James Charles attended Met Gala 2019! The Head Sister in Charge stepped out at the fashion industry's biggest annual event for the first time, which is a major move for his career. Naturally, the beauty influencer appeared with a beat face and a flashy ensemble. Unfortunately, Twitter is convinced that he copied his entire Met Gala look from head to toe.
Beyond the alleged copying, critics are also calling out the fact that he previously criticized a celebrity for wearing a look that's not unlike his Met Gala threads. Is this all just a sister-misunderstanding?
Charles first hinted that he'd be having a major moment just three days before the event.
"Monday is going to be one of the biggest days of my life and I am so nervous but also SO excited omfjwosnkanskdncmf AHHHHHH," he wrote ecstatically on Twitter.
At the time, few people suspected that he meant the Met Gala, simply because he had never gone before. Still, there were some who immediately speculated that he might attend the big event. Seriously, what other Monday errands could be bigger than the Met Gala?
One fan was just concerned about how exposed or conservative James Charles would go for fashion's most important evening.
"Oh my God, James Charles is gonna show up to the Met Gala with his a** cheeks out," one person speculated. After all, that is exactly what James Charles is known for doing with his Coachella appearances. In 2018, Charles freed his backside for the world to see in the most glamorous outfits that included chaps and other booty-baring designs. When he announced that he would return to Coachella 2019, his fans assumed he would repeat the booty display, and boy, did he deliver!
However, for the Met Gala, James Charles went another route.
His booty remained in hiding, but Charles did decide to free the nipple for the "camp"-themed event.
"My first Met Gala," he wrote on Instagram. "Thank you so much @YouTube for inviting me and @AlexanderWangNY for dressing me! Being invited to such an important event like the ball is such an honor and a step forward in the right direction for influencer representation in the media and I am so excited to be a catalyst. Video coming tomorrow!"
Charles did receive some praise for his Alexander Wang 'fit.
One of the highest praises came from the official Met Museum Twitter account. "@Jamescharles looks exceptional on the #MetGala red carpet. #MetCamp," the museum shared online. It kind of doesn't get much better than a compliment from the actual Met Museum, which hosts the event. As a fashion geek myself, I would be STOKED to have my look complimented by the hosts.
Entertainment Tonight also had kind things to say about Charles' Met Gala getup.
"A sister serve," the site wrote on Twitter. "@Jamescharles just killed his first #MetGala red carpet ever and we couldn't be prouder." Isn't that sweet?! Charles also appreciated all of the love. He retweeted this post sending more thanks to Entertainment Tonight, designer Alexander Wang, and YouTube.
Still, critics are calling out Charles for what they seemingly feel is style hypocrisy.
They're reminding the rest of the internet of this red carpet critique he gave to Zoë Kravitz back in March.
In a video titled "James Charles and I brutally ROAST celebrity fashion" published on Tana Mongeau's YouTube channel, the pair balked at Zoë Kravitz's red carpet look for the 2019 Oscars. For starters, they didn't even know who she was.
“Who is that?” Charles asked. "I don’t know,” Mongeau replied.
“That’s a zero,” he continued to say about Kravitz's look. “She didn’t finish getting dressed… It’s not great. It’s not. That ain't it."
At the time, Charles was roasted on Twitter for not knowing who the actress is.
People also strongly disagreed with his assessment of her look, which to be fair, was an opinion he is entitled to have. It seems the biggest bone people had to pick with Charles is that he didn't think Kravitz's bra was appropriate for an Oscars event but approved athleisure wear.
"Tana Mongeau and James Charles deserve literal jail time for not knowing Zoë Kravitz and giving her a zero, then giving Melissa McCarthy a 10 for wearing an Adidas tracksuit two seconds later," one critic wrote.
Critics also called out James Charles for being wrong about his reasoning for why he trashed Kravitz's clothes and for being inaccurate about where Kravitz was in the first place.
"Zoë Kravitz is wearing a gold bra made of 18 karat gold from the Tiff & Co Elsa Peretti Collection [with] a Saint Laurent skirt (which was her outfit to the Vanity Fair afterparty, NOT the Oscars). The art of subtle flexing is a concept that many aren't able to comprehend," model Justine Mae Biticon clapped back.
In other words, Kravitz was there for a party, and she wore a (very expensive) party look. That fact kind of denounces Charles' reasoning that her outfit was a "zero" for being inappropriate for the more formal Oscars red carpet. Oh, and then there's the other fact that Kravitz's bra cost $24,000. Baby girl was dripping in understated glam.
Fun fashion facts aside, people are even more salty about how Charles downed Kravitz's party look now that they've decided his Met Gala 'fit looks super similar.
"Can someone explain to me how James Charles can a) not know who Zoë Kravitz is, b) mock her oscars after-party outfit, and c) channel said Oscars after-party outfit???? I just [can't] #MetGala2019," another person wrote.
Actually, if James Charles had come to the Met Gala in full-on drag, then he would have been the walking epitome of camp. Drag queens' style is one of the most blatant forms of camp as their hair, makeup, and outfits are often bold and exaggerated. Hence, why Lupita Nyong'o wore eye makeup as a tribute to the drag queen Divine. It's also why Lena Waithe wore a suit jacket that read "Black Drag Queens Invented Camp" on the back.
But I digress.
They're in utter disbelief.
"Remember when James Charles made fun of what Zoë Kravitz wore to an Oscars after party? Now, he’s wearing a knockoff version of it to the biggest fashion event of the year. I have to laugh," another person wrote.
Yikes! And it doesn't stop there.
People are even comparing his makeup to another celebrity's very iconic Met Gala face.
"James Charles copying Kim Kardashian’s makeup look from last year down to the contacts. A joke. #MetGala #MetBall2019," a person shared.
Honestly though? This is probably one of my favorite makeup looks that Kim Kardashian has ever worn. When she hit the Met Gala that year, so many YouTube tutorials popped up the same week because everyone wanted to create this look. I do not blame Charles if he was inspired. This look is still a banger.
Still, critics are also pointing out that his Met Gala look seems way more understated for the "camp" theme.
"Why did James Charles put more of an effort into his dragcon look than his #MetGala one?" a fan questioned.
Just as Charles criticized Kravitz for not doing enough for the Oscars red carpet, critics are calling him out for underwhelming them for Met Gala 2019. It's especially interesting since the camp theme — which is all about extravagance, flamboyance, and being over-the-top in every way — all but begged Charles to be as extra as he gets for other events.
In full disclosure though, James Charles' top is not made of crystals as Kravitz's was. It's actually an Alexander Wang design made entirely out of safety pins! That's definitely extra in terms of design and detail, even if it doesn't make the greatest visual impact on camera. Up close, it's probably pretty killer. Nevertheless, it was the kid's first Met Gala. He'll likely glow up even more for next year. And maybe he'll be careful whom he criticizes later on.
As a former fashion student, I had to learn that just because I don't "like" something personally for my individual style does not make it ugly. My not understanding a design or its inspiration also doesn't make it ugly, inappropriate, or not good enough either. This doesn't mean you can't have an opinion, but just be prepared for that clapback if you show up to a public event wearing a very similar outfit to the one you publicly dragged someone else for wearing.
Anyway, about Rihanna's Met Gala look for 2020… She'd better be planning it RIGHT THIS INSTANT….
