When the theme of this year’s Costume Institute Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET Gala) was announced as ‘Punk: Chaos to Couture’ I was excited. This would be an actual event with costumes, surely?
Oh of course not, this is the fashion world dah-ling, couture has to be the order of the day and if Anna Wintour is the head of the chair organising this shindig then you must obey!
This would definitely be a chance for the Brits to shine on the red carpet, punk originated from London surely we are the ones who truly know how to do punk. So it is pretty disappointing to see, then, certain Brit celebrities throwing on a studded leather jacket and calling it an ode to punk Sienna Miller…
There were rumours abound in the lead up to the MET Gala that female celebrities were worried about not looking ‘pretty’ and didn’t want to be too edgy for fear of ending up on that unforgiving worst dressed list. This is probably the only event where you could go for that outlandish look and get away with it all in the name of punk.
Anna Wintour on the other hand attended a different MET Gala, her invite included the sub text ‘punk also means floral’. What person could possibly interpret floral Chanel Couture with even a possible edge of punk? She even shoehorned the pregnant Kim Kardashian into that god awful floral Givenchy floral curtain. Kim K is trying so hard to please everyone around her she really appears as though she hasn’t got a mind of her own, I feel sorry for her because Kanye just seems like he’s regretting his choice of baby mamma…
Anna Wintour in Chanel Couture at the MET Gala 2013
Those who I favoured on the red carpet at the MET Gala are the ones who embraced the theme of the punk:
Anne Hathaway, after the huge disappointment of the Oscars, she by far was my favourite look of the night. Wearing sheer black Valentino, she made the look super edgy by dying her hair peroxide blonde and slicking it back with a messy quiff. As soon as I saw the full look this was what I wanted, what I was expecting on the red carpet. Absolutely 10/10, the naughty boob flashing, the cut out shape and just clear sexiness of the whole look was Sharon Stone uh-may-zing. You go girl.
Anne Hathaway in Valentino at the MET Gala 2013.
Another person who embodied the drama was Nicole Richie, she’s yet to truly let me down on a red carpet and her somewhat simple embellished white custom Topshop gown was accessorised with vampy lipstick and a shock of white hair. I think the punk horror look totally works.
Nicole Richie in custom Topshop at the MET Gala 2013
At first glance Sarah Jessica Parker is wearing a voluminous patterned Giles gown, but scan to the top and she is adorned with a custom made Philip Treacy mohawk inspired head piece. It is simply jaw-dropping. And only something that SJP could work so perfectly, she later revealed her thigh high laced boots which just added to punk glam factor. Well done SJP, you have been reborn!
Sarah Jessica Parker in Giles and a Philip Treacy head piece at the MET Gala 2013
Sarah Jessica Parker in her Philip Treacy headpiece at the MET Gala 2013
Elizabeth Banks was the guest of Brian Atwood so her super short Versace gold tuxedo jacket perfectly showcased her amazing fringed heels. This is the definition of glam punk, gold gold and sexy.
Elizabeth Banks in Versace and Brian Atwood at the MET Gala 2013
Nina Dobrev never fails to amaze me on the red carpet, there are some looks that I like more that others, but she always comes out on the best dressed list everytime. This Monique Lhuillier creation gives Nina the punk attitude, and she was one of the few that wore trousers, I like the fact that it came with the detachable tulle skirt because it was still high glamour but allowed her to party on without it at the MET after party still looking fierce.
Nina Dobrev in Monique Lhuillier at the MET Gala 2013
Oh Beyonce, for the second year running the star chose a Givenchy Couture gown and yet another showstopper. I can see this dress been like marmite for some, I love the train of fire it is matches her personality perfectly, the bustier is super tight but the snakeskin material just makes it even more dramatic. She also chose to wear gloves similar to Kim K’s design but by showing her décolletage it allowed for a break in the heavy pattern, and her wavy tresses and smoky make up were the perfect addition.
Beyonce in Givenchy Couture at the MET Gala 2013
I’m adding Emma onto this list simply because it is not a short printed mini dress. Yes there are still cutouts but she looks so different here, I would have liked to have seen some more attitude in her make up and shoes but this Prabal Gurung gown is a great graduation from red carpet princess.
Emma Watson in Prabal Gurung at the MET Gala 2013
Of all the people on the guest list we knew Florence Welch would bring in for the Brits, she has always worked a gothic edge to her red carpet dressing and it worked well here. Her Givenchy Couture fringed and velvet gown is dramatic, not necessarily punk but definitely chaotic, and her fiery red hair makes the whole look stand out.
