Like clockwork on the first Monday of May, anyone who cares about celebrity and fashion is logged on to watch the Met Gala looks come flying down the timeline. It’s one of spring’s most glorious traditions, sitting on your couch in ratty sweats and bemoaning the latest victim to attempt to wear satin on the red carpet. This is when we all suddenly become experts on the theme: who slayed, who missed, and who didn’t even bother to try.
This year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” was both a cause for joy and, let’s be honest, slight worry. Andrew Bolton, head curator at Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute had described this theme as a way of paying tribute to André Leon Talley, but asking famous people to celebrate Black style right here in 2025? Well, I was worried, to say the least! “Superfine” was inspired by Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, and thus I expected to see a lot of misfires while attempting to nail the cool and effortless style. Being a Black Dandy isn’t just about a perfectly placed pocket square, or a crease so sharp it could kill a man. It’s a declaration of our being here, and our refusal to be erased. It’s about refinement as a weapon, it’s about reclaiming dignity in a world that refuses to show you any.
So, how did our favorite queers do last night? Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Colman Domingo & Raul Domingo wearing Valentino (photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images)
Colman is singularly the one man I was not worried about, as he dresses perfectly for this brief, and he was a co-chair! But I loove the pleating on his pants, the pattern mixing with the black and white and the RINGS! Raul also crushed, it’s giving perfect couple?
Sha-carri Richardson wearing Valentino by Alessandro Michele (photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images)
This is a nice dress! It feels a little more akin to the Sleeping Beauties theme from last year? But I like it!
Tessa Thompson (photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Black Dandy meets Queen of Hearts and THAT is the kind of energy I like and need to see!
Jonquel Q Jones (photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
The best hair look on the carpet hands down!!
Breanna Stewart wearing Sergio Hudson (photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Serviceable! Perfectly serviceable! I mean, tough that both Anna Saiwai and Zendaya showed up in white suits, (Zendaya was the clear winner) but still! Love the lil curl, could have used like, one more accessory? But again, serviceable!
Doechii wearing Louis Vuitton (photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
This is SO close to a full slay for me. The shorts need a little tailor assist, and I wish she stuck with Thom Browne for that very reason! But the hair?? The cigar? The cropped jacket? That’s a YES for me!
Cardi B (photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
This is my favorite look of the night I think? I love the 70s dandy energy, and I love how very Cardi this feels. She is wearing it, not the other way around! I could…have done without the colored contacts, but alas, I shall live to fight another day.
Cynthia Erivo wearing a custom gown designed by Sarah Burton for Givenchy (photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
I am…mixed on this? I want to like it? But something is stopping me from doing so, and I don’t know what it is! Maybe the high/low hemline is too dramatic? I don’t know!!!
Chappell Roan (photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
Technically this should work? It should give me the same 70s vibe as Cardi, but perhaps this is too far into Bowie? I mean, she looks great! But it doesn’t read dandy to me, and that’s just the way of it!
Cole Escola, wearing Christopher John Rogers (photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
This is PERFECT. Still feels unquestionably Cole, but you can clock the dandy inspiration in the cut of the pants and the wide lapels. No notes!
Christian Cowan and Sam Smith wearing Christian Cowan (photo by Theo Wargo/FilmMagic)
I don’t know why I can only think about The Phantom of the Opera when looking at this image, but alas, there it is. It works, I just want a little more, I think?
Lizzo wearing Christian Siriano (photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
IN love with this look, it’s like if Ursula and Josephine Baker had a baby and it grew up simply to serve looks?
Hunter Schafer (photo by Savion Washington/Getty Images)
It’s actually troubling to me that Hunter can wear literally anything? Love the hat here, it shouldn’t quite work, but it does!
Ayo Edebiri wearing a custom gown from Maximillian Davis and Ferragamo (photo by John Shearer/WireImage)
LOVE THIS!!! Love that the coral is shoutout to her Dad and her Nigerian roots!
KeKe Palmer wearing Marc Jacobs (photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
The black leggings are taking me out of this look, unfortch! I love the top, but the bottom….can go. With love to Keke!
Alex Newell (photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Alex Newell I love you but I need more? I’m so sorry that I hate this dress, actually! The more I look at it, the less I like it!
Megan Thee Stallion wearing Michael Kors (photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Here’s the thing, Meg looks great in this silhouette! It’s just…we see this on her a lot, and I would have loved to see her in suit, or something menswear inspired. I love the hair, a gorgeous Josephine Baker reference!
Janelle Monáe wearing a Paul Tazewell/Thom Browne collaboration (photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
It’s never a question if Janelle will nail the theme, it’s only a question of HOW, and this collab with Paul Tazewell and Thom Browne is it. The stripes, the black and red, plus the little steampunk monocle? Very Janelle, very dandy!
