Met Gala 2021 guests dazzle on the red carpet

The Met Gala is back, and the attendees didn't miss a beat, showing up dressed to turn heads.
The event — postponed for two years because of the coronavirus pandemic — is a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute, and this year is celebrating the upcoming exhibit "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion." With the theme "American Independence," there was lots of red, white, and blue on display Monday night at the museum, along with a smattering of stars and stripes and other looks loosely based on the U.S.A.
Amanda Gorman, a gala co-chair, wore a stunning blue frock inspired by the Statue of Liberty:
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Jennifer Lopez embraced her inner cowgirl for this western look:
Lupita Nyong'o wore a denim ensemble, embracing the all-American fabric:
Shawn Mendes celebrated his independence from shirts:
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) used her dress to make a statement on the rich (it's "tax them"):
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That's Kim Kardashian underneath there:
Frank Ocean's plus-one was a robot baby:
Lil Nas X exercised his freedom of choice by wearing three different outfits:
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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