lost in the garden of time

by: Laura Stevenson

“Wicked” co-stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo mid-interview at the 2024 Met Gala.

Every spring we celebrate one of fashion’s most talked about events of the year: the Met Gala. We see celebrities on theme, off theme, and some dressed so boring they forgot why they're even invited.

The theme of the 2024 Met Gala was “Garden of Time.” The dress code correlates with the Costume Institute’s exhibit titled “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”

In no way am I a fashion expert, but as the average on-looker and high fashion appreciator, I had my favorite looks from the night and ones that I wish didn’t step foot on the carpet. Below are a few celebrities and designers that stuck out to me (for good and bad reasons).

Cardi B wearing a “Gothic Glam” look by Sensen Lii.

With Cardi B, it’s always go big or go home with her Met Gala looks. She faced some backlash for forgetting the name of her designer during an interview on the carpet, but she still looked fabulous. There’s a slim connection to the theme with this look, but the dress is gorgeously fluffy and fits the rapper very well.

Emma Chamberlain wearing Jean Paul Gaultier.

Chamberlain’s look puts a dark twist on the enchanted, fantasy like theme. According to People Magazine, her dress took 640 hours to create and is partially inspired by a corset look sent down the runway in 2003 from the French fashion house. I think this is her best outfit from her last four attendances to the Met. Beautifully done.

Bang Chan, Han, Felix, Seungmin, Hyunjin, I.N., Lee Know, and Changbin from K-pop group Stray Kids in Tommy Hilfiger.

I’m disappointed. I absolutely adore Stray Kids and they look very prince-like in their outfits, however with the limited color palette Hilfiger is known for I’m not impressed with these looks. It’s difficult to style a group of eight, so at the very least they’re coordinated well. As a stay, I know that they could have easily been dressed better to the actual Met’s theme. This is so bland and they could’ve done more. BUT they each look absolutely dashing.

Nicholas Galitzine, star of “The Idea of You”, dressed by Fendi.

Speaking of men at the Met, Galitzine made his Met Gala debut this year. Unfortunately, he was one of the most boring looks of the night. Some argue that men have less room to play with fashion on red carpets, but this is the MET GALA. If you’re a man in a black tux at fashion’s biggest night of the year, please go home. You can wear a black tux to any event. Let’s be on theme.

Lil Nas X dressed in Luar.

This is how men should be dressing at the Met Gala. The rapper is known for always giving what the theme deserves every year. His off white suit, blonde hair, and fresh set of nails shined on the carpet. It’s not too out of the box, but he was definitely one of the best dressed of the night.

Ariana Grande’s second look of the night from Maison Margiela, designed by John Galliano.

I loved Grande’s “mother-of-pearl” bustier dress by Loewe’s Jonathan Anderson she wore on the Met step’s but her second look of the night was my favorite of the two. She looked snatched in the corset piece, ethereal, and fairy like. The singer performed in Galliano’s dress inside the Met and said she felt the most like herself in it. The lighting hitting the dress made Grande sparkle lavishly.

Elle Fanning dressed in Balmain.

Gorgeous. Some may be sick of the naked look but Fanning is still doing it for me. This completely transparent Balmain gown looks like it’s made of crystal. It adds to the delicacy of the look. The two sculpted birds that extend from the shoulders give the illusion of an ice sculpture. I think this dress is beautifully crafted and Fanning’s softer make up look adds to the whole thing. The dress was made with organza and layers of resin.

Tyla in her “Sands of Time” Balmain dress.

From the dress to the hour glass hand bag, this Met Gala look is one of the most creative. There was a story here. The dress puts the singer’s body on display, perfectly sculpted with three colors of sand and micro crystal studs. I remember seeing footage of Tyla being physically carried up the Met steps due to the limited mobility the dress gave. For her Met Gala debut, it was the most unforgettable (especially since the designer had to cut her out the dress after).

Wisdom Kaye in a burnt rose look designed by Robert Wun.

The fashion influencer stepped onto the Met Gala carpet looking like a wilted rose, “telling a story of decay through time” according to Wun. The giant single rose on the front of the dress pops and the brightness of the red compliments his skin color beautifully. I loved this interpretation of the theme, especially since garden flowers decay with time.

Sabrina Carpenter dressed by Oscar de la Renta.

Sabrina. I love you, but I’m not feeling this dress. The “Espresso” singer looks fabulous littered in diamonds and rocking her signature blonde bow out, but the dress falls a little flat for me. E News describes the pale blue skirt to be reminiscent of Cinderella, which I guess is the connection to the theme. I’m not impressed with the dress as it can be worn to any formal red carpet, but Carpenter herself is dazzling.

Nicki Minaj in a Marni minidress.

Minaj’s Met Gala look stands out to me because of the pop of bright yellow and hand painted recycled aluminum flowers. The flowers in her hair and mini handbag matching the texture of the dress really round out the rapper’s entire look. The texture of the dress reminds me of an oil painting. When I think of a garden I think of vibrant colors and I think of flowers, so this dress really nailed the theme and fits Minaj’s body exquisitely.

Zendaya’s second gown: vintage Givenchy from spring 1996 collection.

Lastly, I had to cap this piece with Zendaya’s second red carpet look of the night. I thought her first look was already to die for, but this one? Consider me dead again. The head piece resembles a lovely bouquet of flowers. I love that the dress is black and ruffly and then BAM! Pop of color. The shape of the head piece blends beautifully with the actress’s face and soft, no eye make up look. According to her stylist Law Roach in a Buzzfeed interview, Zendaya fell so in love with the dress, she actually bought it. She deserves to be on every best dressed list that hits the internet.

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