The Met Gala, or more accurately, Vogue Editor-In-Chief Anna Wintour, is renowned for having strict rules for attendees. The whole thing gets a bad wrap for it but when you really look at the rules, they’re actually very reasonable ways to make a social event a good time.
These ‘unwritten’ rules for the Met Gala are honestly the kind of thing we should consider putting in place for more social gatherings.
#1. No Under 18s
No offence to the kids, but there are just some events that objectively more enjoyable without tweens in the mix.
Or in the case of the Met Gala, some events just aren’t suitable for underage guests. According to Hollywood Reporter, in spite of younglings like Jaden and Willow Smith attending in the past, the iconic Gala decided that “it was not an appropriate event for people under 18.”
Is this because Jaden Smith brought his own snipped-off dreadlocks to the red carpet as an accessory in 2017? Maybe. Sorry kids.
#2. No Selfies
There are zillions of paparazzi photographers at the Met Gala, and who could forget the individual celebrity videos shot inside the museum that showed off the crowd and their ~looks~. But the gala is a selfie-free zone, as guests are expected to adhere to a more traditional behaviour code.
“The use of phones for photography and social media will not be permitted inside the gala,” a notice sent to all guests stated a few years back before the 2015 event, and that sentiment lives on.
An evening of living in the moment and not through the filter of Instagram? Sounds wonderful.
If only everyone could respect the rules.
#3. No Mobile Phones
The no selfie rule is actually part of a bigger ban on phone use at the event. In a perfect world, you wouldn’t need to have staffers gently reminding guests to keep off their phones and enjoy the social event that is actually transpiring IRL, but we don’t live in a perfect world.
The idea is that people, you know, actually talk to each other, and the no-mobile rule is one we should aspire to follow in our own social functions and interactions.
#4. No Smoking
I get that people smoke so this one might be a bit controversial for implementing in regular social occasions, but for the Met Gala it should be a no-brainer. If you’re inside a MUSEUM, do not SMOKE. It damages the art.
In 2017 there was controversy when a bunch of celebrities from Bella Hadid to Mark Jacobs to Dakota Jackson lit up in the bathroom, because obviously, like we said, it’s bad for the art.
No smoking inside is generally a good rule for all social functions though, because it stinks out the room and inflicts fumes on people who do not want them in their lungs or homes. So I’m into this rule.
#5. No Risky Food
By that I mean the Met Gala does not serve food that is likely to get stuck in your teeth and make a mess of your aesthetic. Apparently the caterers are also told to avoid things like onion and garlic to save guests from bad breath.
This should be event planning 101.
#6. You Don’t Have To Be Single But Be Ready To Mingle
According to Gala party-planner Sylvana Ward Durrett, spouses aren’t even seated next to each other.
“The whole point of these things is to meet new people, and to be interested in what others are doing. What’s the point if you come here to hang out with your husband?” she added.
The idea of the Met Gala is at the end of the day, to socialise. Anna Wintour encourages guests to stay off their phones, step out of their comfort zone (ie. their plus one) and take interest in other people.
It sounds like the rules are really just for babying people through the basics of socialising but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.