Blake Lively cares. She cares about fashion, and she wants to support designers and they want her to wear her clothes. Personally, I think Blake makes most high-fashion look downmarket and like she got it from the mall. So it was with this Versace look, which she wore to the 2022 Met Gala. Blake & Ryan Reynolds are regulars at the Met Gala, and this year they were co-chairs for the gala. First, a word about Ryan: he looked spectacular, like he stepped out of The Gilded Age. His Ralph Lauren tuxedo was velvet and a rich chocolate brown. As for Blake… her interpretation of American Fashion/Gilded Glamour was to wear a reversible/two-part Versace which was supposed to invoke the Statue of Liberty. As in, bronze when Lady Liberty started out, then oxidized into a greenish blue color. She “transformed” on the steps. It was all a bit much, but whatever. At least she thought it out.
Gabrielle Union also wore Versace. This was fine – many women just went with “big, sparkly dresses” and that’s a legitimate interpretation to me. She looked lovely. I love that Dwyane Wade brought some heat.
Lily James just wore a relatively simple Versace dress. It looked nice on her.
Photos courtesy of Instar, Backgrid, Getty.
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- New York City, NY – Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively attend the 2022 MET Gala in New York City. Pictured: Ryan Reynolds and Blake Reynolds BACKGRID USA 2 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York City, NY – Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively attend the 2022 MET Gala in New York City. Pictured: Blake Lively BACKGRID USA 2 MAY 2022 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
I don’t get the contempt for Blake. She’s a statuesque blonde who fits the mold of who these designers envision their clothes on. Let’s peel back centuries of history on that but give Blake her due. She’s succeeding at the thing she’s best at.
My first thought whenever I see a photo of Blake is that I would give anything to look like her in clothes. She wears everything well. As a short person, I would like to have her long legs just for one summer day. She and Ryan look stunning here.
I agree! She honestly looks amazing in everything she wears. And I think that invoking the Statue of Liberty was very on-theme with the Gilded Age, given the significance of immigration during the era.
I loved the theatrics of her outfit. There was a lot of thought behind that dress and it was brilliantly executed. It was FUN! She looked great.
Everything I’ve ever read about her seems like she is a lovely person.
Agreed. That dress was great. Spikier crown would have made it more recognizable…but loved that they stitched NYC details into gown. The glove reveal was also pretty slick.
I find Blake as boring as oatmeal in a plain cardboard box. She’s just very basic to me.
THAT SAID…. She knocked it TF out of the park last night. She completely stunted in this dress and it worked for her. I was like Ok, ok, Blake, I see you!! She looked great and I loved the concept of the color changing dress. Was it extra and OTP? Yeah. That’s the point, and she brought it.
I agree. She looked amazing and I loved the reveal. She really hit it out of the park last night but even those who agree, have to get a dig in on her for some weird reason.
I’m so tired of seeing that, especially now that the news has revealed that we’re all about to be second class citizens again.
I KNOW! I’m having a very tough time focusing on my work today. This is so depressing. I really worry for my kids. We are heading into a new Victorian/Puritanical age.
we never made it out of second class to begin with… but this is indeed a horrible blow.
Agreed, Bettyrose. She wore the hell out of that dress.
Completely concur. Not sure why she gets such hate. I thought the dress was great and she definitely put in the effort.
100% agree. And the way Ryan Reynolds looks at here. Swoon. I like Blake. She’s gorgeous and she loves fashion. She looked great. My only quibble with this dress was the effort of the reveal. Watch an episode of Drag Race and learn. It should have been an easy reveal – not requiring a team to make it happen.
Totally agree. She was also one of the only people who really nailed the theme.
I agree with you! She always brings it! She is one of my red carpet faves up there with Lupita and Rihanna. She wears the hell out of everything. What a mic drop this dress was.
I agree with BetteRose Davis (as always). I think Blake is lovely. I think she radiates joy that is innate and not a styling/makeup effect.
Statuesque? Sure. Not sure about the rest…
Her plastic surgery, particularly nose jobs, have definitely served her well.
