The Gilded Age was a time when fortunes were worn as armour, and fashion was the language of power: ornate, excessive, and never quite what it seemed. In 2022, the Met Gala invited its guests to revisit this opulent era under the dress code Gilded Glamour, conjuring visions of silk bustles, boned bodices, and social theatre. But beneath the shimmer lies a complex history shaped by rapid industrialisation, staggering inequality, and the spectacle of wealth — How eerily similar to the annual spectacle of the Met Gala itself, especially in times of looming recession.
Met Gala History and How It Evolved
First held in 1948 as a fundraiser for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Met Gala has since evolved from an elite society dinner into fashion’s Super Bowl — anticipated and celebrated for its theatrical fashion by some, and heavily scrutinised for its excess by others. What began as a charity dinner attended by New York’s social elite is now a cultural spectacle that blurs the lines between costume and couture, history and high fashion.
Each year, it offers both a fundraising opportunity for the Costume Institute and a curatorial prompt drawn from the concurrent exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, inviting attendees to engage with art and identity through dress. Over time, the red carpet has become a space of sartorial storytelling, and at the 2022 Met Gala, that story reached back to a gilded, but not always golden, chapter in American history.
A Tale of Two Cities
The 2022 theme, Gilded Glamour drew its inspiration from a period in American history that glowed with opulence but was underpinned by inequality. Spanning roughly from 1865 to 1902, the Gilded Age was a time of extraordinary economic expansion, thanks to industrialisation, railroad empires, and the rise of powerful magnates. Yet beneath the gilded surface lay rampant social injustice, political corruption, and sharp class and race divisions. It was an age of contradictions: of steel barons and sweatshops, of Fifth Avenue mansions and tenement slums. It’s no surprise, then, that this era of American fashion history was equally layered, with fashion storytelling a key tool to signal status, femininity, and the performative power of wealth.
Gilded Age Fashion
The silhouettes of the Gilded Age evolved dramatically with every passing decade. In the late-1860s, the elliptical crinoline cage was slowly phased out and gave way to the first bustle era of the early- to mid-1870s, with back-heavy skirts and elaborate drapery emphasizing a woman’s rear profile, and creating an exaggerated silhouette.
This series illustrates how the skirt silhouette gradually changed from the mid- to the late-1860s through to the 1870s.
The excess of fabric used to create this silhouette, especially with all its added flounces, drapes, and other accents, made this style the prerogative of high society. The everyday woman could neither afford this late 19th-century fashion, nor was it practical. Thus, fashion and social status were intrinsically linked.
By the late 1870s, the bustle had gone out of fashion again, and dresses into the early 1880s returned to a more natural, slimmer lines with tight-fitting silhouettes, and a fullness below the knees.
But, by the mid-1880s, the bustle was back with renewed vigor, more structured and sculptural than before, reaching its greatest proportions c. 1886–1888, as it extended almost straight out from the back waist to support a profusion of drapery.
The 1890s heralded the arrival of the leg-of-mutton sleeves — perhaps among the most discussed dress elements in fashion history, and you either love it or hate it. The bustle also gave way, as the drama moved from (below) the waist to the shoulders with the sleeves and tall, tightly boned collars, creating a silhouette that emphasised broad shoulders and a cinched waist.
Gilded? Glamour? — An Analysis of the 2022 Met Gala Gilded Age Fashion
Having traced the evolving silhouettes of Gilded Age fashion from the fullness of bustles to the sharp drama of leg-of-mutton sleeves, we now have a clearer sense of the references from American fashion history available to designers, stylists, and celebrities for the 2022 Met Gala. The era offers no shortage of inspiration: structured tailoring, extravagant ornamentation, corsetry, and opulent accessories. And yet, what graced the red carpet was often… uninspired. In many cases, the interpretation was vague, disconnected, or simply off-theme, leaving spectators and fashion history enthusiasts, who couldn’t have hoped for a better Met Gala 2022 theme, rather underwhelmed.
Gilded glamour lost in translation
When I first saw photos of Caroline Trentini’s eccentric hairstyle, I was both thrilled and slightly let down. Thrilled, because this elaborate style — often referred to as the Apollo knot — is a rare sight today. Even period dramas tend to shy away from it, likely because its tall, sculptural loops of hair rising dramatically from the crown appear so foreign to modern eyes.
But I was also disappointed because while it made a striking statement, the inspiration came from the wrong era entirely. The Apollo knot was fashionable in the late 1820s and 1830s — about forty years before the Gilded Age even began. So, although the look was bold and rooted in historical reference, it was misaligned with the actual period the 2022 Met Gala theme was meant to evoke.
Rather than Gilded Glamour, historical misalignment seemed to be the theme many celebrities, designers, and stylists embraced. While many of these looks were undoubtedly stunning, they drew inspiration far removed from Gilded Age fashion. The 1920s made several appearances, with beaded fringe, flapper-esque silhouettes, turbans as headpieces, and even a Robe de Style-inspired ensemble spotted on the carpet.
And somehow, the 1960s also crept in, most notably with Kim Kardashian donning Marilyn Monroe’s iconic 1962 “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress, and Kris Jenner channeling Jackie Kennedy in what appeared to be a near replica of a look worn by Jackie in 1967. Glamorous, yes, but Gilded Age fashion? I don’t think so.
