Do Celebrities Actually Sit Down in These Outfits?
MGK, we’re talking about you.
Remember when celebrities wore tight mermaid gowns on the red carpet and you wondered how they managed to eat, laugh, or use the bathroom in those skin-tight outfits? I remember finding out that A-listers sometimes stand up in large sprinter vans while traveling to the Oscars and Met Gala to avoid wrinkling their dresses, and I thought it was absurdly amusing. Those were simpler times, my friends.
In recent years, celebrity red carpet ensembles have gone from “impractical” to “life-threatening.” One prime example is Kim Kardashian, who is known for prioritizing fashion moments over basic bodily functions (like breathing, perhaps?). There was the vintage latex Thierry Mugler gown at the 2019 Met Gala, so snug that it sparked a problematic rumor that she had her ribs removed to fit into it. Then there was the full-body unitard made of stiff caution tape at the Balenciaga winter 2022 show in Paris, and of course, the tight archival Marilyn Monroe dress she wore at the 2022 Met Gala. Going as far back as 1998, Rose McGowan wore a sheer chainmail dress to the VMAs with only a dozen crystal chains covering her bare posterior. Just imagine the indentations you would get if you sat down in that for even five minutes.
Most recently, Machine Gun Kelly donned an ensemble at the 2022 American Music Awards that could potentially cause organ damage and gives off a high-fashion Hellraiser vibe. He accepted his “Favorite Rock Artist” trophy wearing a custom amethyst wool suit embellished with long gun metal spikes from Dolce & Gabbana. (And yes, the suit was completely covered in approximately eight-inch spears, including the buttocks area where one would typically sit — see below.)
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTY IMAGES
At this point, I don’t know whether to be concerned about the well-being of these celebrities or impressed by their cleverness — maybe they intentionally choose outfits that prevent them from sitting down for the entire event. “Sorry, guys, I would love to stay for all four hours of the show, but I can’t risk my life by sitting. Do you have an ambulance on standby?” It’s actually quite ingenious.
MGK isn’t exactly known for his sensible fashion choices, as evidenced by his red carpet looks that have included linking his fingernail to his fiancé Megan Fox’s and painting his tongue black for their obligatory tongue-kissing photos. A touch of silliness is often part of what makes celebrity red carpets fun — the outfits that border on ridiculous or defy expectations are often the ones we remember, for better or worse. There was Björk’s swan dress at the 2001 Oscars, which received criticism at the time but is now considered iconic more than 20 years later. And who could forget (even if we wanted to) Lady Gaga’s meat dress at the 2010 MTV Video and Music Awards, which violated health and safety standards? One could argue that while some of the most memorable and wacky red carpet moments are examples of performance art, the ones that make you roll your eyes feel more like stunts. Ultimately, both types of moments serve the same purpose — they make you look and give you something to talk about.
Did MGK’s fashion weapon stir up conversation? Absolutely. Will his look be remembered as groundbreaking in fashion history? Probably not. I just hope his assistant packed some Band-Aids.