Jennifer Lopez wears Ralph Lauren at the Met Gala: meh or okay?

When the Met Gala theme is “American lexicon,” don’t you immediately think “Ralph Lauren”? RL has built his empire on Americana, the imagery and style of America, embracing the urban and the wide open spaces. So it’s bonkers to me that so few people wore Ralph Lauren at last night’s Met Gala. Truly, only a handful of people. Maybe that’s because Jennifer Lopez was “the big name” to wear RL, but this would have been a great moment for people to go with vintage looks. Anyway, here’s J.Lo. This is a mess?? Why did RL do this to her? Also: no sign of Ben Affleck. There was a rumor that they’d both attend and wear RL. Update: okay, all I saw was the arrival, and Ben was nowhere to be seen. He was there! And they did pose for photos inside.

Red Carpet Arrivals at the 2021 Met Gala.

Kacey Musgraves in RL. Kind of basic and very ‘90s.

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Lily Aldridge and Joan Smalls in RL. I truly thought there would be more of this kind of stuff on the carpet.

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Chance The Rapper and his wife Kirsten Corley in Ralph Lauren. Eh.

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Russell Westbrook in navy Ralph Lauren, with navy hair and white stars. This was pretty cool!

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Photos courtesy of Instagram, Backgrid and Getty.

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98 Responses to “Jennifer Lopez wears Ralph Lauren at the Met Gala: meh or okay?”

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  1. LORENA says:

    Ben was there he just didn’t walk the red carpet

  2. Laalaa says:

    I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I loved JLo’s. Only she could wear this and not make me think of one of those cow carpets at bachelor apartments.

    • Kate says:

      Nothing’s wrong with you! I loved it too.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      I think JLo looks great too.

    • Lawcatb says:

      Nothing wrong with you. I think she looks great, serving all kinds of cowgirl steez!

    • Nicki says:

      Agreed! She looks great and nailed the theme. Loved her look.

      • Carolnr says:

        @ Nicki
        I thought she nailed the look as well! JL really rocked the hat. She looks great in hats…not everyone can pull that off! I loved her outfit because no one else had the same look or color! The outfit fit her perfectly…JL wore that dress…it did not wear her! This is what sexy looks like… Boobage & thigh slit worked well together on this…could tell right away she was dressed in RL…

    • DiegoInSF says:

      I LOVED it too! It was original and on theme! And she looked exquisite, loved the teased ponytail!

      • CJ says:

        Many fashion reviewers put her look in the top five of the night. And rightfully so. She was one of the few who truly brought It.

      • yeZ says:

        This is the aesthetic that some of us Americans actually wear day or nt- strong eclectic handmade vs dainty diamonds etc. Not cowgirl, exactly, think Georgia Okeefe or Frida Kahlo’s desert homage. The best of RL IMO, & JLo was a great model of this slightly exaggerated Lexicon

    • Normades says:

      I love it. It’s costume-y and on theme which is what the met ball is about. All these other looks are too bland. So many people just played it safe.

    • minx says:

      I loved it too, thought it was fitted to her perfectly. And I hate the color brown, but it worked here.

    • Meg says:

      I loved it as soon as a i saw it. I’ll admit i got some crocodile dundee vibes with that hat on though

    • DuchessL says:

      My favorite outfit of the event. It is on theme with a beautiful twist. Masculine hat/leather with feminine form in the dress. Nice balance between all the details. Jlo wins it.

    • Lemons says:

      I really liked the look as well. maybe not all of these accessories, but I’m a fan of the cowgirl hat and drama dress.

    • Sid says:

      I loved it too. She nailed the theme and looked great doing it.

    • Cg2495 says:

      Nothing wrong, I love it too! Though she was one of the best dressed.

    • JanetDR says:

      The hat made it perfect!

    • Poisonella says:

      The thing is about 10 people actually nailed the theme- I love Iman but what was she wearing? Jlo looked great- badass. The minute the Kardashians were invited- the Met Ball lost its cache.

    • Carol says:

      Loved her look as well. Although she did kind of look like a turkey. Loved her hat

    • goofpuff says:

      I loved JLo’s look too 🙂

    • Mcmmom says:

      Hey! I love my hide rug (aka “cow carpet”).

    • BeanieBean says:

      She looks like a giant pheasant. And yes, I expected more RL to be worn. Quintessential American Lexicon.

  3. Amy Bee says:

    Ben was there. He just didn’t walk the red carpet. I thought JLo looked great btw.

    https://www.thecut.com/2021/09/bennifer-will-kissing-ever-be-the-same.html?utm_source=tw&utm_campaign=thecut&utm_medium=s1

  4. Sarah B says:

    I loved JLo’s take on Americana.

