Met Gala 2018: Favs & Final Thoughts

So Rihanna won the Met Gala red carpet again. No surprise there.

Image Credit: Instagram / @badgalriri

Solange was the heavenly body I didn't know I needed. She was the true winner for me. It was something about her headpiece and the durag together that stole the show for me. Solange had the blackest aesthetic on the carpet, something that I wished I felt more of from the black attendees.

& for her durag to read "MY GOD WEARS A DURAG" ...?!?!?! C'MON NOW! Solange just gives me what I need every time. I stan.

Image Credit: Instagram / @saintrecords

My other faves of the night included Janelle Monae, Zendaya, Cardi B and more.

Image Credit: Instagram / @janellemonae, @zendaya, @cardib, @sza, @lilycollins, @blakelively, @chadwickboseman, @jaredleto, @katebosworth

Overall, the red carpet was a good one. There were some great moments and some not-so-great moments, but I was pleased with the efforts of the attendees that committed to the 'Heavenly Bodies' theme. The hits of the night were superb!

However, since the dress code was Sunday's best, I would've enjoyed seeing the visual manifestation and dramatizations of what Sunday morning looks like for more than just the Catholic religion. When I think of Sunday's best and church attire, I think of all of the different religions that gather in their respective places of worship. Personally, I think of the event of getting dressed for church every Sunday morning. The look had to be together! For everyone to show up in wardrobe choices directly related to the Catholic religion was very cool to see but was also taking the theme of the night too literal. I understand the Catholic imagery and references to renaissance art that inspired the looks on the carpet, it just would've been nice to see something that existed outside of the white gaze of religion. I mean, Jared Leto was basically white Jesus...

It would've been great to see religion from the black perspective (Baptist, COGIC, Pentecostal, etc.) showcased in this particular space, especially since the majority of my favorite looks came from the black attendees. That's why Solange's incorporation of the durag into her look was so great to me; it was the blackest thing there, something that connected with me directly. Being unapologetically black in these kinds of spaces is necessary.

There's (generally) such a reverence that black people have for religious spaces. I would've loved to see evidences of that displayed on the red carpet. I was really looking forward to the black women channeling their inner church mothers and seeing the hats, gloves and fans. I wanted the three-piece suits, robes, something that felt like black church. The legacy of black church and African spirituality unapologetically showcased was missing from the Met Gala red carpet for me, but I also understand that that would take black stylists and designers and persons that understand religion and spirituality from that perspective.

Eh, perhaps another time.

Overall, the attendees this year looked great. There were those that followed the theme and those that didn't, per usual. The carpet was fun to see. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with next year!