Fashion's Biggest Night: What to Expect on the First Monday in May

Law Roach is retiring, the Kardashians might be banned, and anything could happen. What can viewers expect to see at this year’s Oscars of Fashion? Before the guest list is finalized, contributor Hannah Siegel offers her predictions for the upcoming Met Gala.

All Chanel Everything

Unlike Met Galas of years past, this year’s theme has one specific figure in mind: Karl Lagerfeld. While Lagerfeld has an iconography of his own: slicked back white hair, giant sunglasses, and an ever-present black-and-white suit, the jewel in Lagerfeld’s crown was his influence on the French fashion house originally founded by Coco Chanel.

Taking over in 1983, Lagerfeld ‘re-imagined’ the house, building it into a “nearly $10 billion business”. As such, be sure to expect the label’s signatures: tweed, pearls, and tons of suiting. The house’s previous poster children, such as the redemption touring Cara Delevigne may well be sporting showstoppers.

Also, be sure to look for attendees dripping with baubles (Think Naomi Campbell from the ‘92 show). Accessories–from gold chains, to low-slung belts, to feathers–were all staples of Lagerfeld’s iconic 1992 spring collection. Paris’s runway was covered in gold accents that season, from jacket trims to jewelry, and the ‘chain dress’ has taken on a life of its own–so gold will likely show up as well.

Shalom Harlow at the Fall Hau

[From Left to Right: Shalom Harlow at the Fall Haute Couture show in 1995, “The Dress” aka Christy Turlington at the Haute Couture Spring/Summer show in 1992, Naomi Campbell Spring/Summer 1992]

As for the inspiration taken from Lagerfeld himself? Expect dominant eyewear, sharp angles, and black and white.

Fashion has never felt more nostalgic for the high-fashion heydays of the 90s. Here’s hoping Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell themselves actually make an appearance.

Actually Well-Dressed Men

It’s usually a Met Gala staple: famous men appearing in the same-old black and white tuxedo while their (female) dates dazzle with new styles. Celebrities from James Corden to Channing Tatum have been loudly shamed for wearing nothing but a black tux, over and over again. However, I sense a change in the air.

Maybe it’s the rising popularity of Thom Browne, who’s known for incorporating skirts into traditional menswear; maybe it’s Roger Federer’s place on the organizing committee. But one only needs to take a look at this year’s Oscars fashions to see sensibilities shifting. White Lotus’s Adam Di Marco took to the red carpet in patent leather Chelsea boots, a charcoal relaxed-fit suit, and a Dior Men’s kilt. Donald Glover sported an Alexander McQueen jumpsuit, complete with side-baring cutouts. Harvey Guilen was Cinderella-meets-40s-glamor in a glitzy Christian Siriano tuxedo-dress. Even the more conservative looks, such as Paul Mescal’s shining white tux, featured embellishments, like his color-blocked outfit and red carnation on the lapel.

Alton Mason’s Valentino Fall 2022 Haute Couture look styled with Maison Margiela Tabi shoes

In the end, stars might be itching to follow the internet’s daddy and man-of-the-moment Pedro Pascal’s lead, who recently graced the season premiere of The Mandalorian in cable-knit mesh, oversized glasses, and even a preppy sweater tied around the shoulders. Color? Revealing fabrics? Counter-intuitive yet somehow sexy styling?

Dare I hope for an exciting menswear moment?

Protests

2021’s Met Gala saw Black Lives Matter activists being carted away in zip-ties and tackled to the ground. Last year’s theme, “In America: an Anthology of Fashion” was met with derision and confusion. Even AOC’s infamous “tax the rich” dress ignited a maelstrom of backlash.

Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images

This year, the decision to honor Karl Lagerfeld has already garnered criticism, given his laundry-list of offensive comments. Lagerfeld had an outspoken distaste for body-inclusivity in fashion, badmouthed gay marriage and same-sex adoption, implied that Germany welcoming Syrian refugees was akin to “kill[ing]...Jews so you can bring…their worst enemies in their place”, and hated the #MeToo movement. Notoriously, Lagerfeld also defended stylist Karl Temper after being accused of pulling down a model’s underwear.