That’s ridiculous and unfair. Who in Hollywood hasn’t had a boob and nose job these days. If it made her feel better about herself, then so be it. I hate this notion that people have to prove they can be successful with a plain jane original face / body.
@bettyrose completely agree. She nailed the theme.
Thanks to BettyRose and the rest of you for your positive comments about Blake Lively. I’ve never understood the putdowns I’ve seen about her for years now. Whenever I’ve seen photos of her, she looks healthy, engaged, glad to be there, free of obvious butt implants, and dressed appropriately for the occasion. I love this particular dress and how well she wears it. If she makes clothes look budget and cheap, then I’d be thrilled to have that kind of budget and cheap going on with my own look.
As soon as I read the opening lines I asked myself if Blake slept with the writers BF or something. Contempt for contempt’s sake is unnecessary.
Blake hasn’t slept with my husband—I don’t think—I just don’t care for her. She’s not particularly talented and seems too try hard.
Agreed, BettyRose, Blake looks absolutely stunning! Oh, to have her body for just one day!
I agree! I loved her outfit, as well. Clever and beautiful and looked expensive imo. Also, Ryan Reynolds is one of the best Canadians out there and I just love him. He’s a good person, and I don’t believe he’d be with someone who isn’t , so I love them and they do good for the world! Annoying, sure, but they are good talented people. (I think her movie with Anna Kendrick was underrated .. I loved it and I can’t take Anna for very long LOL)
This coverage + the comments is the celebitchy.com that we all know and love. Glad to see it’s back!
I also don’t get the contempt for Blake. She is stunning. The dress is stunning. Ryan Reynolds is the least interesting of the pair. I think the Celebitchy folk are right most of the time, but when it comes to these two they need to examine their bias.
Yeah, but Ryan is so cute in how he looks at her.
Agreed. I think she looks spectacular in this.
My problem with Blake is her continued attraction to and support of oppressive party themes, not to her personally or professionally.
That photo with Blake laughing and her hands out scream ‘how nice to meet me!’ hahaha
Agreed, Ryan looks great, and Blake does make everything look cheap. She’s a beautiful woman, and I wanted her hair so badly when was younger! But yeah, I’m not sure if I can describe why I feel like she makes things look cheaper? She’s tall & statuesque, she’s not pin-thin like a Karlie Kloss type, she has nice features. She seems to care about fashion. But yes, I think she is not one of those people who can elevate fashion in a way.
That being said, I don’t hate the idea of the statue of liberty & it being copper then green. Of all the times to attempt that, this is the time.
If you watch the video the crowd went absolutely insane when she changed the dress and she was reacting to them. It was fine.
I think she really did her homework. The oxidisation bit. The ‘details’ of old NYC architecture in the dress, etc.
My main thing is that somehow this looks the same as so many of her other Met Gala looks. Something about the style. It’s getting boring…
There WERE some great memes about her matching the carpet again though!
Yes that’s it, this looks like a repeat of what she wore years ago.
And I can’t put my finger on it but she doesn’t elevate fashion, I agree with that too.
I’m with you and Kaiser. I like her as an actress and I think she’s really pretty, but there’s something mallesque about her. I even love this dress. But she doesn’t elevate. I don’t know why.
I actually loved her look. I thought the silhouette was a great modern interpretation of the bustles and cornering of the Gilded Age without feeling costumey.
+1
Gorgeous colours, if she had gone bigger more out there in de corset , fuller in de skirt and wore an upstyle it would have been de dress if de night !
Loved it too!
Absolutely Loved it. I think she is a beautiful woman and she looks great. I truly don’t get the “she makes clothes look cheap”.
Loved the thought that went into it.
The only thing I can think of is that she’s so beautiful it seems like the clothes aren’t adding anything. She could wear a paper bag and still look good. I wouldn’t say she makes the clothes look cheap though.
I absolutely loved her look too! She looked amazing – and seemed excited about sharing the process that went into her outfit (everything from the dress to the hairpiece).
I thought she looked really great. The bodice of the dress is so interesting with the geometric shapes. I loooooved the color change. Going from warm to cool, the inspiration behind it that it actually resembled, the 360 degree interest….I thought this was very well done.
