Met Gala 2025: FAQs and Red Carpet Glamour
Yesterday, fashion and beauty lovers alike celebrated the first Monday of May: the Met Gala. LOOKFANTASTIC are here to tell you everything you need to know, from answering your burning questions, to bringing you all the top beauty trends from the blue carpet and helping you to achieve some of the iconic looks.
Whether this is your first year hearing about the Met Gala, or you stayed up all night watching the blue carpet, get the scoop on all the best looks right here.
What is the Met Gala?
The Met Gala is the fundraising event held by the Fashion Institute at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. Held on the first Monday in May every year, the Institute unveils its newest exhibit and A-listers from every industry are invited to dress on theme and attend the Gala, showcasing cutting edge fashion and beauty.
What is the Met Gala theme?
There are technically two themes for the Met Gala: the theme of the exhibition, and the dress code theme.
This year, the theme of the exhibition was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, which pays homage to the history of black style, specifically the black dandy.
The theme for the dress code is “Tailored for You”, allowing the guests to explore elevated tailoring through the lens of their own personal aesthetic.
What is Dandyism?
Dandyism at its core is activism in an aesthetic. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it became popular for Black Americans to dress in impeccably tailored pieces. Black dandyism pushed the boundaries of social norms, defying the categories of race and class by asserting a right to exist with the same dignity and respect as the upper classes. By favouring clean, understated tailoring over affluent, flamboyant aristocratic dress in a segregated society, black dandyism was an elegant and subtle rebellion against the norms, and a powerful yet silent protest.
Dandyism in a contemporary world looks a little different than it did at its beginning, but the ideals remain the same. Nowadays, you can expect to see perfect tailoring, statement accessories, and bold colour palettes.
Met Gala Makeup and Beauty
Of course, the Met Gala’s focus is the fashion, but what is fashion without its corresponding glam? Stylists and glam teams work together to create art for the Met every year, and LOOKFANTASTIC are here to break down the biggest beauty trends from the Met Gala stairs for 2025. Dive into red carpet-worthy hair, makeup, and skincare.
Red Carpet Hair
Laid Edges and Sculpted Hairstyles
Dating back to the ‘20s and ‘30s, laid edges is a hair styling trend deeply rooted in black culture. Originally a way to slick down frizz and conform to Eurocentric beauty ideals, laid edges became a way to express yourself and your cultural identity.
Adding a sense of whimsy to a structured hair style, laid edges were seen all over the Met Gala stairs last night. Teyana Taylor’s edges emerged from under a burgundy durag, and Sydney Sweeney’s sculpted curls brought an extra level of detail to her red carpet hairstyle. This look immediately elevates a simple look into a well-considered element of an outfit.
It is achieved by slicking down small sections of hair, specifically the thinner hairs around the hairline, with a toothbrush or spoolie and a styling gel.
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Shop Sydney Sweeney's Met Gala Skincare Prep
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Slicked Back
From Miley’s braid to Sophia Richie’s twisted updo, to Kylie’s impossibly sleek bun, the slick back trend isn’t going anywhere. Similarly to the laid edges, a gel and a spoolie or brush is all that is needed to tame flyaways and sculpt the hair into a smooth, sleek style.
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Natural Textures
Something we were really hoping to see on the stairs, and that was delivered time and time again, were natural hair textures. With the nature of this year’s theme, natural hair of any style was more than welcomed amongst the slicked styles. Lauryn Hill and Doechii opted for perfectly shaped afros, while Chappell Roan and Natasha Lyonne allowed their red curls to flow free in the rainy evening. Click here to shop afro and coily hair products.
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Shop Lauryn Hill's Met Gala Makeup
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Red Carpet Makeup
The Bronzed It-Girl
From Doechii’s glossy look to Ayo Adebiri’s dramatic smoky eye to Sabrina Carpenter’s subtle graphic liner, the effortlessly chic bronzed makeup is as timeless as it is glamorous. Spotted on countless celebs last night, they are proving that a more natural glam creates a subtle statement.
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Shop Sabrina Carpenter's Met Gala Makeup Look
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Cool Toned Smokey Eyes
The pop princess and the Met’s princess, cool toned smoky eyes packed impact on this year’s stairs. Chappell Roan and Emma Chamberlain sported dramatic smoky eyes, highlighting their paler complexions and light eyes beautifully. Jenna Ortega’s metallic eye look complemented her monochromatic silver look and offered a striking contrast to her warm skin tone.
Embrace a chic 90’s and 00’s inspired glam by complementing your natural tones with a cool toned eyeshadow palette.
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Bold Lips
What is a red carpet without a bold lipstick to elevate the glam? Lizzo sported an almost black, berry toned lip, while Tracy Ellis Ross and Doja Cat embraced the classics in a red. In a sea of more neutral tones and pared-back glam, something as simple and timeless as a bold lip makes a striking statement.
Red Carpet Skin: Glowy Finishes
Whether Tyla’s shimmering shoulders caught your eye, or you simply couldn’t believe Anok Yai's dazzling skin, this red carpet glow is something we will keep seeing all summer long.
Thankfully, this ethereal look is simple to achieve yourself. Body oils and serums, especially those with a subtle shimmer, catch the light and photograph beautifully. Apply all over your body for a summery glow that demands attention.
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