Tailored For Us: A Black Dandy Breakdown of the 2025 Met Gala

🖤 What Is Dandyism?

Before we get into the tailoring, the silk lapels, and the Met carpet moments, let’s talk about what dandyism is—because this theme wasn’t just about looking sharp. It was about being seen.

“Dandyism is a form of Romanticism. Contrary to what many thoughtless people seem to believe, dandyism is not even an excessive delight in clothes and material elegance. For the perfect dandy, these things are no more than the symbol of the aristocratic superiority of mind.”
— Wikipedia, quoting Charles Baudelaire

A dandy is not just someone who dresses well. The dandy is someone who dresses with intention—who uses fashion as philosophy, elegance as armor, and detail as self-definition. In the context of Black culture, Black dandyism is Black excellence in fashion rebellion wrapped in silk, a survival tactic laced in brocade.

It’s the Harlem Renaissance. It’s Sunday best. It’s Dapper Dan, Andre 3000, James Baldwin, Tracee Ellis Ross, and every Black person who’s ever turned a sidewalk into a runway while the world tried to look away.

At its heart, Black dandyism is about reclaiming dignity in a world that tried to deny it, and tailoring your identity on your terms.

The 2025 Met Gala: When the Frame Finally FitS the Fashion

Best looks from the Met Gala

“There is no fashion without the frame.”
One of the quotes from the blue carpet that hit me hardest. And honestly? It set the tone for the whole night. The frame—Blackness, style, rhythm, detail, legacy—was finally the focal point, not just the flair.

With “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” as the theme and “Tailored For You” as the dress code, this year's Met Gala was a nod to Black dandyism, the Harlem Renaissance, and all the ways Black people have used clothing as armor, resistance, joy, and self-making.

And for the first time in over two decades, it was a gala that centered menswear—but through a Black lens. Think: elegance, exaggeration, and every detail saying, “we’ve always been the moment.”

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💼 Tailored, But Make It Dandy

Let’s talk about my Met Gala red carpet analysis looks that did exactly what they needed to do!

• Megan Thee Stallion x Michael Kors: Giving Josephine Baker fantasy meets high-slit power. Megan is always in control of the frame, and Kors? Chic, security-coded arm candy. I saw the vision.

• Tracee Ellis Ross: No notes. She is the blueprint, the dandy, the drama. That exaggerated bow, the voluminous pant silhouette, the subtle hat—it was Harlem Renaissance meets cartoon couture. She knew. As usual.

• Law Roach x eBay: Yes, that’s right—eBay. I loved the unexpectedness of that collab. Law knows how to bridge high fashion with accessibility, and seeing the Dandy influence here? Genius.

• Doja Cat: Camp Flintstone chic in Marc Jacobs. I know some folks were confused, but I loved the irreverence. She’s always toying with shape, history, and satire.

• Teyana Taylor: Gave us “high fashion musketeer” with that blood red, that durag, that hat. It’s the layering of eras for me. Revolutionary war, Harlem streets, and Paris runway all at once.

• Angela Bassett: The blue suit of the night. No notes. Tailoring perfection.

• Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry): Honestly? It might be one of my favorite men’s looks of the night. The red silk sarong, the layering, the royalty of it all—he understood not just the assignment, but the legacy.

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💼 Nicki Minaj: The Office Siren Shogun

Nicki said: corporate dominance meets high drama — and I’m here for all of it.

• Her Met Gala look this year was a masterclass in character-driven couture:

  • The pinstripe base whispered boardroom chic.

  • The sculpted hip silhouette gave power and precision.

  • The cascading floral shoulder? Pure Barbie Shogun.
    It was Office Siren meets Geisha Warrior.
    Business meeting at 8, Met steps at 9.

  This look wasn’t just fashion—it was Nicki’s persona tailored to perfection. Still very her. Still very chic. Still commanding every frame.

#NickiMinaj #OfficeSiren #GeishaGlam #SoftPowerSlay

💎 Simone Biles Was Giving Betty Energy, and I Mean That as the Highest Compliment

This look? This is Betty. ✨🦋💕
It’s playful, powerful, and perfectly extra — in the most elegant Dandy kind of way.
I’d 100% wear this. The jeweled bodice, the cobalt blue, the sculptural train… It’s giving:

“I came to slay but still smile sweetly.”

