Celebs
Janelle Monae’s Got Her Eye on You In Her Met Gala Look
Her look proved that she really understood the assignment.
May 06 2019 7:57 PM EST
May 26 2023 1:34 PM EST
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Her look proved that she really understood the assignment.
Janelle Monae continues to give us red carpet looks that go above and beyond.
For this year's Met Gala, which had the theme "Fashion: Notes on Camp," inspired by Susan Sontag's landmark essay "Notes on Camp," Janelle Monae showed up in a Christian Siriano-designed absurdist number that's equal parts Alice in Wonderland, A Clockwork Orange and RuPaul's Drag Race's Monique Heart.
Monae's outfit featured several hats stacked one of top of the other and an eyeball over her left breast. The eyelashes of the eye were feathers and, according to one tweet from the scene, the eye itself blinks. She wore her signature black-and-white look, which echoed her gown from last year, as well.
None— Not THAT Karen, thank you (@Not THAT Karen, thank you) 1557184833
Regarding her signature colors, Monae told Vanity Fair in 2018: "My black and white is meant to honor my working-class parents. My mother was a janitor, both my fathers, my biological father and my stepfather, were custodians, sanitation workers, post-office workers. For me, I try to say something as much as possible, say something that means something to other people outside of myself. Sometimes I don't."
Monae is in great company when it comes to Black queer excellence on the red carpet. Earlier in the evening, Pose star Billy Porter shook the Met Gala with an Egyptian-inspired gown that featured a 24-karat headpiece, wings that spanned 10 feet and, oh yeah, he was carried in by six hot men.
Monae tweeted her look from last year's Met Gala earlier today though, to be honest, nothing could have prepared us mortals for this.
\u201cThe time is almost here . Last year\u2019s look . METGALA2019\u201d— Janelle Mon\u00e1e\ud83d\udc7d\ud83d\ude86\ud83e\udd16\ud83d\ude80\ud83e\ude90 (@Janelle Mon\u00e1e\ud83d\udc7d\ud83d\ude86\ud83e\udd16\ud83d\ude80\ud83e\ude90) 1557102833
RELATED | Billy Porter Shook the Met Gala With an Egyptian-Inspired, Winged Gown