Paperblog A Brie Grows in Brooklyn

A Brie Grows in Brooklyn

"Mabel's not crazy... she's unusual."

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The 2012 MET Gala: The Bad

My shoulders are cramping, but fuck me if I give up now. Don’t take that literally.

The next category contains the dresses that I think, for various reasons, are “bad.” Meaning either poorly chosen, badly fitted, or just plain ridiculous. I think. I haven’t looked at these dresses since 8am. My personality might have changed since then.

I’m going to start with Lana Del Rey, because she looked just atrocious. Bitch really doesn’t give a fuck, does she? Either that, or she doesn’t hire a stylist. Either way, the dress fits poorly (notice the vagina highlight), the opera cloak is ridiculous, and she looks like she got herself into some reefer. Her hair, I have to say, looks fantastic. 

Lana Del Rey, whose star is waning, could have played her fame two ways. She could have gone high fashion Florence Welch style. Or she could have gone balls out crazy like this bitch Bianca Brandolini D’Adda, who is apparently the heir to the Fiat fortune:

Like, this bitch did crazy RIGHT! It’s so ridiculous it’s fabulous. I want this woman to take me to a party, and dance on tables with me!

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Lana Del Rey The Costume Institute The Met Gala 2012 red carpet
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The 2012 MET Gala: The Boring

Given that the event was populated mostly by Hollywood stars, many of the dresses were uninspired, chosen by the same stylists, and fashion-police-safe. I almost want to call this the “Oscar’s Category.” But instead, I’ll go with “The Boring.”

Wendy Murdoch fucking owns you. And all of your political opinions. She doesn’t need to inspire you with her fashion choices as well.

She’s wearing Vera Wang—literally. I think that if Vera Wang let go of her, she’d topple over from hunger.

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Jessica Alba The 2012 Met Gala The Costume Institute red carpet
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The 2012 Met Gala: The Good

Is it alright if I don’t write an intro? I have to fly through this commentary, because I’m fucking myself for the rest of the day wasting time on this shit. And there’s still about 100 dresses to go.

Without further ado, here’s the good from last night’s Gala.

It’s funny, when I interviewed Harold Koda (the head curator of the Costume Institute) for Departures, he said that his biggest secret pleasure was lobsters, and here Anna Wintour is, wearing one on her Prada dress. I love it! 

Anna’s fur stole looks completely insane, and is not weather appropriate, but come on, she looks classy. And I like it when she goes out on a limb, rather than wearing a floral skirt, a cardigan, and kitten heels. This outfit is good.

Her daughter, Bee Shaffer (does anyone know what the fuck Bee Shaffer does?), dressed in Erdem, also looks good, although the neckline is, in my opinion, completely snooze.

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Anna Wintour Prada The 2012 Met Gala The Costume Institute red carpet
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I had so much fun writing this profile on Harold Koda, the curator in charge of the Costume Institute at the MET, for Departures. A protege of Diana Vreeland (pictured above in Venice, because I love the picture), and a devoted fan of Downton Abbey—he swears, for the costumes, not for the soap opera drama—Harold Koda has been at the MET, on and off, since the 1970s. He first came to New York from Hawaii, to get his PhD in Oceanic art, but quickly became intoxicated by the fashion world embodied by Studio 54. At the time, he lived on Staten Island, where life was cheap, and he could see Manhattan from his window. After getting an internship at the museum, he was offered a job, and although he’s tried, hasn’t been able to leave since.  After our interview, in the well-appointed patrons lounge, on a cold Friday afternoon, I walked down Fifth Avenue to Grand Central, beaming from ear to ear. I was lucky to have met him. If you get a chance, go see his most recent exhibition, “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations,” now open at the MET.

I had so much fun writing this profile on Harold Koda, the curator in charge of the Costume Institute at the MET, for Departures.

A protege of Diana Vreeland (pictured above in Venice, because I love the picture), and a devoted fan of Downton Abbey—he swears, for the costumes, not for the soap opera drama—Harold Koda has been at the MET, on and off, since the 1970s.

He first came to New York from Hawaii, to get his PhD in Oceanic art, but quickly became intoxicated by the fashion world embodied by Studio 54. At the time, he lived on Staten Island, where life was cheap, and he could see Manhattan from his window. After getting an internship at the museum, he was offered a job, and although he’s tried, hasn’t been able to leave since. 

After our interview, in the well-appointed patrons lounge, on a cold Friday afternoon, I walked down Fifth Avenue to Grand Central, beaming from ear to ear. I was lucky to have met him.

If you get a chance, go see his most recent exhibition, “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations,” now open at the MET.

Departures Harold Koda Schiaparelli and Prada The Costume Institute professional
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