It’s a little camp, a lot of character.
It’s tailored, it's bold, it's glowing.
That’s my kinda drama.

#MetGala2025 #BettyEnergy #DandyStyle #CampElegance #MainCharacterLook #SoftPowerSlay #IfItSparklesICare #SimoneBiles

And Then There Was Zendaya…

🎬 Zendaya: The Dandy in Motion

The way Zendaya moved across the carpet? Cinematic.
She didn’t just wear a look — she told a story in motion. From the cut to the composition, every detail was deliberate. Regal. Mythic. Magnetic.

She is the Dandy.
Her presence held the room. Her tailoring held history. Her silhouette said everything.

And like she does every year, she reminded us that fashion isn’t just about fabric. It’s about frame, feeling, and legacy.

#Zendaya #MetGala2025 #TheDandy #FashionIcon #MainCharacterEnergy #LoreInMotion #CinematicSlay

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Dandy Camp: When Style Becomes Spectacle

Tessa Thompson: Theatrical Precision in Cream Satin

This look is so CAMP — and of course, it’s Tessa Thompson delivering!
Sculpted satin. Exaggerated hips. Velvet lapels. Platform boots.
It’s giving Willy Wonka couture meets museum curator, and I’m honestly obsessed.

Some girls serve beauty, but she serves concept.
I live for fashion that flirts with costume but lands as ART.

#MetGala2025 #CampDoneRight #TessaThompson #ArtInFashion #MixedMediaMuse #SoftPowerSlay #FashionLore

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Looks With Lore” or “Poetic Style”

Carrying the Piano: André 3000 and the Weight of Legacy

André 3000 walked into the Met Gala carrying a piano on his back…
And all I could think about was The Piano Lesson by August Wilson.

There’s a scene where one of the characters says he always wanted to be a piano player —
But then he realized he had to carry that piano on his back everywhere he went.

That’s what art is sometimes.
A gift. A grief. A legacy.

And nobody wears that weight with more grace than André.

And also what was in that bag…lol

Lauryn Hill in Couture Sunshine: A Vision of Sovereignty

There are outfits, and then there are moments.
And this was a moment.

Lauryn Hill arrived in lemon couture by Chen Peng —
wrapped in light, moving like prophecy,
and carried by the aura of a woman who knows she doesn’t chase — she reigns.

The tailoring? Impeccable.
The train? A golden breeze trailing behind her legacy.
The Birkin? Blue like royalty.
And the umbrella? A metaphor in motion — prepared for rain, dressed in radiance.

Escorted like the high priestess she is, Lauryn didn’t just show up —
she reminded the room that Black dandyism isn’t just about fashion.
It’s about presence, protection, and poise.

#LaurynHill #MetGala2025 #SuperfineTailoring #DandyRoyalty #SoftPowerSlay #BlackFashionHistory #BirkinEnergy #FashionLore #ChenPengCouture

The Missed Moment:

While some came to slay, others… misunderstood the assignment. A sea of black suits and underwhelming tailoring from non-Black attendees made it clear: not everyone understood what “Superfine” means. Because this wasn’t just a dress code — it was a cultural code.

Closing Thoughts:

This year’s Met Gala was more than a fashion spectacle — it was a celebration of Black artistry, individuality, and resistance. A reminder that dandyism is more than a look; it’s a lens. And when done right, it speaks louder than any mic drop.

There is no fashion without the frame. And this year, that frame was Black brilliance.

Let’s Talk Style & Storytelling:

✨ Which look spoke to you the most — and why?
🧵 What does tailoring mean to you when it comes to identity and expression?
🎩 Have you ever considered yourself a modern-day dandy or soft power icon?
🌸 Did the Met Gala theme spark any memories of Black fashion icons in your life?
🖤 What would you wear to a gala themed Tailored for You?

Drop your thoughts in the comments — or tag me in your own Dandy-style fits or TikToks.
Let’s celebrate the beauty, the drama, and the legacy that lives in our threads.