Met Gala 2022: What you need to know about this year's glamorous theme

New York, New York - The biggest night in fashion is back! The 2022 Met Gala returns on the first Monday in May, with a dress code of Gilded Glamour.

The Met Gala is back with a Gilded Age theme.
The Met Gala is back with a Gilded Age theme.  © 123rf/ aapsky

Those lucky enough to be invited to the Met Gala today are of course expected to dress up, and in 2022, that means throwing on a white tie.

This is the most formal of formal dress codes – basically you would wear to meet the royals. Traditionally, for men, it means a white bow tie, with a white waistcoat, and unbuttoned jacket with peaked lapels.

But designers retain creative license to interpret the theme – America: An Anthology of Fashionas they see fit. Per Vogue, it is meant to celebrate the "unsung heroes of US design."

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The Met Gala coincides with the opening of the second part of a two part exhibit that focuses on American fashion and style at the Costume Institute.

Part two, which opens on May 7, features 13 American period rooms in the museum.

According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Instagram, the rooms "explore the foundations of American fashion through a series of sartorial displays featuring individual designers and dressmakers working in the United States from the 19th to the mid-late 20th centuries.⁣"

As far the Gilded Age-inspired theme goes, the fashion of the time was about excess, draping, and drama. Think feathers, ruffles, and top hats. According to People, opulence and cleavage should be a given. The 1880s also saw the arrival of the tailless Tuxedo in the US for men, so expect to see plenty of that.

Anyone interested to see how designers interpret the dress code can watch the official livestream on Vogue’s website. It starts May 2 at 6:00PM EDT.

Cover photo: 123RF/aapsky

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