Florence Welch in Givenchy Couture at the MET Gala 2013
Diane Kruger went that extra step and added a pink dip to the end of her blonde ponytail, it elevates her look along with her dark smoky make up. The Chanel Couture gown with overlay is certainly better than her purple feathered Prada gown from last year and she proved that the Chanel collection wasn’t all flowers like Anna Wintour’s dress did. Top effort, and as always had the perfect accessory with her in Joshua Jackson.
Diane Kruger in Chanel Couture at the MET Gala
Ever since Miley Cyrus chopped off her hair, she’s been channelling the grungy punk look. She’s a young girl not afraid of pushing the fashion boundary and so she shouldn’t be, I hate all those naysayers out there that hated on her for cutting her hair off just like they did with Karlie Kloss why do people have such an issue with short hair not being attractive or sexy?! Her Marc Jacobs dress skimmed Miley’s very toned body it was still glamourous with the added punk jewellery and her spiked up hair. The hair might not have been to everybody’s taste and she could have benefitted from it being slicked back but who cares she took a risk at a punk themed event!
Miley Cyrus in Marc Jacobs at the MET Gala 2013
I really like Jaime King’s custom Topshop suit, when I first saw her I thought she looked ten years younger maybe it’s something to do with those hair extensions and her model good looks. Jaime has such fun with fashion she never sticks to the same thing so I enjoyed seeing her in this satin trouser suit with a lace bodice top underneath. Topshop do great red carpet looks, if the rest of their guests including my favourite Ashley Madekwe in what she called punk mermaid, and even donned a black bob wig to make it all edgy.
Jaime King in custom Topshop at the MET Gala 2013
Ashley Madekwe in custom Topshop at the MET Gala 2013
At first when I saw Carey Mulligan in her Balenciaga dress, I thought it wasn’t enough but then as you see all the other stars and their interpretations on what punk is Carey fits in perfectly. Her knee length gown with a safety pin attached at the lapel worked with the understated cut outs on the side. I do think though that as someone who has a massive movie coming out that she shouldn’t have let Anne Hathaway upstage her.
Carey Mulligan in Balenciaga at the MET Gala 2013.
I really can’t make my mind up on Cameron Diaz’s Stella McCartney gown. I’m like a magpie to this colour, I love it. At first when I saw a picture I thought she looked a bit like a nun, but then after seeing the back and studying it a bit more I do think it is a very original creation which Stella does so well when making custom creations for her friends especially with the addition of that spiked gold belt. So I like it but I kind of don’t.
Cameron Diaz in Stella McCartney at the MET Gala 2013
The back view of the dress which is more like a cape than fully covered.
And then there was Madonna (aka Hilary Devey). Only she would translate punk to mean HOT MESS. She rocked up late to the MET Gala red carpet in Givenchy, but not just any Givenchy a checked studded jacket with horrible gloves, horrible ripped fishnet tights, with horrible suspenders, a horrible wig, and horrible shoes.
Madonna in Givenchy at the MET Gala 2013
Madonna posted this on her Instagram page, cleaning before the MET Gala…
And as far as I’m aware, nobody wore Alexander McQueen I though some of their creations would have definitely appeared on this red carpet without a doubt even if they did dedicate the 2011 gala to him.
Best of the rest:
Taylor Swift in J. Mendel at the MET Gala 2013. Good effort from TayTay she stuck to her tried and tested but vamped it up with make up and accessories.
Gisele Bundchen in Anthony Vaccarello at the MET Gala 2013. That pose annoys me, but only a model could wear her own interpretation of the infamous Versace safety pin dress which Lady Gaga ruined.
Christina Ricci in Vivienne Westwood at the MET Gala 2013. I love Christina she knows how to work it, not as outlandish has her dress from last year but still she wore the designer who created punk.
Amber Heard in Emilio Pucci at the MET Gala 2013. Far too sexy for this theme, but she still looks amazing and the colour is gorgeous.
Blake Lively in Gucci Premiere at the MET Gala 2013. A welcome return to the red carpet from Blake, I’ve missed her so much. She looked gorgeous as always.
Cara Delevingne in Burberry at the MET Gala 2013. I loved the studs and deep v neck, I worry about her though…
Joan Smalls in Tom Ford at the MET Gala 2013. One word: HOT.
Rooney Mara in Givenchy Couture at the MET Gala 2013. Unfortunately Rooney’s gown isn’t that original as Penelope Cruz already wore a version of this last year, which I find annoying for such a big event. She can do better.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Gucci at the MET Gala 2013. She’s a supermodel, she looks amazing.
Sienna Miller in Burberry at the MET Gala 2013. Sienna looks good, but she’s a BRIT and could do way better than throwing on a bloody studded biker jacket, honestly. Poor effort.
