WOODBURY — With late spring and early summer fashion season upon us, many reflect back at the annual Met Gala for what’s truly trendy. The Met Gala is the one night a year when everyone with an obvious lack of fashion sense can judge celebrity looks in the comfort of their home. Referred to by many as “fashion’s biggest night out,” the Met Gala is something everyone can look forward to. 

Always held on the first Monday of May, the Met Gala is a fundraising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art that welcomes public figures of all kinds to dress up according to the theme, which this year was “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” Many think the fashion looks delivered by celebrities at this year’s Met Gala were disappointing in terms of matching the theme. 

“Most outfits this year were definitely a hit or miss,” says Campbell Bologna, a junior at Nonnewaug. “Although having Lizzo on the red carpet was awesome, and having some celebrities wearing pink to the gala was great.”

Drawing away from the theme, many avid Met Gala fans critique the fashion looks worn by the many celebrities that attended the event.

“The best fashion look by far was Sydney Sweeney,” Madison Willis, an avid Met Gala fan, says. “I loved all of the details she included on her outfit. The worst in my opinion was Jared Leto; he felt more like a costume than an outfit. Sydney Sweeney took the theme to a whole new level, on the contrary.”

The Met Gala, being a widely anticipated event, has a reputation for never disappointing through all of the years it has been happening. This certainly leaves some to pick their favorites, whether that’s in terms of theme, fashion looks, or guest list, and compare the recent galas. 

“This year was definitely a mix between iconic Met Gala celebrities not going to viewers not understanding the theme,” says Bologna. “The idea was great, but once people did their research on the theme it became more of a poor choice.”

Despite the drawbacks of the theme of this year’s Met Gala, it continues to impress nationwide. Traditions like these are ones that are celebrated all over the U.S., similar to those that are present in high schools on a yearly basis. Prom, an event many high schoolers are excited for, provides just as much fashion and a good time for everyone who attends. Whether there’s a correlation is still to be determined.

“I don’t think there is any correlation between the Met Gala and the fashion at prom,” says Megi Gorka, senior at Nonnewaug. “Celebrities attending the Met Gala must follow the theme very strictly; for example, Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, has to approve of everyone’s outfits before the Met begins, whereas prom is more conventional and you are able to express your own style.”

Between the annual Met Gala and prom nights across the country, 2023 has already proved to be a big year for fashion in the U.S. as spring heats up into summer.