Even Anna Wintour, ever the calculating queen of the ball, is facing her own crisis of confidence. After union-busting efforts at Condé Nast, accusations of racism, and long-suppressed murmurs that Wintour has outlasted her own expertise, it seems that the tide of public opinion has finally turned against her.

With each of these PR disasters colliding together, it will come as no surprise if protestors rally beyond the fences on 5th Ave.

Whatever the Met Gala brings, all eyes will be pointed towards those famous red steps come May 1st. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Written by Hannah Siegel

Blue Carpet Beauty

There are a few facts about life that we all know:

1. Beauty and fashion are two ways we can romanticize our lives.

2. Celebs and their glam teams use award shows to present established, fresh and sparkling looks to the world, and for us as ‘the world’, we soak these looks up to judge, learn from, and admire.

3. However, more importantly, beauty is more than surface deep, and as much as these looks are aesthetically pleasing. They allow for a gateway into the celebrity’s overall appearance and the aim behind it.

That being said, the Oscars may be one of the most celebrated award shows held during the year, recognizing star after star for their reputable work in film, motion picture, and art. However, the after party held by Vanity Fair is where we see these ‘stars’ shine bright. I’ll place the "vain" in Vanity Fair and look at the Glam presented to us on the blue carpet.

Starting with someone from my side of the pond, Amelia Dimoldenberg of North London, creator of chicken shop date (featuring many of your favorite musical artists). She graced the cameras in an all-around ‘less is more’ look. Her dark smokey eye and the bl ack fitted dress were satisfyingly paired with ginger blown-out locks which gave for a delicate soft glam. This look exuded comfort yet confidence for her first appearance at such a reputable event.

Princess Jasmine, all grown up, was in attendance. Embodied through Simone Ashley’s Nina Ricci teal look. To accent the sparkling gown, Ashley was adorned in Boucheron diamonds, and her makeup was kept light with a soft rosy matte lip for some color. Regency seems to be a theme for her, just like her recent role in Bridgerton as a viscountess. Where, just like she did for Vanity Fair, she kept her looks bright and colorful. Accentuating her skin perfectly and capturing not only our hearts but the heart of the Viscount too!

Loewe has recently been making major waves with their runway and ready-to-wear collections. From balloon heels to 3D-printed structured garments, Loewe knows how to create clothing that will turn heads. Their White Calla Lily dress draped on was no exception. The corseted bodice fit Aboah perfectly, with the White Calla Lilies sitting perfectly to cover up breasts as a cheeky notion. The looser, more flowy, bottom half of the gown draped and fell like water around her feet, giving her an air of ethereality as she glided across the carpet. The glossy eyelid look and skin-focused makeup blend fit the entire look. Giving the dress its moment to shine as well as highlighting her natural beauty.

For her first public appearance of this caliber since her trial testifying against Tory Lanez, Megan Thee Stallion wowed in her Bach Mai gown, styled by the legendary Law Roach. The rapper exuded opulence with her mermaid shimmery black dress and dripping Gismondi jewels. As much as the dress and jewelry stunned, the real show was up top through her face and hair. It’s hard to miss the deep contour which gave her face a strong base. Considering the bullying she has been experiencing on the internet recently, this new appearance of power from her is so refreshing and well-received. The dark pink ombre lip with the sharp eyeliner personified the word glam and was perfected with the blown-out curly afro. As a person of color myself, wearing my afro gives me an overarching feeling of freedom and this resonates perfectly with Megan’s recent emotions surrounding her trial. The Vanity Fair carpet was the perfect place to give us such a beautiful look and present herself as free from all the recent negativity.

