I Guess That's Kim K Underneath All That Black Fabric?

When word leaked a few days ago that Kylie Jenner was skipping the Met Gala this year (thanks DeuxMoi), the internet quickly wondered what the fashion fate would be like for the rest of the famous family. But Kim Kardashian’s 2021 Met Gala look proved that just because one sister gracefully bowed out doesn’t the mean the others wouldn’t show up to slay. And slay she did.

Kardashian had been rocking intense (to say the least) Balenciaga looks in New York City the entire week leading up to the most major fashion event of the year, so it’s no surprise that her Met look on Sept. 13 featured the same designer.

However, what was surprising was that Kim donned a super similar look at the gala to ones she’s been rocking all week. Just a few days before the Met on Sept. 11, Kim wore a black dress with a train very similar to her gala one, but her face was exposed. Then, on Sept. 12, she posted another Balenciaga look with a black trench coat and a hood/mask that fully hid her face, even more like the one she wore at the Met Gala. So yeah, I’m not shocked. But that does leave me more room to interpret this look.

The theme for the 2021 Met Gala was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” So is this covered look a nod to Kim’s need for privacy as an American celebrity? Or is it a nod to different cultures who prefer to keep their faces hidden when out in public? Or is it just Kim being Kim, aka unexplainable? Whatever statement she was trying to make, she certainly got people talking, which is usually any Kardashian’s goal. (We love to see it!)

What was so great about this look was how you could still tell it was Kim K through the face mask and hood. Her iconic features still stood out, which showed that her look was still a serious couture moment. Careful detail was applied to make sure you could still tell it was Kim. The fact that you couldn’t tell where her shoes ended and her (tights? undergarments?) pants began was also a clever trick that Kim mastered beautifully. Looks like Kim didn’t need Kylie by her side at the 2021 Met Gala after all.