It’s almost time for the fashion world’s Super Bowl — my personal favorite night of the year, where I’ll be glued to my couch, ready to critique and judge the extravagant outfits that grace the Met Gala carpet.
Every year, I wait patiently for the first Monday of May to see all of my favorite celebrities dressed to the 9’s, in creative designs and show-stopping gowns that never fail to amaze me.
The Met Gala Carpet has never failed to deliver unexpected surprises and viral pop culture moments — and I think this year will be no different. Even though the guest list is the night’s biggest secret, I have a few guesses as to who will bless our feeds (and who will miss the mark). From the biggest stars of 2026, some Met Gala regulars, and a few surprising appearances, this year’s gala is already set to be one for the books, and I can’t wait to watch.
The theme
The Met Gala is the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual fundraiser gala, bringing together the biggest names in entertainment, sports, business, and fashion to raise money for the Costume Institutes’s yearly exhibition.
But what we’re really watching for is the yearly theme and how the guests will execute the dress code.
The theme of the Costume Institute’s Spring 2026 exhibition is “Costume Art”, and this is the direction that the Met Gala’s guests are asked to follow with their looks. With the additional dress code “Fashion is Art”, attendees are expected to show up in artistic, creative, and unique designs that explore the different ways that the human body has been used as a blank canvas for art and fashion throughout history.
The exhibition itself will feature over 400 pieces, combining the Costume Institute’s fashion garments with various historical artworks, highlighting how the dressed body has been depicted and evolved throughout history.
The beauty of this theme is that it leaves so much up to individual interpretations. “Fashion is Art” as a dress code allows for each guest’s and designers’ own style and creativity to shine through. How will different designers choose to execute their visions, which stars will they dress and how far will they lean into the theme?
Who to expect
Although the guest list is still under wraps, there are a few confirmed attendees who are already sparking my excitement for the night.
The gala is being co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour — 4 of the biggest names in entertainment, sports, and fashion. With this being Beyoncé’s first Met appearance in an entire decade, I cannot wait to see what she has in store. If I know anything about a red carpet, it’s that Beyoncé will never disappoint.
And of course, Anna Wintour is always one of the most anticipated arrivals of the night. Wintour has been the mastermind behind this gala for the past 30 years, and all eyes are definitely going to be on her.
Along with the confirmed co-chairs, the Gala Host Committee will be in attendance.
Just a few weeks after her sensational performance as a headliner at Coachella, Sabrina Carpenter, a member of the committee, will surely be on the carpet. Her history of glamorous performance looks and ultra-feminine fashion makes me think she’ll absolutely nail the theme, hopefully with a show-stopping homage to femininity in fashion and art.
Other committee members like Alex Consani, Doja Cat, and Zoë Kravitz are also confirmed to join the carpet, and I’m sure they’ll strut in style.
After the last few years of her iconic Met carpet interviews, Emma Chamberlain is returning as a correspondent and live stream host. All I’m hoping for is another wholesome interaction between her and Jack Harlow. The two went viral two years in a row for their flirty carpet-side banter, and fingers crossed we get to see them together at this year’s carpet again.
What I’m keeping an eye out for
With all of the buzz and chaos that follows the Met Gala, there are a few things that I will definitely be looking out for.
As some of the most talked about celebrities at every Met Gala, I can’t help but imagine what the Kardashian clan will grace the carpet wearing. Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Kendall Jenner nail the theme year after year, and I am always waiting to see what they will bring to the event.
This year, the Timothée Chalamet fangirl in me is secretly hoping for a couple’s appearance of him and Kylie Jenner — I mean they look great together and would look even better making a matching fashion statement on the red carpet.
On the designer side, I think Schiaparelli and Saint Laurent are going to dominate this year’s looks. Their artistic, avant-garde, and distinctive styles are the perfect fit for the theme, and I’m sure they’ll deliver on executing looks that showcase art as a form of fashion.
There’s no doubt that the Met Gala will live up to the anticipation.
With such a fun, open-ended theme and a lineup of major names, this year’s gala has all the potential to be unforgettable — and I will definitely be watching every second of it.