Hunter Schafer undeniably presented my favorite look from the evening. I am always for women feeling liberated to show skin and body, especially in a society that consistently makes us feel as though we need to be ‘covered up’ as compared to our male counterparts. Schafer kept her top half structured with a single feather adorning her chest whilst displaying her toned midriff. Her bottom half was draped with a white flowy bias-cut skirt. The flowy theme was kept up with her beach-wave hair and minimal makeup. Her look overall was young, fresh, and completely angelic. Just beautiful.

I just had to include Dove Cameron’s sexy Maticevski look. Dove Cameron would most definitely play both swan roles in Swan lake. From her Disney days, with bright blonde hair and preppy looks that radiated white swan. To her recent looks from her ‘Boyfriend’ era, such as this one. Her dark brunette hair fits her and her personality so perfectly, nestled with a soft brown shimmery eyeshadow and bright red lip. The black structured gown sits so nicely on her body and the beaded chest plate was such a nice accent, shying away from the little black dress aesthetic. This look immediately screamed black swan, it’s beautiful to see such diversity from her as an actress/artist both in her work in the studio and on screen, and now off-screen through her fashion.

Glam, beauty, and fashion are more than surface-deep, they are all words that mean something different to us all, and what we consume and produce day to day reflects that. Regardless of personal thoughts/opinions surrounding celebrities, award shows, and events, these are the times when new ‘favorites’, ‘hits’, ‘misses’, and iconic looks are displayed. This expression of self is supposed to be fun for both us as viewers and celebs themselves, anything more or less is pointless.

Written by Davianna Prescott

The 70's Style Guide

The 70’s. Whether you relate that time period to glam and disco or the hippy movement, suffice it to say, the era brought about many iconic and quintessential trends, some of which we are seeing come back today. Celebrities such as Stevie Nicks, Cher, Goldie Hawn, and Farrah Fawcett are just a few of the style icons of the decade, and they reflect the wide variety of fashions that were popular in the decade. On one side of style there was glamor, which was characterized by the fact that it took much inspiration from earlier decades, most specifically the movie star style of the 1940s. On the other side was the much more different hippy style, which employed a much more earthy, natural look.

When recalling the 70’s, one of the first things that stick out in memory are bell bottom jeans. The pants have their roots in the early 1900s and were commonly worn by navy officers for their ability to be easily rolled up. However, the iconic garment rose to fame when Sonny and Cher donned them on television, kickstarting the trend. More commonly made out of denim, but sometimes crafted with brightly colored and patterned cottons, the pants flare out from the knee, creating an exciting, fun-loving silhouette. Often paired with different styles of boots and shoes, such as Chelsea boots, Clogs, and many other platformed shoes.

Because of the adoration of the wide-legged and bellbottom silhouette, platform shoes were all the rage. The platform would obviously give height to the wearer, which was always welcome, however, they also gave room for the bellbottom’s hem to move with the wearer, swinging back and forth as they walked and danced. They were commonly worn by glam rock musicians, most notably David Bowie. The shoes were capable of being more eye-catching but were also more comfortable to wear and perform in. Of course, these shoes were more popular on the dance floor, there were more neutral options for day to day life. Platformed oxfords, sneakers, and sandals, usually made with soles of cork, wood or synthetic materials allowed for simpler options for normal everyday wear.

Another notable piece of fashion within this time is the use of oversized collars on garments. Of course, shirt collars go back many, many centuries, with a multitude of different sizes and styles. Collared shirts, dresses, and jumpsuits were commonplace, on both men and woman. A common style of collar was the Barrymore collar, named after the actor John Barrymore, who was commonly seen wearing it. The common silhouette of the decade could be characterized by larger, broad shoulders that slim downwards. Oversized collars helped to complete that look and were able to be placed on almost any garment.

Frankly, there are too many styles and trends to simply pick one to reflect the entirety of the 1970s. Be it the fitted t-shirts and pants, or the loose and flowy maxi dresses, neither are wrong. What makes the decade so special is that there are so many possibilities when deciding how to encapsulate the decade in a single outfit.

Written by Gabbi Feaster

Photography By Yusef Shah

Models: Federica Finocchiaro, Izzy Reddy