Shoe blog

Met Costume Institute Gala: Superheroes

Last night, while I was drooling over shoes at Iron Man, the fashionistas and celebs were gathering for that hallowed night in the fashion calendar: The Met’s Costume Institute Gala.

This year’s theme (corresponding with the Costume Institute’s major show of the year) is Superheroes, and I couldn’t wait to check out how the attendees decked themselves out for this fun fun theme. And after perusing the pictures, I have to say that while there were some great outfits, it was really and truly the shoes that were the most interesting.

The dresses were nice and all, but lots of people tended to interpret Superheroes as being synonymous with Grecian Goddesses, which made for some pretty but uninspired sartorial choices.

The shoes, though? People went wild with their shoes, and I love it.

There was your typical crop of Louboutins, the best of which were the Spiderman-webbing-style blue pair on Diane von Furstenberg and the Rodita zip sandal on Dr. Lisa Airan.

Jimmy Choo was also well represented, particularly by Eva Amurri and Jessica Stam (though Eva’s got some seriously tight hair and some seriously squished boobs going on, and Jessica’s makeup job makes her look like she could use a few more hours sleep at night).

There were some old favorites that we’ve seen on past runways, like Anna Sui in boots from her Fall 08 collection and Vogue’s Valerie Boster in Spring 08 Balenciaga. While I’m not nuts about those shoes or that dress, I must say Valerie is working the shoes in a suitably superhero-ish way without losing the fashion.

You have your goddess sandal look, as exemplified prettily by Thandie Newton (though please try not to look too long at the frighteningly thin legs of the woman in the ugly bright pink tube going up the stairs behind her) and particularly by Barney’s Julie Gilhart, who has my favorite shoe of the night, as well as my favorite outfit, and the one I deem the best combo of superhero and chic.

There were some unexpected bursts of footwear color thanks to Katie Holmes and Tilda Swinton (who wore matching shoes with transgender performer Justin Bond, though hers are a much better color, I’d say).

Some people went for the unexpected like Kathryn Neale Shaffer in leather thigh-high boots with red flames at the tips (very cool, very superhero). And Monsieur Louboutin himself in black and white striped shoes, accessorized by a superheroic BANG on his lapel and a bizarrely Beauty and the Beast pair of Olsen twins who look like an elegant young woman and her frizzy-haired crone of a great-grandmother.

And last, but most certainly not least, there were patchwork shoes all over. The best were worn by Chiara Clemente and Kate Bosworth, and brought some pizazz to their feet, even though neither dress is anything to write home about.

Wait. No. On second look, I’m more than a little in love with Kate Bosworth’s dress. And her shoes. And her eye makeup. OK, well done, Kate.

And well done on the shoes, fashion fans. While I’m not overall that impressed by your superhero choices clothing-wise, your footwear can save the day any day.