Why Kim K’s Met Gala Dress Was Actually On Par With This Year’s Theme

By Aditi Pardeshi (Fashion Business Management ‘22)

The theme of the Met Gala this year was America: a Lexicon of Fashion. (Aside: do any Americans except English teachers even know what the word “lexicon” means?) Set as a fundraising event but better known as the “Oscars of fashion,” the night celebrates designers (and, ironically, with a low turnout of American designers) with a hefty price tag nonetheless. According to the Vogue website, “the event welcomes stars, young creatives and industry paragons.” This year, it meant inviting influencers and teen actors and actresses.

One of the most controversial looks of the night was, of course, Kim Kardashian West. Seeing the reality TV star in the headlines is no big surprise to anyone in today’s time. With the Met Gala, the world of the reality star clashed with the opinions of informed (and uninformed) speakers on her controversial outfit. Donning an all-black jersey dress with the guidance of Demna Gvasalia, the creative director of Balenciaga, the thought process behind the dress was “what’s more American than a T-shirt head to toe?!” What could possibly be more American than glorifying a person built by notoriety and plastic surgery? The Kardashians have little to be commended for except the way Kris Jenner has marketed them to become powerhouses in swaying all industries and building the standards of society that we know of today.

Just observing her dress at first glance, we see a curvaceous silhouette, a ghost, an empty figure. Her substance-less character hides within the blankness of her dress. The eye naturally gravitates towards her mannequin-like posture with the positioning of the geometric train. Her pointy shoes give off a “Cruella de Vil” vibe: she is here to be known and to be seen. The most interesting part of her outfit is that despite the public not being able to see her face, arguably a person’s most recognizable feature, we can immediately see that the “shadow”, seemingly without the existence of her body, is West. She is being seen without being shown — arguably a degree of anonymity. But can you really be anonymous in a body-con outfit as Kim Kardashian West?

In all black, we only see her silhouette which speaks a thousand words for itself. The impact of the Kardashians on body image and the perceptions of curvaceous women is unparalleled and arguably

Kim at the Met Gala by Donna Hellberg

began a movement in acceptance of all body types. However, the Kardashians set an ineffable standard for beauty and altered the definition of what it means to be beautiful. And what the Kardashians do, the Western world follows.

The mentality of our society today is heavily dependent on appearance; people tend to judge others based solely on appearance even today. This is the result of social media unconsciously brainwashing us to think that women need to look a certain way in order to be “good enough” or “desirable.” The creation of the idea of having an “Instagram” face is a concept largely credited to the Kardashians and Jenners. Having (and/or desiring) big lips, a blemish-free face, and a tall, slender, yet hourglass-shaped body has become the norm in society which leads to the average teenager (who doesn’t have access to plastic surgery) being dissatisfied with their appearance.

There is a correlation between what is shown in the media and desirable and negative body image, hence supporting that women compared themselves to others more after viewing images of thin models. In fact, the relationship between viewing media and developing an eating disorder was so significant and concrete that the American Medical Association urged advertising companies to stop promoting unrealistic body standards in 2011. Because social powerhouses have established what the norm is through advertising of their brand on social media, they are propelling the notion that there is a “right” and “wrong” way to appear.

West’s dress is an apt depiction of the social culture in America and alludes to the monopolizing and dictatorial rule the Kardashian family has in this country. The Kardashians are at the forefront of the social media age. Starting from their reality TV show to announcing product launches on their social media, their prominence in our dayto-day life leads us to believe that the way the Kardashians appear is ideal. Sarah Buglass, Ph.D. researcher at the Division of Psychology at Nottingham Trent University says that now, it’s not celebrities we are comparing ourselves to, it’s our friends and connections — and possibly even comparing our normal face with ourselves in Snapchat and Instagram filters. We then employ these “ideals” into our own perceptions when we go about our daily life and subconsciously or even unconsciously perpetuate these harmful notions of the desirable person. This by no means is limited to women, but also extends to men and non-binary people.

She and her Balenciaga dress were the perfect fit for the theme of this year’s Met Gala: after all, what could be more American than idealizing irrational beauty standards?

“The Kardashians set an ineffable standard for beauty and altered the definition of what it means to be beautiful. And what the Kardashians do, the Western world follows.”