    • Soapboxpudding says:

      Agreed. Do I like it on it’s own? No, but it’s absolutely on theme.

    • SarahCS says:

      I think I like it more in the posed IG photos than ‘live’ on the red carpet. I think because it looks so much like a costume it makes sense for a photo shoot but seems a bit weird to wear out and about. But this is the met gala so I guess that’s the point!

      I’m also not sure about the silver shoes with the brown…

  5. Anonymous says:

    BA was there. I think she looks great in that dress. I hope the coat is NOT real fur.

  6. August Rain says:

    JLO’s dress makes me think about how hard it is to translate the fabrics and materials (as opposed to the style and design) of pioneers, native Americans and cowboys into high-end, luxury items. And that she wears the stuff that I find the most uncomfortable, personally, chokers and stilettos. I’d be so grumpy by the end of the night.

  7. Mf says:

    JLo’s look jus doesn’t feel cohesive to me, but I’m not sure why.

  8. GreenEyes says:

    Ben was there and they made a big deal with photos of them kissing thru their masks at the Gala.

    • Lena says:

      He got clowned so bad when he did that with Ana de Armas you think he wouldn’t do it again. But fame whores gotta fame whore! When I think American designers I think RL and I thought people would go more with this American western theme. But I live in Texas so maybe my sense of that is skewed. Edited: just read Jess down thread and I’m right my sense of western wear IS skewed.

    • Meh says:

      They look like dumb and dumber.

  9. Truthiness says:

    Jen looked very “Raquel Welch in one of her 60’s westerns,” which was nice enough but not great. Was she jet lagged or just over it?

    • Susan says:

      I’m not JLo’s super fan or anything, but if you think about her schedule: she was in Venice over the weekend with Ben, doing that stuff, then New York (Brooklyn) Sunday night for the VMAs then this…holy cats, the jet lag alone from Venice to US would make me a mess until at least Weds. that’s a crazy ass schedule!

      • Jaded says:

        Yeah, but she’s got a staff of over 100 to make sure she doesn’t have to lift a finger and the money to fly private with a big comfy bed, ear plugs, eye covers and super-strength melatonin. Plus masseuses, estheticians, dressers, meditation specialists, you name it. She’s not suffering.

  10. Jess says:

    Ugh. Couldn’t stand JLo’s look. Even someone as beautiful as her can’t pull this off. And I’m glad there weren’t more RL looks – I’m so sick of him after too many years of overexposure and I think his “American” look is the type of whitewashed, WASPy/faux-Western look that we all need to stop thinking is the “real America.” Seriously, I don’t know quite why I dislike him so much (probably because I’m sick of him doing the Olympics) but I really do.

  11. Tom says:

    You just know JLo said “Cut it lower! fit it tighter! Tighter!” The color is not great for her unless it’s a fur coat.

    This outfit on Amy Schumer and seat her next to Pete Davison. They’d have a great platonic evening and we’d love the photos. Comedians can wear whatever. This outfit is whatever.

  12. Lili says:

    i love the Belt, i hope he sells those i would get one

  13. DS9 says:

    I loved J.Lo’s whole look. It was very western cowboy, fit wonderfully, and I adored how she styled it all.

  14. Seraphina says:

    I think JLo’s look was a great take on the theme. Well done! Again, my only negative is her bodice. But as it was pointed out earlier this week, JLo loves low cut.
    Also loved the fringe dress.
    JLo and Westbrook for the win!

  15. AmelieOriginal says:

    Ben was there, but I’m guessing he didn’t want the attention him since he just wore a basic black tux and didn’t walk the red carpet. I’m surprised there isn’t a whole post dedicated to them being at the Met Gala together given that Kaiser was hoping they’d attend together lol.

    Their schedule this week has exhausted me though. I am horrible with jet lag and I also do NOT sleep on planes. Either they’re flying private or in first class because I can’t sleep unless I’m lying down in a bed/supine. I know people will give me their remedies (please, not Ambien I’ve heard the horror stories) on how to get sleepy on a plane which I’ll gladly listen to but doubt will work on me. Anyways since I don’t sleep on planes, I get to my destination completely exhausted and the first thing I NEED to do is take a nap. Otherwise I don’t feel like a person, just a zombie. Also, I get super nauseous when I don’t sleep enough and I once even threw up after flying (and of course this happened in front of a coworker on a work trip) because I was not allowed to get enough sleep after a flight. So I don’t understand how they can keep up this transatlantic schedule. What’s next? Miami again? LA? NYC? Appearance at a Red Sox game in Boston???

