The Met Gala Is The Perfect Example of Misunderstood Femininity.
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Last night, celebrities from all across the spectrum (movie stars, singers, models, congresswomen) made their way to the Met Gala to show off their couture gowns and make their political statements. As I watched the rich and famous strut towards the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it got me to thinking: this is the perfect example of misunderstood femininity.
Of course, it’s important to note the absolute wastefulness of an event such as this one. A ticket alone costs around $30,000, while a full table can cost around $250,000. The money is given to fund the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute - which gets about $15 million from each event.
But I recently did a video on my channel called “5 ‘Feminine’ Behaviors That Aren't REALLY Feminine!” and watching the Met Gala reinforced so much of what I had spoken about. Here are three ways that the women in attendance at the Met Gala misunderstand true femininity:
Treating their bodies as objects. Each year, the Met Gala has a theme. It doesn’t seem to matter what the theme is, though, because at least half the women in attendance will choose to wear something so immodest it barely even registers as clothing.
The women of the Met Gala often choose to be recognized by the beauty of their figures rather than the attractiveness of their features. There is a difference. One makes you a sex object, something to be envisioned in some sort of sexual fantasy. The other elevates your outer appearance as a reflection of your inner value, showing beauty without resorting to simple sex appeal.
When women forget their true worth, they treat their bodies as literal objects to be oggled at. Of course, women have the power to influence men with “sexiness” - but true femininity doesn’t wield sexiness as a weapon. Instead, real femininity values inner beauty over outer beauty and views outer beauty as a simple extension of who you are.
Kendall Jenner’s “homage” to Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady stands out as a fairly clear representation of where femininity is at in 2021. The original dress from the film accentuates Audrey Hepburn’s beauty in the most feminine way; Kendall Jenner’s dress is a see-through glitter ball that is meant to show off every inch of her body. Which is the real reflection of femininity?
Thinking vanity is a feminine virtue. It’s so easy to believe that being vain makes you feminine. Part of being a woman is making ourselves beautiful! But there’s a fine line between taking care of our looks and obsessing about our looks. An event like the Met Gala is all about the latter.
We know this because if the occasion were truly about donating funds to the Met’s Costume Institute, all of these people could either a) stay at home and donate privately, or b) treat it like a normal gala, not a naked fashion show. Two years ago, Kim Kardashian wore a dress that was so tight she was literally prepared to pee down her leg because she could not physically sit down.
That’s what I’d call vanity - NOT femininity.
Viewing your outward appearance as the epitome of your femininity is a sad misunderstanding of what femininity really is. Yes, take care of your hair, your skin, your body. Yes, take time to feel beautiful. But at the end of the day, if you care more about your “snatched” waist than your ability to use a toilet, I think you’ve missed the point.
Believing blatant and crass statements will change minds. Of course, one of the major moments of the Met Gala this year was AOC’s “statement-making” dress. I put that in quotations because her dress was both literally statement-making, in that it had red writing along her backside, but also figuratively statement-making, in that her statement, “Tax the Rich,” was horrendously undermined by her very presence at this ridiculously extravagant event.
But AOC wasn’t the only one to try to be an activist at the Met Gala by writing something blatant on her clothing. Megan Rapinoe carried a clutch that said, ”In Gay We Trust" and Cara Delevingne wore a vest with “Peg The Patriarchy” emblazoned across the front.
True femininity starts with gentle guidance. By showing a better way of life, by demonstrating the good choices one should make, women direct civilizations and change the future. But these women have been led to believe that crass, ugly, blatant slogan-toting is actually effective.
Sorry, ladies, but you’ve missed the mark.
To close out, I figured I’d share one of my favorite tweets about the Met Gala. Hopefully you laugh as much as I did!
Quote of the Week:
“Do one thing every day that scares you.” - Mary Schmich (often misattributed to Eleanor Roosevelt)
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I never knew I wanted my outfit to match a bathroom, but when I walked in here, I absolutely fell in love! The gold decor, the beautiful wallpaper…I don’t mind at all if my dress has a similar feel. I always get compliments on this dress, and I think I know why. Wearing a wrap dress in a pretty, feminine fabric is a great way to feel like a lady!
Things I’ve Been Loving: Cozy Robe
There is nothing better than a cozy robe to wear around the house! I never used to be a robe person, but when Jacob bought me a robe as a gift, I was hooked. Now I wear mine just to keep warm! As we move into fall, this robe might just be the perfect purchase.
Welcome to Classically Abby!
I'm your resident #ConservativeInfluencer, cultural commentator, opera singer, fashionista, makeup artist, and wife with a classic take on the modern world. Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to see how! And together, let's be classic.
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When I saw pictures of the Met Gala and what the celebrities were wearing, I literally just shook my head, rolled my eyes, and moved on to watching football commentary. My family and I have always valued education, being intelligent and well-spoken over looks. And it irritates me to see these celebrities, some who barely passed high school, much less college, talk about really complex and important issues such as global warming, politics, vaccination, education, etc. as though they were experts. I spent years in immunology research, not to mention all the education in college and grad school... and to see some half-naked famous person spout simple, dumbed-down opinions... well, it's just insulting.