Blake Lively's Take on Gilded Glamour? Jade Jewelry, Opera Gloves, and an Iconic Outfit Reveal

Two years later, the Met Gala is back on the first Monday of May. This year’s theme is one of the gala’s most regal to date. “Gilded Glamour” celebrates the grandeur of New York’s Gilded Age. When it comes to fashion, this means the more excessive the better. Between 1870 and 1890, women wore dresses that combined different textiles, often pairing satin, silk, velvet, or even fringes. Accessories-wise, think opera gloves à la Bridgerton, statement jewelry pieces, and over-the-top designs like oversized bows and ruffles.

If there is one Met Gala guest who always understands the assignment, it’s Blake Lively. The 34-year-old actor, who just made her 10th Met Gala appearance, never fails to disappoint fashion and movie fans alike. For this year’s edition, Lively put on a show in accordance with the theme. She also served as one of the 2022 Met Gala official co-chairs, alongside her husband Ryan Reynolds, Regina King, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Blake Lively posed at the bottom of the stairs in a rose gold gown laced with intricate mirror-inspired geometrical designs. Designed by Donatella Versace, the dress also included an oversized bow wrapped around her waist which doubled as a train. Her look was completed with matching opera gloves and was accessorized with a tiara and oversize jade earrings designed by Lorraine Schwartz.

The actor didn’t stop there, she surprised both viewers and attendees by revealing a transformative dress on the red carpet. As she walked up the stairs, three men in suits rushed to her and swiftly undid the large rose gold bow, which revealed itself as a full turquoise train they laid behind her. The actor waved at the camera as the rose gold opera gloves she was wearing were also switched to match the new turquoise addition to her gown.

Blake Lively told LaLa Anthony, one of the Met Gala’s hosts, that the colors were chosen to represent the color copper turns into overtime. A Statue of Liberty reference? We think so.

“I thought instead of looking to fashion to influence the dress, I looked to New York City architecture and the classic buildings,” she confirmed during Vogue’s Livestream. “The draping [represents] the Statue of Liberty, plus the crown which has seven tiers, the Statue Liberty has seven rays representing the sun's rays and then also the 7 seas and continents which represents welcomeness, inclusivity, and freedom.”

Lively also shared that the Statue of Liberty has 25 windows and that Schwartz added 25 stones at the bottom of the tiara to match. “They're all New York City references,” Lively said of her outfit.