    • maybe katie says:

      I feel your pain!!! I have a very difficult time sleeping on planes too. Not advice but if I can be exhausted BUT NOT TOO exhausted, I might sleep.

      Bennifer is flying private (with a bed) or lay flat First Class. Being able to sleep in a bed plus prescription meds minimizes jet lag so much!

      In July, I flew Delta One and I’m wrecked for life (bestie used upgrades). Having a lay flat seat with pillow and comforter was a dream and I slept most of the flight. Flew Comfort+ red eye back and couldn’t sleep. It was miserable. So I expect to never sleep on a flight again.

      • AmelieOriginal says:

        Haha I flew back from Boise, Idaho to NYC last month on a red eye and I had a whole row to MYSELF which was great. Laid down on the three seats. Did I sleep a wink? Not at all! I even paid extra for the more leg room to be comfortable. Still no sleep! Oh well. Glad you got to experience Delta One! If we could all be rich and fly in comfort like Bennifer.

  16. KMAC says:

    Loved, loved, LOVED JLo’s outfit! Oh my goodness that woman is otherworldly 🥰💥

  17. jferber says:

    Joan Smalls and Russell Westbrook killed it. In the header pic before I clicked on the article, I got strong Melissa Gilbert vibes. This wasn’t one of JLo’s best looks. Ben has really cleaned up for her nicely, though.

  18. Annaloo. says:

    That JLo Glow is $$$ ,I have to admit, I’m on the train now 🙂

  19. Size Does Matter says:

    I love all of these looks with the exception of JLo’s hat which I find distracting and too much.

  20. Rapunzel says:

    I think the nix the faux fur jacket and have only one necklace and this would have been better. But I thought it was way better than most looks.

  21. Jess says:

    I think she could lose the weird thick choker that looks like an out of place turtleneck but otherwise I like the look for Americana

    Lily Aldridge fits well too

  22. Teebee says:

    There was so little going on on that red carpet that made sense for any theme, let alone American Lexicon. So the RL looks were some of my faves. I like JLo’s look, I think it’s cool and on theme.

    I scrolled through 155 looks on People. I don’t remember much, but I thought the interpretation of the theme was all over the place. But that seems par for the course with the Met Gala. I think it’s hilarious that Anna Wintour always wears the same thing, no matter what. Flowery prints, a frill here, a floof there. I guess she leaves the theme dressing to the guests…

    • August Rain says:

      See, I’m the opposite. After more than a year of lockdowns and distance, and solitude, it is so nice to see people being silly, daring, and not taking things too seriously while looking for other identities – which is why I find the theme rather stale and a huge miss. No time for nostalgia! let’s hope and try to tell other stories and reinvent bodies. And lots of people delivered. It might not be the anticipated or accepted notion of beauty, but neither were those outfits we now see as sophisticated and glam when they first appeared. Really enjoyed women owning their bodies in creative ways, or ditching the naked look like Rihanna, at times embracing a more classic look but with a twist, and men wearing skirts, face jewellery and making statements through clothes.

  23. Monette says:

    Well I for one loved her look, chocker and hat and everything. Maybe a bit costumy, but it worked for me.

  24. Bunny says:

    I assume JLo is going for a gaucho/American cowboy look and I don’t hate it. The concho jewelry is a nice touch.

  25. stagaroni says:

    JLo looks great, but I was hoping for high fashion looks from designers, and instead got Halloween Costume looks.

  26. Kate says:

    Someone wore a great “pioneer but make it fashion” dress and I loved it…hold on…Rebecca Hall! Loved it as in loved it for the theme and that event, not loved it like I wanna buy it and wear it myself.

  27. Bren says:

    Given the outfits Russell Westbrook wears during the basketball season and his love for non-traditional men’s fashion, I would’ve thought he’d embrace his first Met Gala with a more interesting look.

  28. Jenny says:

    Jlo is killing it. Love love love this look. Good for her.

  29. (TheOG) Jan90067 says:

    JLo is JLo… overdone. She needs to learn the “less is more” lesson.

    I liked Lily’s dress (separates); reminds me of Sharon’s Stone’s look with her husband’s shirt and that lilac Vera Wang (I think?) skirt.

  30. Anna says:

    Too many accessories!

  31. Scrambled Eggs says:

    Maybe I’ve been primed to think that Met Ball = High Fashion costumes, but because of that, I loved this outfit. It makes a huge impression, it’s actually on theme and not some vague interpretation twisted so that a celebrity could wear a bikini under a sheer dress. I thought it was fun and I was a fan of how over the top it was too. If I want pretty couture, I’ll watch the Oscars or other big award show.

