Popsugar Fashion Met Gala What Was the Met Gala Theme 2021? O Say Can You See How Perfectly These Celebs Nailed the Theme of the 2021 Met Gala 14 September 2021 by Amanda Prahl Image Source: Getty / Theo Wargo The 2021 Met Gala featured celebs finding new and creative ways to evoke the year's theme. With a dress code centred on the theme of American Independence, corresponding with the Met's In America: A Lexicon of Fashion exhibit, the gala showcased the very best of American fashion and all the different meanings that "Americana" can take. Though some stars took a subtler approach, there were a handful of celebs who absolutely understood the assignment and soared bald-eagle-style above the rest! There were definitely a few "traditional" Americana designs but also several that evoked the rich history and diversity of what it means to be American in 2021. Take a look at some of our picks for the most on-theme stars of the night. Indigenous Model and Activist Quannah Chasinghorse Wore Authentic Navajo Turquoise Jewels Image Source: Getty / Taylor Hill 1 / 28 Amanda Gorman Was Inspired by the Statue of Liberty Image Source: Getty / Theo Wargo 2 / 28 Gemma Chan Paid Tribute to the First Chinese American Hollywood Movie Star, Anna May Wong Image Source: Getty / John Shearer 3 / 28 Saweetie's Train Featured the Black American Heritage and Filipino Flags Image Source: Getty / Cindy Ord / MG21 4 / 28 Lili Reinhart Wore Every US State Flower on Her Dress Image Source: Getty / Mike Coppola 5 / 28 Mj Rodriguez Combined the Victorian Era With the 1960s to Reference American Evolution Image Source: Getty / Mike Coppola 6 / 28 Yara Shahidi's Look Was Inspired by American-Born Entertainer and Activist Josephine Baker Image Source: Getty / Sean Zanni 7 / 28 Amandla Stenberg's Ballroom-Scene Look Was a Nod to Black and Queer Fashion Trailblazers Image Source: Getty / Theo Wargo 8 / 28 Chance the Rapper's Ralph Lauren Look Was a Throwback to '90s-Era Olympic Fashion Image Source: Getty / Taylor Hill 9 / 28 NikkieTutorials's Flower Crown Paid Tribute to Transgender Activist Marsha P. Johnson Image Source: Getty / Sean Zanni 10 / 28 Janet Mock's Gown Was a Tribute to American Author Zora Neale Hurston Image Source: Getty / Taylor Hill 11 / 28 Ben Platt's Denim-on-Denim Look Was an Homage to Studio 54 Image Source: Getty / Taylor Hill 12 / 28 Lorde Was Inspired by Pennies and the Statue of Liberty Image Source: Getty / Theo Wargo 13 / 28 Ciara Paid Tribute to the All-American Sport of Football Image Source: Getty / Mike Coppola 14 / 28 Imaan Hammam Put the "Stars" in "Stars and Stripes" Image Source: Getty / Kevin Mazur / MG21 15 / 28 Russell Westbrook Referenced the Flag With His Hairstyle Image Source: Getty / Mike Coppola 16 / 28 Megan Rapinoe Put Her Spin on the American Flag Image Source: Getty / Dimitrios Kambouris 17 / 28 Debbie Harry Paired Denim With Flag Stripes Image Source: Getty / Taylor Hill 18 / 28 Dan Levy Featured Maps of the US and Canada Image Source: Getty / Taylor Hill 19 / 28 Jennifer Lopez Brought Glamour to the Wild, Wild West Image Source: Getty / Mike Coppola 20 / 28 Billie Eilish Evoked Old Hollywood Starlets Image Source: Getty / Taylor Hill 21 / 28 Emily Blunt's Glamorous, Starry Look Channeled Actress Hedy Lamarr Image Source: Getty / Theo Wargo 22 / 28 Kendall Jenner Was Covered in Stars Image Source: Getty / Mike Coppola 23 / 28 Naomi Osaka Honoured Her American, Haitian, and Japanese Heritage Image Source: Getty / John Shearer 24 / 28 Leon Bridges Brought Wild West Ranch Vibes Image Source: Getty / Taylor Hill 25 / 28 Barbie Ferreira Went Old Hollywood With Major Beading Image Source: Getty / Dimitrios Kambouris 26 / 28 Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Made a Political Statement Image Source: Getty / Kevin Mazur 27 / 28 Megan Thee Stallion Brought Old Hollywood Glamour in Her 1940s-Inspired Gown Image Source: Getty / Dimitrios Kambouris 28 / 28 Met GalaRed CarpetQuannah ChasinghorseAmanda GormanGemma ChanSaweetieLili ReinhartMj RodriguezYara ShahidiAmandla Stenberg