FMG: An exciting announcement/big reveal!
+ Met Gala thoughts!!
Happy Friday! This Friday is particularly special as it’s the birthday of my sister Rebecca — the North Star in my sky, the mother of my favorite little angel muffins, and my lifelong best friend. Happy birthday, Becca! You make everything better!!
Met Gala: This past Monday (the first Monday in May) marked the annual Met Gala, an evening raising funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Largely regarded as the biggest night in fashion and one of the most A-list-attended events of the year, I’d also personally call the Met Gala one of the least-understood concepts in the Zeitgeist. In this age of social media (when everything is experienced in real time and then opinions about those same things are shared nearly as quickly), the Met Gala has been frequently described as a tone-deaf display of wealth, privilege, and opulence, set against the backdrop of a city/country/world filled with violence, disagreement, unrest, and poverty. I’m not going to dispute that — it’s jarring to see photos of outfits worth six-plus figures next to headlines highlighting the worst of humanity. On the other hand, museums (such as the Met), art (including fashion), history (such as that featured within museums), and literature (including magazines, which support and cover events such as the Met Gala) are literally crucial in the fights against fascism, closed-mindedness, misunderstanding, and discord. Yes, it is true that the cost of one single Met Gala ticket could pay my rent for about three years (and that’s a truly shocking fact!) — but the funds raised at that event are (largely) supporting one of the undisputed best museums in the world. (Did you know that admission to The Met — including its world-class exhibitions — is free for New York state residents and students in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut? Free admission is made possible through fundraising and generosity from supporters.) Whenever I see critiques of the Met Gala, I hope those making said critiques are able to hold their criticism in one hand and a respect for the preservation of history and the arts in the other.
Now let’s get to this year’s theme!!!! The Met Gala has a dress code every year, and it loosely-ish coincides with the opening of the Costume Institute’s latest fashion exhibition. This year’s exhibition is titled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” and draws inspiration from the book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity by Monica L. Miller. With this exhibition in mind, this year’s Met Gala dress code was “Tailored for You.” (This video offers a great overview of how Met Gala attendees could stick to the dress code and honor the theme without participating in cultural appropriation.) This was my favorite theme in a LONG time (and please let it be known that if I had received an invite from Anna Wintour in the year of our Lord 2019, I would’ve dressed for the camp theme in a full camp counselor get-up, which would have indeed been very camp of me), and so many of my favorite celebrities dressed in such STUNNING outfits honoring the legacy and impact of Black dandyism (as Ty Gaskins said in this Vogue piece, “Black dandyism is more than just a style — it’s a cultural movement that continues to evolve, adapt, and inspire. From the Harlem Renaissance to the Met Gala’s 2025 theme, the impact of Black dandyism is felt far beyond fashion. It’s a reminder that what we wear is never just about the clothes; it’s about identity, power, and the ability to shape the world in our image”). If you’re shit-talking the Met Gala when that’s the theme, look inward.
I loved approximately 90% of this year’s looks, but these stood out as my favorites:
Angel Reese (To see her go from attending her first Met last year to joining this year’s host committee made me feel so proud — she also played in and WON her preseason WNBA game the very next day, her birthday. Queen!!!!)
Damson Idris (I had no idea who this man was until Monday and I audibly gasped when I saw him — not only is he so hot but the cut and color of that suit are perfection. Plus, snaps for the drama!!)
Laura Harrier (I love that this look is so flowy and bold yet very sexy and feminine. Also, her hair was done by Irinel de León, who I’ve admired for a long time.)
Gigi Hadid (This is an honorable mention because I didn’t necessarily LOVE the dress and I expected/hoped to see Gigi in a suit, but the inspiration behind the gown and the tribute she paid were really beautiful.)
Now see every look here!
Love Stories!!!!: You may recall that, a few months ago, I shared some dismay. For those of us who are single, it feels impossible to meet anyone new in a romantic sense — and I constantly find myself asking people to share detailed, step-by-step guides to how they found their perfect person in a sea of dating app duds. From this dismay was born the idea for “And How Did You Two Meet?,” my new series highlighting the origin stories of happy relationships. I shared this Google Form requesting input from couples, and I had so much fun reading through the responses. From these responses, I’m collaborating with each individual couple on a feature highlighting their love story. My purpose is to share the real-life stories of people finding each other, choosing each other, and committing to each other, all in the hopes of spreading love and hope for those of us who need it. The first couple I’m featuring in this series is Kyra and Hayden, and I promise their story is a good one. Read it here :)
Now have a great weekend! Perhaps you should consider a trip to Chicago, as we now produce popes in addition to incredible pizza and hot dogs. Cheers!
XO,
Gail
And as a reminder:
The news is incredibly heavy these days — and it is my duty to remind you that while newsletters like this are crucial for maintaining sanity and levity, I am not a news source and am in no way a replacement for staying informed. For every newsletter you read that makes you smile, I hope you also read an informed take on politics, world events, and social issues (then fact check it!) — and for every heavy piece of news you take in, I hope you also consume and/or create a piece of art that promotes light, laughter, and joy.