Met Gala 2016: The 5 Beauty Trends That Ruled the Red Carpet

For those attending tonight’s 2016 Met Gala, the theme “Manus X Machina” centered around a few key beauty themes. At the top of the list? A high ponytail fit for a bionic babe, slick enough to make the wearer look like she was one part gleaming machine.

Coming in as a close second: the deep oxblood lips seen on Léa Seydoux, Rose Byrne, Miranda Kerr, and more, which became such a universal statement, it looked as if a tube was being passed around on the red carpet. For those looking for the kind of swingy hit that commands a paparazzi lens, bobs were an easy option, with Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, and Solange Knowles leaning into lived-in textures. And for highly complicated, sparkling dresses, longer strands went one of two directions: air-dried waves or simple knots—both of which proved minimalist enough to contrast with a full-throttle gown. Here, a look at the best beauty trends of the Met Gala.

 

BIONIC PONYTAILS

 

Braided, flat-ironed, and wrapped in thin strips of metal, tonight’s ponytails came in all variations, bound together by one unspoken rule: the higher and slicker, the better.

 

OXBLOOD LIPS

 

Nothing anchored a cool, silver sartorial palette like an arresting rouge-noir mouth, making for a foolproof pairing that was as universally winning on blondes (Léa Seydoux, Poppy Delevingne, Amber Heard) as it was on brunettes (Miranda Kerr, Rose Byrne, Brie Larson).

 

BOLD BOBS

 

Even skilled red carpet favorites Kristen Stewart, Taylor Swift, and Michelle Williams shook up their signature bobs tonight, turning up with choppier, tougher-edged variations on their crops or freshly shorn microbangs.

 

NO-FUSS KNOTS

 

There’s no wrong way to wear a twist-and-go knot. Sleek and classic (Karlie Kloss), mussed up and lived in (Lily-Rose Depp), or high on the top of the head (Taylor Hill), each look gave star billing to plunging necklines and flash focus beading.

 

MINIMALIST HAIR

 

Worn by the red carpet’s most famous super bodies, easygoing hair cut an effortless yet confident profile. Doutzen Kroes and Margot Robbie paired stark white cutout gowns with air-dried textures. Meanwhile, Alessandra Ambrosio took a page from the famous good looks of original supermodels Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, who prefer their hair straight and swingy. And taking the undone look to new levels, artfully rumpled looks turned up on Florence Welch and the Haim Sisters—proving you can never go wrong with a little rock ’n’roll attitude.

 

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