I felt like the shapes on the dress looked kind of industrial or like a city-scape which would fit what she was going for with her dress. I liked it.
Blake Lively’s dress was the best of the night.
I think Blake looks great and I love both versions of the dress and the thought that went into it.
I’m not loving Gabrielle’s dress. I don’t know why. Another gorgeous couple though.
Union’s dress was inspired by one worn by Diahann Carroll, and I actually love the tribute
I think that Blake looks beautiful, and has one of the best looks of the night (after Janelle Monáe). She looks radiant and the gown fits her beautifully – and meets the theme. Until I read this article, I had no idea it was a nod to the Statue of Liberty!
+1–Janelle Monae was my choice for best look, but B.L. was absolutely top shelf.
She wears clothes well, she has the body for it. But besides that, I find her incredibly overrated.
She was quite good in The Shallows and A Simple Favor—and those were not easy roles. That said, her ex-website is still a major mark against her.
I agree with Kaiser’s take, I think Blake approaches all of her looks like costumes. It’s always too on the nose, like when she kept dressing in pinstripe suits to promote that film where her character wore them, and she had, like, pocket watches and canes. Her accessories and styling always feel ‘of a theme’, never edgy or unexpected, therefore never actually ‘fashion’ and ergo a bit cheap-looking. This sounds like a dis but I think her obvious delight in dressing up is nice, and she always gives us something to talk about, or tries to. That’s admirable, honestly!
You put it much more eloquently than me, agreed with everything you said!
That’s it. That’s it right there. She keeps it too on the nose and it comes off as cheesy.
She looks like the traditional Barbie and that combined with the on-the-nose stuff is what sometimes (often) makes her high-fashion attempts look down-market. But this dress is so much fun, even though it is extremely costume-y. I love it, especially the transformation!
I thought Blake had the best look of the entire night.
i loved Blake’s look actually, and usually I find there is something about her outfits that fall flat. But I thought this was on theme and she looked like she was having fun with it. Ryan Reynolds also looked gorgeous.
I loved the Union-Wade looks, that train was gorgeous and he looks damn good.
I thought Blake had one of the best looks of the night.
Lily James and Cardi B belong in the same category last night: Beautiful and on theme.
I really like Blake’s dress. She seemed so delighted when it unfolded and changed color. It was nice to see it happen in motion, rather than in still photos.
I probably wouldn’t have given Gabrielle Union’s dress a second look — not because there’s anything wrong with it, but just because the basic lines are “fine” in a sea of other, more ground-breaking, if polarizing, looks. BUT then I saw that during an interview on the red carpet she talked about how the red embellishment on the dress and in her hair was meant to represent the blood shed by the many people of color on whose backs the wealth of a few was built during the Gilded Age (and before…and since). Once I knew that, I could appreciate the dress more even if it still didn’t make my Favorites list.
I thought Blake was the best dressed of the night. Also saw a clip of her describing the dress and the inspiration for it and she got the theme down perfectly. But she’s usually one of the best dressed every year, so not surprised.
As a host she brought it & kept to the theme. I preferred the look before the unveiling & wish she had gone for an updo. But one of the best looks of the night
I agree, this dress screamed for an updo.
I loved Blake’s look. Just loved it. I did not get the Statue of Liberty thing, but now that you mention it, sure. It was fun and pretty and entertaining.
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886 – she hit the nail on the head when creating a look invoking New York’s Gilded Age, while ensuring she stood out as co-chair. loved it.
Agree! Downmarket? Cheap? She looks great. We should all be so lucky. She enjoys and understands the fun of fashion.
Blake was the best dressed of the night. She nailed the theme. I’ve never thought she cheapens the clothes she wears.
I also really love Blake’s look.
Easily one of my favorite looks of the night.
I thought she had the dress of the night. She looked spectacular and the transformation of the dress was amazing. Blake always brings it.
I like her and I thought she looked fabulous, both before and after the reveal. She and Ryan seem like a fun couple too. I bet she giggles when he farts in bed.
Let’s not forget Ryan and that awesome Great Gatsby look. He also nailed it.
