best dressed: the 2012 met gala

No other red carpet event elicits as much excitement in me than the annual Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (of which I am a proud member). It is this one night alone that leaves an indelible impression on the fashion world — an incredible feat, given the fleeting nature of the industry. One year was superhero themed; last year commemorated Alexander McQueen’s legacy. This year’s soiree celebrated the opening of the new spring exhibit, “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations,” to be on view May 10 through August 19.

In a dream world I would have attended the gala  in something magnificent; in an ideal world I would have been perched at the edge of my seat (in my favorite sweatpants) watching its live broadcast whilst gratuitously tweeting my opinions on what-worn-by-who. In reality, however, I sat pouring over my three textbooks simultaneously. I can only multi-task proficiently under the influence. Starbucks Doubleshot Espressos are my drugs of choice. It’s currently exam period, if you haven’t realized; three exams within a 24 hour time frame are (academically) illegal. Pound on through it, I tell myself.

And so the 2012 Met Gala viewing was sacrificed in the name of academia. Thank goodness for the Interwebz; these are my favorites of the evening, in no particular order (I lie – who are we kidding? – they’re organized by color progression…):

.   .   .

Claire Danes, J. Mendel.

Camilla Belle, Ralph Lauren.

Lily Aldridge, Ralph Lauren.

Katharine McPhee, Elie Saab.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Prada.

Caroline Sieber, Christopher Kane.

Candice Swanepoel, Rag + Bone.

Elisa Sednaoui, Diane von Furstenberg. 

Kate Bosworth, Prada.

Marion Cotillard, Christian Dior.

Poppy Delevigne in Chanel.

Doutzen Kroes, Roland Mouret.

Chanel Iman, Tom Ford.

Renee Zellweger, Emilio Pucci.

Gisele Bündchen in Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci.

.   .   .

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{images via, via google images}