If you’ve been scrolling through Facebook and Instagram in May, you might have seen celebrities dressed up in truly outrageous and mind-boggling outfits. Yes, I’m talking about the Met Gala 2019.
This annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute is when famous people get to show off (even more than usual) designer labels. This year, the theme was ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’, so we got a parade of extravagant, tacky and downright crazy outfits. However, some of the outfits looked oddly familiar to a food writer like me.
Even though none of them wore actual food items as fashion (I’m looking at you, Lady Gaga and your meat dress), here are 10 Met Gala outfits that really looked like they were inspired by food.
1. Kendall Jenner (Thai Milk Tea)
Dressed in bright orange with an eye-catching feather collar, Kendall Jenner certainly cuts a striking figure. But I couldn’t help but notice that the hue looked really familiar…
There are so many Thai eateries in Singapore that I’m sure most of us have had this drink at least once. Yes, the statuesque supermodel’s outfit looked like a particularly tall cup of Thai milk tea!
If you’re craving some Thai milk tea and dishes now that I’ve started the ball rolling, take your pick of Thai eateries.
2. Kylie Jenner (Taro Latte)
If nothing else, the Kardashian-Jenners really know how to wow a crowd. Kylie Jenner’s lilac Versace piece came with feathers (on the sleeves) too, and she even donned a matching lavender wig.
Talk about dedication to fashion! Like her sister though, her outfit really reminded me of another popular drink.
With how much Singaporeans love sweet potato, it’s no wonder that drinks like Taro Latte and taro milk tea are popping up. Don’t you think Kylie Jenner’s purple dress looks a lot like the Taro Latte from Playmade?
I’d take this over baked sweet potato, any day.
3. Celine Dion (Dragon Beard Candy 龙须糖)
Can you believe that it’s been more than 20 years since “My Heart Will Go On” came out? But songstress Celine Dion still looked as good as ever, in her sparkling Met Gala 2019 dress.
That fringe-and-feather ensemble brings to mind a nostalgic snack. Dragon beard candy, anyone?
You must admit, those shimmery strands looked a lot like the tendrils of this traditional candy.
Unfortunately, we may no longer be able to munch on dragon beard candy anymore, considering how few stalls make this snack nowadays.
4. Nichapat Suphap (Multi-Coloured Cotton Candy)
Thai fashion entrepreneur Nichapat Suphap is the first Thai person to attend the coveted Met Gala, and success must taste pretty sweet.
Her frothy tiered dress was a pastel rainbow confection from Japanese designer Tomo Koizumi, and it looked tasty.
Which would probably be why it reminded me of a popular sweet treat from pasar malams, the multi-coloured cotton candy. Don’t those pastel tiers just remind you of the pink/blue/yellow cotton candy that you can get in plastic containers?
If sweet treats aren’t for you, pasar malams offer a wide variety of other snacks you can choose from.
5. Serena Williams (Scrambled Eggs With Tomato 番茄蛋)
If you follow tennis at all, you’ll know female powerhouse Serene Williams isn’t one to shy away from controversy. And what’s more controversial than the co-chair of the Met Gala wearing sneakers with high fashion?
She paired neon OFF-WHITE for Nike sneakers with a bright yellow Versace gown sprinkled with hot pink leaves. Bold choice!
But I have to say, from a distance, that bold Versace number bore a certain resemblance to my favourite dish to order at cai png stalls.
Doesn’t it look just a smidge like scrambled eggs with tomato (番茄蛋)?
6. Josephine Skriver (Fruit Cake)
Danish model Josephine Skriver is a Victoria’s Secret angel with a good 300 fashion shows under her belt.
Her dress at the Met Gala was nothing short of stunning, with a floral print dress in light tan and an elaborate train.
Again, with food on my mind, her flowy dress reminded me of the nostalgic fruit cake. Those floral patterns looked like the little bits of fruit, with the dress as the dense and moist cake.
It’s such a pity that it’s getting harder to find old school bakes like this in Singapore.
7. Omari Hardwick (Ondeh-Ondeh Cookies)
Female celebrities aren’t the only ones who dressed up extravagantly for the event. American actor Omari Hardwick came in a three-piece gold-and-green Gucci suit by Dapper Dan.
He recently ran afoul of the “Beyhive” (Beyonce fans), but hey, he still made it to the Met Gala.
Even though he’s attending the Gala for the first time, he certainly managed to look like a snack with the gold-accented green suit.
It could be just me, but that particular shade of green looked like the yummy Ondeh-Ondeh Cookies from Creamery. Gula melaka gold swirls, anyone?
8. Sofia Sanchez Barrenechea (Mala Hotpot)
You wouldn’t expect a luxury event like the Met Gala to include fashion pieces that are actually affordable, but Sofia Sanche Barrenchea wore a piece from Mango. Yes, the brand that you can find in most shopping malls in Singapore.
Even though the designer team intended for the layered dress to look like a mango, I’d say it looked more like the soup base for mala hotpot. The reds certainly made it look devilishly spicy!
If you’re craving mala hotpot now that I’ve brought it up, we’re lucky that Singapore has so many affordable options (that isn’t just Hai Di Lao). Or just skip the soup and go for mala xiang guo instead.
9. Pedro Pascal (Teh Tarik)
Game of Thrones fans, you might remember this dapper gentleman — Pedro Pascal — who played the charismatic Dorne prince Oberyn Martell on the hit HBO television series.
His Burberry suit in a fetching sand tone and silk lapels certainly brought to mind the sand dunes of Dorne and House Martell’s expensive tastes.
Some may say he’s a tall drink of water, but we Singaporeans will know better. That colour palette reminded me of just one thing: teh tarik.
If you’d like teh tarik in another form, there’s always the Teh Tarik Pie from Burger King.
10. Katy Perry (Hamburger)
Katy Perry is definitely no stranger to food-themed outfits. Remember her costume in her music video for ‘California Gurls’? Her Met Gala afterparty outfit is just as outrageous.
This might be a cop-out for this article, because she wore an actual hamburger costume.
I love a good burger as much as anyone, but not enough to dress up as one. I’d much prefer to take a bite of the burger instead, thank you very much.
We love the looks at the Met Gala 2019, even if some of them followed the theme too well. What were your favourite looks, and did any of them look like food to you too?