  32. Renee says:

    Jennifer looked beautiful as always. I loved her look and the brown dress was amazing. Actually all of Ralph’s designs looked great with the exception of Kacey…what was she thinking?

    Russell’s hair is everything. He is such a style icon.

  33. Chaine says:

    She looks awesome from the hips up but that train is something else! I would never want anyone’s impression of my ballgown to be “it’s hairy”

  34. Lululu says:

    Well I’ll give J. Lo this, she’s the only person I can think of who can come close to pulling that look off. It still wasn’t great, but you’ve gotta give her an A for effort.

  35. Kaykay says:

    I would never wear it, but it’s very JLo and fits her. Seems like she’s in to the deep v neck(bellybutton)lined dresses, like her iconic Versace.

    This was a very boring Met Gala. So many sleepy outfits and I saw no cohesion.

  36. psl says:

    J Lo is BORING. ALL she wears are dresses with boobs out and a thigh high slit. Add the open mouth pose, and there are 350 of her last red carpet walks.

    SNOOZE.

  37. remarks says:

    J-Lo is the only one who gives off star power vibe. That ingredient seems to be missing from stars who are much younger than her. I don’t think she had to develop it either — I think she’s just always had it.

  38. Diamond Rottweiler says:

    You and I are often of the same mind regarding fashion, but in this case I really think J.Lo had one of the smarter, more thoughtful looks. I really liked how her dress and styling actually followed the Met brief, but in a way that puts you in mind of traditional vaqueros outfits, reminding us that the all-white Marlboro man cowboy is a racial myth and how much Latinx people did to settle America. I thought she looked bad ass and that the nod to Latinx historical identities in our nation building was a cool, nuanced interpretation.

  39. K says:

    Unabashed stan for JLO. She looks amazing and at least it’s different than her usual

    • KissMyA**23 says:

      Different for the Met Gala I’d say, but she’s been wearing low-cut, high leg slit for years. It’s her go-to. She looks great in everything, mostly because she’s got a rockin’ body. But I don’t like this look for her, just too many accessories.

      As for Ben, in the side view, he looked orange in the pics walking to the venue. Like he had a bad spray tan. In the pics here, not so much.

  40. CV says:

    I loved every one of those RL lewks!

  41. L4frimaire says:

    I actually really liked this look. Maybe because it seemed more focused with the theme than the other looks and it looked good on her. I’m not into the overly long train but I like it. She wore it very well and looked beautiful.

  42. Mcali02 says:

    I didn’t like her look at first, but it has grown on me. She was 100% on theme – which can’t be said for 80% of the other attendees.

  43. EnormousCoat says:

    For me, this is the look the mom wore when she returned home from – was it Australia? – in “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead”. For some reason, that whole movie made a huge impression on me as a kid.

  44. Molly says:

    Many of the pics I’ve seen of Lopez have her blending in with the dark green hedgerow in the background, and they are deeply unflattering. I’m not any getting Great American Southwest vibes here; more like Xena: Warrior Princess on a budget.

    Silver and brown aren’t a thing for a reason. The whole look is atrocious.

  45. I LIKE HER LOOK. SURPRISE THAT BEN WENT TO THE GALA. I GUESS IS LOVE. WISHING THE BEST TO THEM. ESPECIALLY THE KIDS.

  46. SpankFD says:

    You asked why didn’t more people wear RL to the Met Ball. I would say the reason is that RL is a very specific kind of Americana, very patriotic and conservative. Hell I *love* wearing RL. But, I would say that his Americana could easily drift into fascist flag worship. Think Tommy Hilfiger. Ick.

    (RL is not nearly as bad as Tommy Hilfiger, but yeah, it’s still problematic.)

  47. Kim says:

    I loved JLo’s look–it was edgy, but it had that RL thing going on–the belt, the necklace, the hat. She definitely represented his brand with her edge and sass. I kinda wished that she rocked a pair of cowboy boots, but overall I loved her look. And on a really superficial note, people talk about her bum, but can I just say that she has a great chest? Perfect for a plunging neckline!!

  48. Jaded says:

    I loathe those stripper shoes with her outfit, they just don’t match.

  49. Joanna says:

    Jlo looks fabulous. It’s not my style but she knows how to bring it! She definitely has that star presence

  50. Giuliano says:

    no the the fur! how many animals and birds died for this outfit? very tacky

  51. Fabiola says:

    I thought she was one of the few that actually got the theme and dressed appropriately. Love the look. She pulled it off.