The Met Gala 2021: The Best Red Carpet Looks

The best of the best of "American Fashion."

Sara Holzman's avatar
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Published In Features
met gala dresses
(Image credit: Getty Images)

No, it’s not the first Monday in May, and in fact, it’s not the first Monday in September either, but tonight, celebrities will return to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for one of the most glamorous events of the fashion season—the 2021 Met Gala. Following the cancelation of 2020’s event amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s more intimate star-studded guest list will gather in celebration of a theme that hits close to home: American Fashion.

Rather than showcasing only big name legacy brands, this year’s exhibit will put an emphasis on young, emerging, and avant-garde designers who are the future of fashion. The hosts of the evening are also a nod to a new generation of artists: Naomi Osaka, Timothée Chalamet, Amanda Gordon, and Billie Eilish will kick off the festivities, while some 400 guests will arrived dressed in the theme of American Independence. Before guests enter the Met for cocktails and dinner (where social media is strictly prohibited), take a peek at what they’re wearing to this year’s Met Ball.

Ilana Glazer
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Ilana Glazer

Emma Chamberlain
(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz)

Emma Chamberlain

Rachel Smith
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Rachel Smith

Anna Wintour
(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris)

Anna Wintour

Keke Palmer
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Keke Palmer

Alicia Quarles
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Alicia Quarles

Bee Carrozzini
(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/MG21)

Bee Carrozzini

Tom Ford
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Tom Ford

Eva Chen
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Eva Chen

Timothée Chalamet
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Timothée Chalamet

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz

Amanda Gorman
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Amanda Gorman

Dan Levy
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Dan Levy

Ella Emhoff
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Ella Emhoff

Maisie Williams
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Maisie Williams

Barbie Ferreira
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Barbie Ferreira

Billie Eilish
(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris)

Billie Eilish

Saweetie
(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz)

Saweetie

Yara Shahidi
(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris)

Yara Shahidi

Channing Tatum
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Channing Tatum

Naomi Osaka
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Naomi Osaka

Lil Nax X
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Lil Nax X

Serena Williams
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Serena Williams

Finneas O'Connell
(Image credit: Arturo Holmes/MG21)

Finneas O'Connell

Chance the Rapper
(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz)

Chance the Rapper

Jennifer Hudson
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Jennifer Hudson

Grimes
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Grimes

Kaia Gerber
(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris)

Kaia Gerber

Iman
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Iman

Megan Thee Stallion
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Megan Thee Stallion

Kim Petras
(Image credit: Kim Petras)

Kim Petras

Tracee Ellis Ross
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Tracee Ellis Ross

Zoey Deutch
(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris)

Zoey Deutch

Irina Shayk
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Irina Shayk

Karli Kloss
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Karli Kloss

Lorde
(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz)

Lorde

Pete Davidson
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Pete Davidson

Frank Ocean
(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz)

Frank Ocean

Donatella Versace
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Donatella Versace

Mary J. Blige
(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris)

Mary J. Blige

Kris Jenner
(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz)

Kris Jenner

Ava DuVernay
(Image credit: Arturo Holmes/MG21)

Ava DuVernay

Megan Fox
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Megan Fox

Ciara
(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz)

Ciara

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Aurora James
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Aurora James

Mindy Kaling
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Mindy Kaling

Chloe Bailey and Halle Bailey
(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz)

Chloe Bailey and Halle Bailey

Virgil Abloh
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Virgil Abloh

(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Gabrielle Union
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Gabrielle Union

Sienna Miller
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Sienna Miller

Megan Rapinoe
(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/MG21)

Megan Rapinoe

Kacey Musgraves
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Kacey Musgraves

Justin Beiber and Hailey Bieber
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Justin Beiber and Hailey Bieber

Alicia Keys
(Image credit: John Shearer)

Alicia Keys

Lupita Nyong'o
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Lupita Nyong'o

Jennifer Lopez
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Jennifer Lopez

Olivia Rodrigo
(Image credit: Arturo Holmes/MG21)

Olivia Rodrigo

Chloe Fineman
(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/MG21)

Chloe Fineman

Simone Biles
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Simone Biles

Rita Ora
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Rita Ora

Kendall Jenner
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Kendall Jenner

Kim Kardashian
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Kim Kardashian

Sharon Stone
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Sharon Stone

Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabello
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabello

Gigi Hadid
(Image credit: Theo Wargo)

Gigi Hadid

Kate Hudson
(Image credit: Mike Coppola)

Kate Hudson

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Sara Holzman
Sara Holzman
Style Director

Sara Holzman is the Style Director at Marie Claire, where she oversees fashion coverage spanning seasonal trends, celebrity style, designers, Fashion Month, and shopping. With more than a decade of experience in fashion media, she has held roles at Condé Nast’s Lucky and Self and contributed style and travel coverage to Equinox’s Furthermore. A graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism, Sara is based in New York City, where she writes about fashion through both an industry and personal lens, including the realities of getting dressed as a working mom. Follow her on Instagram at @sarajonewyork.