This year, the 2019 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City wasn’t just fashion’s biggest night out, as the event’s called; it was fashion’s biggest night out there. Lady Gaga made sure of it.
The Oscar- and Grammy-winning diva made the scene at the pink — note, pink — carpet with multiple outfits and loads of attitude. It was all in keeping with the night’s theme of camp, an ode to all things big, bright and way over the top.
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Gaga co-hosted the event with pop star Harry Styles. Other celebrities who attended and camped it up included Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Nick Jonas, newlyweds Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Tiffany Haddish, Serena Williams, Pose‘s Billy Porter and Jared Leto.
The Met Gala was first held in 1948, though the event looks very different this century than it did last. Since Rihanna showed up on the then-red carpet in 2015 with a train to end all trains, the competition to own the night’s buzz has become ever fiercer.
Take Monday’s event: Does Gaga win because she showed off three dresses and a black lingerie ensemble? Does Porter win because he was carried into the event like ancient (and golden) Egyptian royalty? Or, does Styles win because he’s, well, always stylin’?
Here’s our take on the night’s craziest, campiest, worst and, yes, best looks from the 2019 Met Gala.
BEST: Jennifer Lopez
Lopez doesn’t just put some effort into this first-class camp effort; she puts some leg into it.
WORST: Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen
The fashion-maven sisters bring down the house — in a bummer kind of way — in gowns fit for a black-tie funeral.
CAMPIEST: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas
The fun couple has fun with the night’s theme — and we applaud them for it.
BEST: Cardi B
The rapper has every right to look proud: This. Is. Stunning.
WORST: Kris Jenner
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians mogul, with boyfriend Corey Gamble, looks confident, but in the need of a steam iron.
CAMPIEST: Lady Gaga
From the giant Saved by the Bell-esque cell phone to the uber-sunglasses, Gaga nails the part about camp being big — really big.
CRAZIEST: Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner
Who say the Avengers are over? Check out these superheroes.
BEST: Kacey Musgraves
The country singer-songwriter epitomizes Barbie-inspired camp, and we are here for it.
CRAZIEST: Kim Kardashian West
Unfortunately, bronze-iest isn’t one of our categories, so craziest will have to do for the reality star, who appears to have stunned even husband Kanye West.
BEST: Lady Gaga
The Oscar-winner and Grammy-winner wins the Met Gala night with her first look: a billowy vision in pink — and camp.
WORST: Gwen Stefani
The singer looks great — no doubt. The thing is, she doesn’t look campy.
BEST: Kendall Jenner
You ever see Cher in Vegas in the 1970s? Now you have. Given the night’s theme, this is perfect.
WORST: Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen
The Super Bowl-winning quarterback and the supermodel look beautiful, but boring — and definitely not camp.
BEST: Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union
We don’t know what these A-list marrieds are wearing, but they look adorable wearing it. Love it.
WORST: Emily Ratajkowski
The model’s gown is lovely, and the butterfly headdress is kinda crazy, but only kinda. In the end, Ratajkowski’s look is just too elegant to be campy — and Met Gala memorable.
CAMPIEST: Kylie Jenner
The reality star’s look is almost too safe, but the purple pom-poms literally put it in the right camp.
CRAZIEST: Jared Leto
The Oscar-winner, always a Met Gala star, stuns in Sgt. Pepper meets The Apple (it’s way camp — look it up) meets a fake head.
BEST: Celine Dion
Somebody got the memo, and read the memo: Tonight is about being BIG.
WORST: Lady Gaga
You can’t win them all, and Gaga doesn’t win our plaudits in this gown that, we must point out, would be totally appropriate for a Mary Poppins cosplayer.
CAMPIEST: Lily Collins
The actress is throwing it back to Valley of the Dolls — and we like it.
CRAZIEST: Lady Gaga
Gaga’s last outfit was the, well, craziest of all.
CAMPIEST: Ciara
The singer does her best Cher — and we mean the best Cher, circa 1974.
BEST: Billy Porter
The Pose star strikes a regal, winning pose.
WORST: Constance Wu
The Crazy Rich Asians and Fresh Off the Boat star is camping it up more than her gown.
BEST: Hailey Bieber
Not all camp is over-the-top or even boundary-pushing. Exhibit A: Hailey Bieber, who channels a vibe straight out of a swingin’ 1960s Peter Sellers flick.
CRAZIEST: Katy Perry
The American Idol judge usually shines at the Met Gala. This year, she literally shines.
BEST: Serena Williams
The tennis great comes ready to play in Nikes — and bold attitude.
BEST: Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart
The couple from Riverdale is not only out there, but bold enough not to go all matchy-matchy. We’re impressed.
WORST: Miley Cyrus
We love the pop singer; we’re not fond of this number, which is neither here, nor there — and nowhere near camp.
CRAZIEST: Liza Koshy
The YouTube star brings her own tugboat … or something.
WORST: Demi Moore
Do you know what camp is? Good. Then next time you see Ms. Moore, please tell her — because, nifty dress pockets or no, this isn’t it.
WORST: Ava DuVernay
We appreciate the elegant cut, but the filmmaker should’ve yelled “Cut!” on this green-screen-as-gown look.
CRAZIEST: Benedict Cumberbatch
Those of us old enough to remember Boss Hogg will appreciate every inch of this daring and confident look.
BEST: Janelle Monae
The ayes have it — or, should we say, the eye has it: The outfit is mad, in the best way.
WORST: Regina King
This Oscar-winner’s gown would have been amazing … on any other red carpet.
CRAZIEST: Madelaine Petsch
We almost put this Riverdale star in “best,” but this red carpet has a lot of competition.
BEST: Laverne Cox
The Orange Is the New Black star is a showstopper.
BEST: Tiffany Haddish
Two words: Love. It.
BEST: Elle Fanning
Whelp, love or it hate it, it’s high fashion, it’s camp, and it’s bold. Bravo.
WORST: Emma Stone
As a matter of principle, we have no quarrel with disco-glitter jumpsuits. But this Oscar-winner’s getup isn’t over-the-top enough to be camp, and it’s not different enough to be crazy.
CAMPIEST: Harry Styles
One earring? A shirt lifted from a pirate lingerie outlet? If that isn’t camp, we don’t know what is.
BEST: Emily Blunt
For a proper British actress, we’re pretty sure this is high camp. Also, it’s just a great look.
WORST: Travis Scott
Sorry, Mr. Scott, camp does not mean Halloween costumes. Dress up like a Star Wars character on another day.
CAMPIEST: Lupita Nyong’o
We have only one thing to say about the Oscar-winner’s look: Yes!
BEST: Idris Elba
The actor, with new wife Sabrina Dhowre, takes a chance on an out-there tux jacket — and wins.
CRAZIEST: Salma Hayek
We like how the actress’ gown seems to shoot silver-beaded rays at you from the shoulders. Nice touch.
WORST: Mindy Kaling
The look is … fine. But it’s just evening wear with an interesting hair color. We. Came. For. The. Camp.
CRAZIEST: Natasha Lyonne
The Russian Doll star looked outta sight — way outta sight.
CAMPIEST: Zazie Beetz
The Atlanta star looks part bride, part groom — and all fabulous.
WORST: Bee Carrozzini
The daughter of Vogue maven Anna Wintour makes the scene in a perfectly fine black pantsuit (with, sure, a bright-red train) that fails only in that it fails to live up to the camp theme.
