Get the Look: Met Gala

The tailoring catches your eye first: the crisp line of a lapel, the careful arrangement of a waistcoat, the seamless fall of a hem. The longer your look, the more the details – a starburst of pearls, the hypnotic sheen of a jacket's lining, a cerebral pair of spectacles – start to take on unexpected meaning. Putting a finer point on an event know for unapologetic peacocking, this year's Met Gala was a celebration not just of couture, but of culture. Specifically, the long and resplendent role of dandyism, where elegant dressing translates to a refusal to be unseen.

The theme – corresponding, as always, to a centerpiece exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art – was "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," focusing on the Black dandy. From their 18th century roots as drivers of men's fashion to modern iterations exhibiting a rebellious-yet-refined androgyny, dandies are always recognizable by their impeccable tailoring and willingness to shock and awe. Emerging out of centuries of exclusion, Black dandyism took the rules of European fashion and flipped them on their stiffly symmetrical heads, creating a visual language of resistance and exuberant autonomy.

Naturally, glasses played a starring role in this see-and-be-seen approach to style. From monocles to modern mono color, the right frames tended to turn already standout Met Gala looks up to full-on iconography. And because we're us, we couldn't help but focus our lens on the best eyewear of the night.

Here's a look at the most spectacle-worthy moments – and how you can get the looks that inspire you most.

Spike Lee Spike Lee’s approach to the carpet was the same as his approach to film: personal, layered, and distinctly his own. A slick black suit laid out the framework, but it was the coordinated pop of orange – a Knicks cap and matching angular eyewear – that turned this into a statement. When style becomes shorthand for self-expression, minimal gestures do maximum work. Want to tell your story in three sharp angles or less? Try Kvetcher in rust orange.

Al Sharpton

Rev. Al Sharpton has long been known to rock a subtly snazzy suit, and his command of the classics was evident on the red carpet. His tuxedo, complete with pleated bell sleeves and snowy bow tie, evoked high ceremony – but the crystal-clear, squared-off frames added a clean, contemporary edge to the old-world tailoring. It was a perfect example of what “Superfine” celebrates: reverence for the past with an eye on the future.

Boardroom in antique crystal keeps that same energy: crisp, composed, and always ready for a perfectly placed juxtaposition.

Monica Miller As the guest curator of the exhibition, it’s no wonder Monica Miller embodied this year’s theme with understated clarity – right down to her frames. She paired a simple black gown with a cape edged in silver and cowry shells, anchored in sharp sophistication with thick black cat-eye glasses. Kitten Around in black walks that same line: strong, sculptural, and effortlessly in control.

Dynasty Ogun

Everything about Dynasty Ogun’s look played with scale: the soft geometry of an oversized khaki suit, perfectly round sunglasses in frames that dwarfed the lenses, and sculptural accessories that kept the whole ensemble tethered. They used neutral tones to create something deeply expressive, and showed that an artfully undone look can be utterly elegant when done this thoughtfully.

Wackadoodle in white marble echoes that same axis-shifting refinement.

Janelle Monae In the most surreal turn of the night, Janelle Monáe continued her streak of cutting the most memorable figure on the red carpet. She wore a 2D interpretation of a pinstripe suit that recalled a magician’s box or cover art for a ‘20s-era mystery novel, complete with sewn-on briefcase, jauntily tipped hat, and a cheeky clock-face monocle. Then, in a mid-carpet plot twist, she took it off to reveal a Frankensteined mash-up of suiting underneath. To evoke her irreverent, unexpectedly brilliant look, you’ll need eyewear with similar range like Eh-Symmetrical.