The Met Ball Dress Code Has Been Revealed... And We're Intrigued

After last year's punk theme, the 2014 'Fashion Oscars' is shaping up to be much more of an elegant affair

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Madonna Met Ball 2013
Madonna Met Ball 2013
(Image credit: Rex)

After last year's punk theme, the 2014 'Fashion Oscars' is shaping up to be much more of an elegant affair

Move over studs and tartan: This year's Met Ball dress code is a little more refined - and a lot more glamorous.

It was announced that the dress code for the 2014 Met Ball, held on 5 May, will be 'White Tie and Decorations.' So what exactly does that mean?

Traditionally, white tie is the most formal evening dress code, and it indicates a black tailcoat, white bowtie and white waistcoat for men. For women, it's a bit more open-ended - but it does suggest a full ballgown. And the 'decorations' part refers to corsages and sashes. (Is anyone else picturing a full-on Downton Abbey tribute?)

The dress code is a nod to the Charles James exhibition, which will be on display at the newly named Anna Wintour Costume Center from 8 May. The British designer became famous in the 1940s for creating elegant couture dresses for the American fashion elite.

Of course, the dress code is always open to interpretation - and history shows that some stars tend to follow them more closely than others. While Madonna, Sienna Miller and Cara Delevingne embraced last year's punk theme with open arms, other celebrities seemed to ignore it completely.

Sienna Miller and Caral Delevingne, Met Ball 2013

Sienna Miller and Caral Delevingne, Met Ball 2013
(Image credit: Rex)

We have a feeling this year's theme will be a bit more universally accepted - and we can't wait to see what our favourite style stars come up with for the 2014 'Fashion Oscars.'

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Ali Gray
Ali Gray is an award-winning content director and digital strategist. Most recently she was the Director of Branded Content at Hearst, and helped to bridge the gap between the editorial and commercial worlds working across all Hearst brands, including ELLE, Cosmopolitan, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Prior to that she worked as an editor contributing to several brands such as The Telegraph, iVillage UK.