The Met Gala Memes Have Returned With Some Fandom Flare and All Is Right With the World

Yesterday saw the return of the Met Gala after the event was postponed last year for “everything is postponed because of COVID” reasons. Now I know this is the part where I’m supposed to tell you the theme for this year and go on about which celebrity came to play and which one failed to take advantage of the fact that they’re encouraged to dress like a Final Fantasy final boss, but that’s just not my, wait for it, style.

According to Vogue, the Met Gala is, “the fashion world equivalent of the Oscars. It’s an evening when designers, models, and Hollywood stars convene in the year’s most over-the-top looks to celebrate and fundraise at a new exhibit from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.”

This is all true, but the Met Gala is also a night of memes, and this year’s batch is long overdue after the event’s postponement.

#MetGala #MetGala2021

After 2 years of anticipation, I’m ready for the memes: pic.twitter.com/5GHsNRyZWY

— Real House Knife of Denver (@Grocerystore_ho) September 13, 2021

You are guaranteed to find all kinds of memes floating around, probably for the next week or so. The Internet has come together to analyze all the outfits, illustrate how you can fit a comically large pizza on the back of a gown, or bemoan the number of plain black tuxes you see at an event where you can straight up dress like a fashion pony.

Is there anything more American than a horse girl? #MetGala https://t.co/UGp7QL5aU5 pic.twitter.com/3Wu1VH0esx

— The Cut (@TheCut) September 13, 2021

When I think of the Met Gala, I think of this moment here:

pic.twitter.com/z8Zv1h1BBU

— MONTERO 🦋 (@LilNasX) September 14, 2021

This has some people making this delightful comparison:

les meme. #MetGala pic.twitter.com/hY3xx0hQnB

— Kim E 🦄💜 (@KimE030) September 13, 2021

Or this one, if you’re an anime nerd like me:

I don’t go here but I saw this photo going around and I dig @LilNasX’s Saint Seiya vibes ✨

Lil Nas X con onda Caballeros del Zodiaco ✨ pic.twitter.com/ohh4E3BcOU

— Monarobot (@monarobot) September 14, 2021

Damn, I ain’t know Lil Nas X was a One Piece fan #MetGala pic.twitter.com/wEGzGlpbWD

— Breeton Boi (Reading MHA: CAUGHT UP // BC: Ch. 4) (@BreetonBoi) September 13, 2021

This brings me to my main topic of interest on the morning after the Met Gala: our favorite geek franchises are full of characters who’d trend all throughout the night of such a fashionable event. Just look at some of the outfits from the event, you can’t tell me these aren’t DLC packs from a video game.

pic.twitter.com/BK6khXxuQi

— v (@ViralMaterial) September 13, 2021

You can’t tell me this isn’t fandom at work.

Kim K cosplaying Buttercup on that one episode of the Powerpuff Girls #MetGala pic.twitter.com/Fr4Vf8aPMo

— Andrea (@arequipexit) September 14, 2021

I am so sorry pic.twitter.com/cjUqK9ftO8

— Tony Weaver Jr. (@TonyWeaverJr) September 14, 2021

It’s gotten to the point where some fans have taken to inserting their favorite characters onto those iconic red steps because for some reason there hasn’t been a Met Gala theme that just tells everyone to dress like they’re auditioning for Bayonetta the Musical.

Holy shit, Bayonetta at the #MetGala pic.twitter.com/wwPaOarlKg

— Data’s pet Catboy (@WitchinSkates) September 14, 2021

Here are some more of my favorite examples of Met Gala: Fandom Edition.

#bonten just arrived at the #MetGala #TokyoRevengers pic.twitter.com/7xDSCpCLjP

— ky 🌼¡! (@http_ch1fuyu) September 14, 2021

who let the entire sk8 fam show up to the met gala dressed like this bro ☹️ pic.twitter.com/Uvq5egZ1Vk

— mew 🍵🌸 (@sk8kojiro) September 14, 2021

Jujutsu Kaisen has Arrived at the Met Gala! 🌹#MetGala #MetGala2021 pic.twitter.com/nEGYGsiDaF

— xyn⁸⁸ 😗🐯💜 (events/arts/threads link in bio) (@XynOtakuThought) September 14, 2021

fashion icon isabelle from the hit video game animal crossing at the #MetGala looking fabulous as usual 🤩‼️ pic.twitter.com/5f9C4jDq3j

— maya ✨ (@mayahorizons) September 14, 2021