The Met Gala 2010 – American Women Fashioning A National Identity

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art presented this year’s Costume Institute Benefit Gala with more stars lining up on the Red Carpet than an ordinary Oscar event. And to think that Anna Wintour’s curated event was under the influence of the American Women (fashioning a National Identity) circa 1890-1940!

I was trying hard to see through the Red Carpet defile something that would remind me of this year’s theme; instead I had to declare myself satisfied with outfits I could easily describe as season-fit – Prom Season, that is! (the story continues right after the jump with more images! Click here for the gallery!)

I kept my mind fresh and concentrated only on the visual perspective of last night’s Met Gala Red Carpet. I was expecting something definitely more costume-ish than what I found. However, given the premises of this special event, the wardrobe implications should have been clear enough: Anna Wintour head chief-ed this year’s Costume Institute Benefit Gala which was actually hosted by Oprah Winfrey and Patrick Robinson (from the Gap). With such media/consumerism luminaries, fashion sophistication would have been the least chez elle at the Metropolitan Museum of Art American Women exhibition Gala.

Extravaganza and originality, real fashion breakthroughs were modestly represented and we should actually consider ourselves lucky to not have had witnessed a jeans and basic casuals Red Carpet defile. On the other hand, searching the fashion history, you would have expected to see something more Victorian than last night’s Met Gala. Observing the Artistic dress on the Red Carpet I only found few to be really relevant while so many others took on the Oscar patterns instead of revolving around the night’s theme.

Somewhat reflecting the chosen time of the Met exhibition (American Women: Fashioning a National Identity), the outfits were Vera Farmiga dressed in a baby blue Sophie Theallet for Gap dress. Her gown grew on me not because of the aesthetics but mostly because it was event-coordinated. Just like Doutzen Kroes’ Zac Posen Cinderella blue tulle dress. An absolute ball gown, chapeau! Thandie Newton was the image of perfection, as always, wearing her Vivienne Westwood while Maggie Gyllenhaal nailed it right with a Louis Vuitton from their Fall Winter 2010 collection, a good collection for Rachel Bilson too. And as improbable and misplaced as she could have looked, Kirsten Dunst’s white Rodarte for Gap was perfectly jazzy for the époque!

Scaling down the event-fitting outfits we’re moving on to prom dresses. From Anne Hathaway’s Valentino through Rosario Dawson’s Giambatista Valli, a varied range of dresses would be just perfect for the prom… ahem ball! Camilla Belle’s fire red Jason Wu, Rachel Weisz’ pink Oscar de la Renta, Joy Bryant’s Marchesa, Mariska Hargitay’s navi Vera Wang.. We musn’t forget Kristen Bell’s Diane von Furstenberg or Renee Zellweger’s Carolina Herrera or even Oprah’s Oscar de la Renta! Eva Mendes in heavily flowery Dolce & Gabbana isn’t so bad either! Coco Rocha’s questionable flowery dress from Zac Posen felt positive in my books while Eva Longoria’s Marchesa had that repetitive look to it (since she’s definitely a Marchesa girl). The loud blues: Emmy Rossum in Kenneth Cole and Christina Hendricks in L’Wren Scott toned down at the gorgeous sight of beautiful Karlie Kloss in purple Donna Karan and statuesque Jessica Stam in dark blue Rachel Roy. Models still hold it high with Anja Rubik’s red Altuzzara and Riley Keough’s Thakoon for Gap. I still haven’t decided about Elizabeth Banks’ Gucci or Blake Lively’s Marchesa. Maybe the first one goes thumbs up (because of those life savings pockets) while Blake’s going down (especially because of that atrocious orange tan)? Same indecision goes for Bar Refaeli‘s too casual Rag & Bone mini dress…

Now let’s go review the metallics since so many participants at the Met Gala 2010 chose metallic/shiny silky fabrics to sparkle the night away! The one who surprised me the most was Demi Moore! Oh yes, she was there! And she wore Lanvin! I never would’ve guessed it wasn’t Versace! Nicole Richie was silver shiny in Marc Jacobs and Claire Danes in Burberry. Can we include Gwen Stefani’s LAMB too? It kinda sparkled, you know? Or Naomi Watts one shouldered Lanvin Stella McCartney? Same with M.I.A.’s Alexander Wang for Gap! Padma Lakshmi was gorgeously golden (wearing a yet unidentified dress), while Natasha Poly took your breath away in Michael Kors (chosen also by Diane Lane). Rachel Zoe was yellow velvelt-ish in Marc Jacobs, pretty much the same fabric as Erin Fetherston’s dress. Even Anna Wintour herself was silky sparkling in Chanel while Alessandra Ambrosio was heavenly beautiful in Versace and Abbie Cornish rather average in blue Louis Vuitton! Sequins still worked the Red Carpet for Brooke Shields (in Michael Kors, again) or Marion Cotillard (in Dior, biensur). Wrapping up the sparkling dresses was Katy Perry who had a white dress with LEDs in!

Have I told you about the pants? Liya Kebede in Rachel Roy, Chanel Iman in Michael Kors, Alexa Chung in Phillip Lim and Tina Fey in YSL! Gorgeous ladies, gorgeous frocks!

I saved the best for last: my favorite look of the night (and I have the feeling I’m not the only one thinking this way) was Sienna Miller (in Pucci, alongside her on/off beau, Jude Law). Perfection! My absolute fail of the night was, biensur, Chloe Sevigny in a too-strange-for-words Proenza Shouler dress. The most surprising had to be Diane von Furstenberg’s starry blue dress! Perfectly American! (photos via 1, 2, more about the fashion history from the 1890s here, about the 1900s here, the 1910s here )