Yeah Blake looks perfect. In particular I appreciate that despite all the efforts, extensions, that dress and headgear, the flawless makeup, her eyebrows just look normal and pretty, thank god no one decided they had to be noticeable. I really don’t appreciate the « extra » brows on some other guests and the general trend of that. Gabrielle and Lily also look good. Blake’s huge extensions and Gabrielles tight ponytail both look a bit painful but they are well payed for that pain I guess!
I loved her look. “It was a bit much”—yeah, it’s the Met Gala for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Costume! Over the top is expected and appreciated. The attention to detail with her crown and the same number of jewels representing the windows. The art deco design was wonderful.
The Statue of Liberty is copper, not bronze. Oxidized copper turns a turquoise color. My favorite color combination and I loved her dress.
I thought the first part of the dress was perfect; slightly art deco-ish, copper color, she hit the nail on the head. Then the transformation and I loved it even more. I thought it was brilliant. And theatrical, which is fine.
She’s perfection! She definitely had the best dress last night! Loved how she and Ryan also seemed to have so much fun; a date night for mom and dad.
There was a comment on Instagram that this was Blake from 2007 and I agree with that. Her style is extremely Disney princess-y and white and middle-class and basic. As co-chair, sure, it is clear that she was trying to be extremely on the nose with the theme (although Art Deco is not the Gilded Age so not sure it was even that on theme), but at the same time it’s predictable and boring to see the usual suspects from ten or more years ago. If you look back at her Met outfits, they are all of a type. This is not necessarily a slam because not everyone is avant-garde or super fashion-savvy, but ijs she is always the same same.
And WHY is her hair so flat! Come on Blake this was a dress for fluffy curls or a poufed out updo.
That’s it. She’s very Disney princess toy to me, in the way that so many Americans are, thinking that’s just like being royal, leading to disastrous weddings etc.
I do love this dresses on Blake, but her styling screamed Disney princess to me. An updo, something edgy would have helped.
Many Twitter comments were for it, for this look, and honestly, the pictures did look gorgeous. My only issue was that the dress bottom was very Gilded Age but not the top. I didn’t like the neckline and wished it covered the shoulders. That was the one flaw that made me stop short of saying she understood the assignment.
Best dressed of the night, head to toe.
Excuse me? A dress that changes color? I LOVE it. The colors are beautiful. I think it’s just stunning.
This look was so much more than “fine.” The detail and care that went into honoring New York architecture and fitting into the theming was absolutely magnificent. Best dressed of the night and it’s not even close.
It really makes me nuts when celebs don’t follow the theme (seriously, why go if you’re going to ignore it — that’s like going to a costume party in everyday clothes), and Blake always nails it.
Well, Blake’s dress was an ugh for me. It’s an ugly dress, in my opinion. Now, Gabrielle and Dwyane? Damn, they’re hot.
You have got to be kidding, Kaiser. I am astonished at your damning with faint praise. Blake completely nailed the theme and she looked spectacular. The Statue of Liberty theme and turning from orange copper to turquoise oxidized copper was genius. This was on theme on a Rihanna level of interpretation. Fabulous.
Yes.
Gonna tag on here and say her dress is absolutely amazing. The details, fit, draping ..it’s super on point. I also love Lily James sexy dress. Not necessarily a fan off her but It’s gorgeous
Fun FAQ: She matches her dress to the red carpet colors every year. She did it again this year.
She is beautiful but I have never hated a dress more. This was hideous and gave me high school prom queen vibes.
I don’t understand how you could even call this ugh. It’s over the top, but also over the top amazing. It’s couture and the details and draping are sublime. Blake can wear anything but she’s doing this piece justice.
Blake Lively loves clothes and they love her. She can wear anything. I think the dress is cool and I appreciate that she really embraced the theme. That said, I do agree with others there is something very basic about her. She’s a 10 whose looks don’t wow me.
I love Lily James’ dress but can she please stop posing with her mouth hanging open All.The.Time? It’s starting to give me Norma Desmond vibes. She tries too hard to look sexy. Always ready for that close-up, or for catching flies.
Forgot how great lily james dress looks, may not be in theme but I’d wear it I’d I looked like that too
Literal vomit. Hideous and tacky.