8 Met Gala Rules That A-List Attendees Must Follow
Those iconic bathroom selfies technically aren’t even allowed.
It’s nearly the first Monday in May, which means fashion’s biggest night is officially upon us. On top of being a charity event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, the Met Gala just so happens to be one of the most high-profile red carpets a celeb can walk on. Seriously—anyone who’s anyone has graced the museum’s iconic steps, from Zendaya to Lady Gaga.
The first Met Gala was technically a dinner party at the Waldorf Astoria in December 1948, but everything shifted once Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour became a co-chair in 1995 and took the reins in 1999. Now, it’s a coveted fashion event that brings many famous names together for the price of $75,000 a ticket.
Of course, it also comes with a few guidelines that guests must follow throughout the evening. Let’s break down all the Met Gala rules, shall we?
You Can Only Attend With an Invitation
Yeah, we likely won’t see any party crashers here (though some have tried). The Met Gala is famously an invitation-only event, and Anna Wintour dictates the guest list. Even if a designer or brand drops upwards of $350,000 on a table, Anna is still in charge of who gets a seat at said table.
You Have to Buy a $$$ Ticket
Once you receive a coveted invite to the Met Gala, it’s time to throw down some cash. According to several reports, tickets for last year’s event started at $75,000 each (!!!).
However, tix come with perks, including an early look at the museum exhibit, cocktails, dinner, and access to the most exclusive party of the year. Not to mention, money from ticket sales also contributes to the Met Costume Institute’s annual exhibitions, acquisitions, operations, and capital improvements.
The Theme Is *Not* Optional
Why would there even be a theme if you weren’t supposed to follow it? Once the theme is assigned, celebs get to work with designers and stylists months in advance because Anna approves all the looks before the big night.
This year’s theme is “Fashion Is Art,” which “invites guests to express their own relationship to fashion as an embodied art form.” According to Vogue’s official announcement, “The directive perfectly reflects the ethos of ‘Costume Art,’ which explores the ‘centrality of the dressed body’ through depictions and interpretations of the human form in the Met’s extensive collection.”
There’s an 18+ Age Restriction
In the past, stars like Elle Fanning, Willow Smith, and Jaden Smith hit the Met steps as teens. But as of 2018, the event has become an adult-only soirée thanks to its 18+ age restriction.
While Dixie D’Amelio made her Met debut in 2021, her sister Charli D’Amelio couldn’t attend because she was only 17. “The funny thing about this is, I'm actually not old enough to go to the Met Gala,” she explained while addressing a rumored seating chart on SiriusXM. “But I have gotten so much hate about that, and I’m like, ‘Guys! I can’t even go!’”
Once You’re In, There’s an Assigned Seating Chart
Speaking of tables, each seat is carefully curated by Anna and pro event planner Eaddy Kiernan, who told Vogue, “We start with a seating document when the names come together in December.”
According to the publication, the seating chart is finalized a month before the gala, but the early start helps curate a seamless, feel-good vibe. “Perhaps most importantly, we try to make sure someone isn’t staring into the eyes of a former flame,” Kiernan revealed. Noted!
Smoking Isn’t Allowed
J.Lo and Zendaya look smoking hot in this pic, but that’s not the kind we’re talking about. Per the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s official website, “Smoking, including electronic cigarettes, is prohibited in the Museum or near the entrances.” To preserve the costumes and other pieces displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there’s a strict no-smoking rule in place—but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been broken before.
Phones and Social Media Are Prohibited
Those iconic bathroom selfies from Met Galas past? Yeah, those technically aren’t even allowed. What keeps the party ~exclusive~ is the fact that no one really knows what happens inside. This doesn’t stop celebs from snapping pics during the festivities though.
Ahead of the 2024 Met Gala, Anna Wintour told Today’s Jenna Bush Hager about the illustrious no-selfie policy, saying, “It’s often wonderful to hear, after dinner, people say, ‘Oh, we had the most wonderful conversations.’ So that’s the idea, that life can exist without a picture on your cell phone.”
Certain Foods Are Banned From the Met Gala Menu
The Met Gala blacklist isn’t limited to people—certain foods aren’t allowed at the event, too. Anna has vetoed chives, onions, and garlic from being part of the Met Gala menu. The bold flavors can also linger on people’s breath, but Anna told Today, “Well, those are three things I’m not particularly fond of.” So much so, Katy Perry even left onions out of her campy burger outfit at the 2019 Met Gala!
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