Mindy Kaling's Met Gala Challenge entry just won Instagram today
Update, May 1st, 2020, 3:35 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to add Mindy Kaling’s Met Gala Challenge entry.
When you think of show-stopping red carpet fashion, you think of Billy Porter. Who could forget his motorized hat at the 2020 Grammys, his tuxedo dress at the 2019 Oscars, or his 24-carat gold feathers at this year’s Academy Awards? And there’s no better time for show-stopping fashion than at the Met Gala. Unfortunately, this year’s event has been postponed due to coronavirus, but Porter is still ready to celebrate. He kickstarted the Met Gala Challenge, and it’s taking over Instagram. Even Mindy Kaling just entered.
“The time has come for the challenge to end all fashion challenges,” Porter says in his announcement video with Vogue. The idea is simple: Recreate an iconic Met Gala look from years past with whatever you have at home. The execution, though, is straight-up jaw-dropping. Vogue wrote on Instagram that the new challenge “pays tribute to the night’s peacocking spirit,” and Instagrammers are taking that to heart with over-the-top recreations.
A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine) on Apr 22, 2020 at 12:51pm PDT
The 2020 Met Gala was scheduled for the first Monday in May, but it has been postponed indefinitely. The theme was “About Time: Fashion and Duration.”
In the meantime, see some of the most unbelievable Met Gala Challenge looks on Instagram, and be inspired to join in yourself.
1Mindy Kaling as Jared Leto in 2019
A post shared by Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) on May 1, 2020 at 9:51am PDT
“Recreating one of my favorite Met Gala looks ever with the help of a tarp, some Christmas lights and packing tape,” Kaling captioned her Instagram post. “I think Alessandro Michele would approve.” We just have to bow down to this one. Kaling (and her head) channeled Jared Leto’s 2018 camp look, and it’s instantly iconic. Even Leto agrees. He commented with a black heart emoji—perfect.
2Gigi Hadid’s 2017 Met Gala dress
A post shared by Jennifer Wright (@misswrightbrain) on Apr 26, 2020 at 9:16pm PDT
It’s like the Pillow Challenge mashed up with Porter’s new challenge. The Instagrammer used a sleeping bag, belt, and Goodwill blazer to recreate Hadid’s look. As a bonus, she also created two more challenge entries—Elizabeth Debicki in 2019 and Blake Lively in 2011—and they’re equally incredible.
3Naomi Campbell’s 1990 look
A post shared by Melissa Marie (@melimsurdy) on Apr 25, 2020 at 12:22pm PDT
This one is a true throwback. Somehow, what looks like paper and markers has totally transformed into red-carpet fashion.
4Rihanna’s 2018 Met Gala look
A post shared by Sanja 🇷🇸 Kosovska Mitrovica 🇺🇸 (@sanja_nestorovic_) on Apr 13, 2020 at 1:20pm PDT
Rihanna dressed like the literal pope for 2018’s “Heavenly Bodies”-themed event. Now, one Instagrammer has imitated the dress in newspaper. Somehow, it’s precisely on point. This challenger has created loads of red-carpet fashions at home, so definitely scroll through her feed for Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, and more.
5Laverne Cox in 2019
We’re just in awe here. This recreation—made with curtains, toothpaste (??), aluminum foil, tissue paper, wire, and a glue gun—looks like real fashion.
6Solange’s 2015 look
A post shared by Patrice Pugh (@pattielepugh) on Apr 26, 2020 at 1:54pm PDT
Solange went super conceptual with her “China: Through The Looking Glass” fashion moment. But this Instagram user totally pulled off the style using just photography paper and paint.
7Katy Perry’s 2019 style
A post shared by Stylist Natasha Vinnikova (@n.v.stylist) on Apr 26, 2020 at 1:37pm PDT
Perry made a chandelier high fashion back at the 2019 Met Gala, and this at-home version is truly giving us the LOLs.
8Katy Perry’s 2018 Met Gala look
A post shared by MatthewReisman (@matthewreisman) on Apr 26, 2020 at 1:02pm PDT
We let out a gasp when we saw these paper angle wings. Did this Instagram artist actually outdo Perry on her own look? No competition, but we think the “Roar” singer would have to applaud.
9Frances McDormand’s 2018 look
A post shared by Jacqueline Sly (@jackie_sly) on Apr 26, 2020 at 12:51pm PDT
She is absolutely nailing McDormand’s red carpet energy in these photos. All of them look wildly fun, TBH.
To enter your own photos, just get creative at home and tag #MetGalaChallenge on Instagram. We can’t all be Billy Porter, but we can sure try.
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