Contemporary interpretations of Gilded Age fashion done right
One of the most talked-about looks of the evening was Blake Lively’s glimmering, sleeveless dress. And her on-carpet transformation was nothing short of theatrical. She began her walk up the Met steps in a striking copper gown paired with matching opera gloves, the silhouette elevated by a dramatically draped bow at the waist, creating an elegant nod to the bustle styles of the 1870s and 1880s. But upon reaching the top of the stairs, Lively’s look transformed: her team unfurled the copper drapery to reveal a sweeping, blue-green train that was encrusted with sparkly crystals, inspired by the celestial ceiling of New York’s Grand Central Station. Her gloves were swapped to match the cool tones of the new train, completing the metamorphosis.
Blake Lively showing off a transformative look by Versace at the 2022 Met Gala. Source: harpersbazaar.com.
This was the kind of sartorial spectacle the Met Gala promises in theory, but doesn’t always deliver. Lively’s ensemble gave us fashion storytelling steeped in symbolism. Her tiara, designed with seven tiers, mirrored the seven rays of the Statue of Liberty’s crown, while the colour shift from copper to green mimicked the statue’s oxidisation over time. It was a look that not only embraced the theme but interpreted it through layers of historical and cultural meaning — a shining example of what Gilded Glamour could look like when done with thought and flair.
Now, do I like this look? Absolutely. Blake looked breathtaking. And, having had the privilege of seeing the gown up close at Kensington Palace’s Crown to Couture exhibition, I can confirm: it is a masterpiece.
Blake Lively’s 2022 Met Gala dress at Kensington Palace’s Crown to Couture.
While the overall reception to the look has been overwhelmingly positive, some well-founded critiques have emerged. The glittering base of the gown and its accessories veer more towards Art Deco than Gilded Age, and the reference to Grand Central Station is slightly anachronistic, as the celestial ceiling wasn’t completed until 1913. That said, I’m more than willing to overlook these historical inaccuracies. The gown’s bustle-inspired draping, its theatrical presentation, and its tribute to the Statue of Liberty all ground the look firmly within the spirit of the Gilded Age. After all, Lady Liberty was unveiled in 1886, and her iconic patina began developing soon after, evolving throughout the very era the theme celebrated. And let’s be honest, Serena van der Woodsen was always destined for the best-dressed list for such a New York-coded theme.
Another look worth highlighting is Billie Eilish’s ensemble, inspired by John Singer Sargent’s 1885 portrait of Madame Paul Poirson.
When viewed side by side, the references are unmistakable: the pale seafoam hue, the draped detailing at the waist, the bustle silhouette, the floral accent pinned at the bodice, the black choker, and even Eilish’s softly swept hairstyle subtly echo the painting. With slight alterations, such as the addition of lace sleeves and a high slit in the skirt, the look becomes a beautifully executed interpretation of the 2022 Met Gala theme. If there’s any critique to be made, it’s that the ensemble might veer a touch too far into ‘costume’ territory, and a different colour palette may have complemented Billie’s complexion more effectively.
Bad Bunny’s look offered a refreshing, gender-fluid nod to the past, drawing inspiration from the 1890s cycling suit, which was a practical outfit designed for women in the late-19th century as they embraced the newfound freedom of bicycling.
Originally known as the “Bloomer Suit,” these ensembles adapted womenswear by incorporating voluminous trousers, borrowing from menswear silhouettes. In a clever reversal, Burberry reimagined the look by transforming the bottom half into a flowing, floor-length skirt. While traditional cycling suits were typically crafted in darker hues, this ensemble’s soft beige colour evokes the iconic Burberry trench, tying the historical reference back to the house’s own heritage. I might have preferred more exaggerated, puffed sleeves to lean further into the period detail, but the inclusion of the lorgnette — a handled pair of spectacles — adds a delightful, era-appropriate touch.
At first glance, Dove Cameron’s look might seem completely off-theme, but there’s more here than initially meets the eye. Viewed from the side, the sculptural silhouette of her 3D-printed Iris van Herpen gown evokes the distinctive outline of the 1880s bustle, jutting sharply from the back waist in a way that recalls the elaborate understructures used to create that era’s fashionable shape. It’s as if the designer reimagined the hidden scaffolding of Gilded Age fashion and brought it to the surface.
Do I like the look? Not particularly. But I can’t help but appreciate this conceptual take on the theme. Had more designers embraced the idea of transforming structural undergarments into outerwear, we might have witnessed some truly daring, innovative interpretations of Gilded Glamour. That said, I later learned the dress is actually titled Spiral Nebula and draws its inspiration from cosmic structures rather than Victorian bustles, and it’s part of a broader, futuristic 3D-printed collection by Iris van Herpen. So much for that theory… But, maybe they saw it too and decided to repurpose.
All That Glitters Is Not Gold — Or Even Gilded
The 2022 Met Gala offered an abundance of opportunity to interpret American fashion history, yet many attendees veered off course, either through anachronistic references or underwhelming creativity. Still, a handful of looks captured the essence of Gilded Glamour, blending theatricality with thoughtful nods to the silhouettes and symbols of the era.
Ultimately, Met Gala carpet fashion has been lacking since the phenomenal red carpet in 2018, when Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination gave us extraordinary, unforgettable looks. In the years since, despite thematically rich exhibitions, the fashion has often felt either off-theme or uninspired. With the 2025 exhibition Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, however, we finally saw a return to form — proof that the Met staircase still has the potential to dazzle.
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