to make its way around the internet.

The Met Gala, otherwise known as the Met Ball, is a gathering of designers, celebrities, and other big names to celebrate the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. It is expected that everyone dresses to fit a predetermined theme. The theme for this year’s Met Gala was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”. This includes anything that would consist of the culture and the identity of America. The interpretation of the theme is up to the designer and is showcased by those attending.

The Met Gala took place on Sept. 13 in New York, and those who made an appearance were unknown to most. They like to try to keep who is appearing a secret, that way it makes the event more interesting since fans would want to see if their favorite superstars are going to make an appearance. It would be a chance to see some celebrities in outfits they would not normally wear since it is known that the designs of the clothing are quite unusual.

It was quite inevitable that a controversial outfit might arise from such a theme being up for interpretation. One dress in particular was worn by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who had let her dress say the message she wanted to spread. She wore a white gown with “Tax the Rich” written in bright, red letters.

For those unaware, Ocasio-Cortez is an American politician and activist. She is the youngest woman to serve in the US Congress and has separated herself from her peers by having a more involved social media presence.

Her dress was met with much skepticism from the right and the left, the message interpreted as hypocritical for attending an event that costs a fortune to attend. Ocasio-Cortez talks about her dress to The Associated Press being “about having a real conversation about fairness and equity in our system”.

Her fashion statement may not be agreed upon by everyone, however, it is her job to represent her beliefs and be that face of change she wants to make in the world.

However, I personally do not think the dress media phenomonon will open a conversation like she hopes it will. There is just not much to talk about that this dress can speak for. I am sure those unaware of her views may see her differently, whether in agreement or not. But I can appreciate the boldness it takes to stand out amongst the crowd and wear your heart on your sleeve.

There were many other dresses at the Met gala that held deep, significant messages that were not quite written out. There were many that dressed like those they respect and represent another time in America. Keke Palmer, American actress and singer, donned a glamorous dress to pay tribute to beloved singer, songwriter, and actress, Diana Ross. Vogue magazine even named her the Met gala’s MVP.

Now, I could go on and on talking about every outfit. However, I will talk about one more thing that I cannot stop thinking about. And that is Lil Nas X.

Lil Nas X is a rapper who rose to fame after his single “Old Town Road” exploded on the internet. His career has continued successfully after that, so much so that he was invited to the Met Gala. Now it would be enough for anyone invited to wear just one outfit. But he decided that is not enough, choosing three outfits which he peeled off before the cameras.

First, he wore a large draping coat that overshadowed him. After having assistance, he shrugged off the coat to reveal gold, shiny armor, which sort of reminds me of C-3PO. Then he took that off to finally show his golden bodysuit. If I were to have a favorite outfit, this would be a top contender.

I look forward to what the Met Gala has to offer next time, which is a lot sooner than you may realize, since the next appearance of the ball is happening May 2, 2022.

Article by Rylan DeHaven