2024 Met Gala Dresses as 2010s YA Book Covers

Here’s my take on 2024 Met Gala Dresses as 2010s YA Book Covers. If you’ve been blogging in the YA space as long as I have, you are familiar with “looks from books” and also with 2010s YA girls in dresses book covers. Let’s go!

2024 Met Gala Dresses as 2010s YA Book Covers

Back in the 2010s we ALL did Looks from Books. I will do a whole retrospective post on those one day.

Today, in honor of the 2024 Met Gala, I have matches some of the amazing dresses worn by the guests as 2010s YA Girls Book Covers featuring Girls in Dresses.

Girls in Dresses Book Covers were a THING in the 2010s and you should check out that post if you want a deep dive into the covers, their fans and their critics.

There was a bit of confusion involving the theme of the 2024 Met Gala, so let’s clear that up first.

The official theme of the 2024 Met Costume Institute Exhibit is “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” The fashion exhibit is about “reawakening” some of the most rare and beautiful pieces in the Met’s costume collection.

But the dress code for the 2024 Met Gala is actually “The Garden of Time,” inspired by a short story written by author J.G. Ballard.

The story is about a count and his wife, who live in a beautiful villa that’s surrounded by a garden of crystal flowers. Outside is an angry mob and the count must turn back time by plucking his flowers, one by one, until there is nothing left.

Hmmmmmmm……that is very interesting but let’s skip the 2024 political parallels and stick to the fashion today.

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2024 Met Gala Co-Host Zendaya as a 2010s YA Book Cover

Zendaya always looks amazing and I love everything about this dress, from the mermaid shape to the dark moody colors to the embellishment.

I chose Carrier of the Mark as the 2010s match for this book because the cover is so beautiful and dynamic. BUT this dress and the feather headpiece and her maku-up and that bird-like thing on her shoulder (maybe it was a leaf?) reminded me a lot of the absolutely gorgeous cover of Wither.

Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon is a 2011 paranormal romance about an American girl who goes to live in Ireland and discovers that her fate is tied to that of a handsome Irish guy. BIG book in the 2010s.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano is the first book in a 2011 Dystopian romance. The lifespan of the human race has been reduced to 20-25 years, so young woman are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to re-populate. YES this is what we were reading in 2011. Sheesh.

I reviewed book two, Fever

I also reviewed book three, Sever.

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2024 Met Gala Guest Ayo Edebiri as The Belles

I have always been OBSESSED by this floral hairpiece from the cover of The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton, a YA Dystopian fantasy from 2018.

The minute I saw Ayo Edebiri’s amazing look, complete with floral hairpiece and a dress with a white bodice that plunges in the back, I thought of this stunning cover.

I REALLY wish we could see the entire dress from the book’s cover, and I am sad that the series covers, like so many Girls in Dresses Book Covers, were redesigned. Who really thinks that illustrated covers are better for moody, romantic books?? I vent about this in that linked post, so join me and share your thoughts.

But The Belles is a great read and the dress is the most perfect garden party dress!

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2024 Met Gala Guest Emma Chamberlain as The Fallen

There were SO many covers I could have chosen for this look as many 2010s YA Book Covers were all about a Twilight-inspired, Gothic Vampire aesthetic. Emma is giving me ALL the Vampire Queen vibes.

The Fallen by Lauren Kate (2011) is the first in a very dramatic YA Reincarnation Romance. Those were so in! But there are dozens of similar covers.

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2024 Met Gala Goes Gigi Hadid as Envy by Anna Godberson

I wish this Girls in Dresses Book Cover had been a more exact color match for Gigi’s dress, but I feel like they both have a corset bodice, a flowing skirt, and a brightly colored accent. I’m not sure I love the hair and makeup styling for Gigi’s look. Let me know what you think in comments!

Envy was a 2009 historical romance by Anna Godberson that takes place in Gilded Age New York.

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2014 Met Gala Guest Jessica Biel as The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski

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One of the iconic YA Girls in Covers Dresses was the one from The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski, the first book in a 2014 YA fantasy trilogy.

Jessica Biel’s look has the right color palette and all the DRAMA of this dress. Love her more undone hair and makeup.

Here’s my Review of The Winner’s Curse

I also reviewed the other two books in the trilogy: The Winner’s Crime and The Winner’s Kiss.

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AI Version of Katy Perry as The Treachery of Beautiful Things

Well. You would think that this dress was designed to match the cover. And maybe it was. Katy Perry was NOT at the 2024 Met Gala, but AI decided this was what she should/would have worn. This look and another alleged Katy outfit went viral and we were all fooled.

Even Katy’s mom thought she was there in this dress!

The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long is a 2012 paranormal Fae romance.

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2024 Met Gala Guest Lana Del Rey as We’ll Never Be Apart by Emiko Jean

I loved Lana’s avante garden dress and, what do you know, I just did an Author Spotlight on Emiko Jean, who wrote We’ll Never Be Apart, which I reviewed here. It will be up soon and I’ll link it.

We’ll Never Be Apart is a 2015 YA suspense novel about twins. It’s very creepy!

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2024 Met Gala Guest Sydney Sweeney as Alice in Zombieland

I don’t love this look, which to me seems to be trying to straddle “princess ballgown” and “dark princess energy” and I don’t think it really hits on either one.

But the dress reminded me SO much of the cover of Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter that I had to include it. Alice in Zombieland is a 2012 Alice in Wonderland fantasy zombie retelling.

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Talk to me in comments! What were your favorite 2024 Met Gala looks OR your favorite YA Girls In Dresses Covers from 2010s YA?