What Is The Met Gala?

There's been a dress that called for taxing the rich, a team of six shirtless men carrying a gold-winged "Sun God", a popstar adorned in shining armor, and a dress so yellow the internet photoshopped it into breakfast memes.

Celebrities will be decked out in their finest at the upcoming Met Gala, on May 2 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Met Gala 2022 will celebrate the opening of “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” part two of an exhibit on American fashion.

You can expect to see social media flooded with pictures of stars dressed to the nines in styles of the Gilded-Age wear, this year’s theme.

But if you’re confused on what it all means, we’ve got you covered.

What is the point of the Met Gala?

It’s a global fashion event with a red carpet and media cameras everywhere, and stars flock to it. They might wear something to show a particular designer’s work, or to send a message.

Each year has a theme, and guests are asked to hone their looks to match it. The Met Gala 2022’s theme is “Gilded Glamour,” referring to the Gilded Age, a period of rapid economic growth and increasing inequality beginning in the 1870s.

The unofficial fashion forecast is: expect lots of corsets.

It’s the fashion event of the year, but at its core, the Met Gala is a fundraiser for a cause we’ll explain below.

When is the Met Gala normally held?

Though normally held in May over the past few decades, the Met Gala 2021 was held in September, after the 2020 gala was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What do you do at the Met Gala?

Guests arrive at staggered times during the cocktail hour to avoid a logjam on the red carpet. Then they take their seats for a formal dinner and entertainment.

In the past, that’s included huge pop stars like Madonna, Rihanna and Katy Perry.

This year’s hosts are Regina King, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

What does the Met Gala raise money for?

The Met Gala raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute — a collection of more than 33,000 pieces of clothing, jewelry and accessories that documents fashion from the 1400s to now.

Media reports estimate the annual galas have raised more than $200 million for the Institute.

How much are tickets to the Met Gala?

Tickets to the 2021 event reportedly went for $35,000.