Recently spent a couple of hours at the Costume Art exhibit at THE MET.

The Costume Institute’s 2026 exhibition “explores depictions of the dressed body across The Met’s vast collection, pairing garments with artworks to reveal the inherent relationship between clothing and the body”.

Wow… first thing I thought about when I entered the exhibit was how does one even go about putting this together?

The exhibit begins with the Inscribed Body, which centers on the epidermis. Next is The Anatomical Body. Then the Aging Body. “Clothing does not simply cover. It mediates identity and articulates hierarchies of class, gender, belief, belonging, and difference, shaping how bodies are perceived and understood. Fashion, in this broad cultural sense, extends beyond an ancillary role to become intrinsic to the very structure of The Met collection-a connective thread linking works across time and place.”

There is so much to unpack in this exhibit. I did love the way artwork was paired with fashions so that you could see where inspiration came from. The exhibit is so beautifully done that you don’t need to delve into all the connections between the body, art and fashion. As you walk the exhibit the themes fall into place for you and you can just drink in the beautiful and sometimes outrageous fashion statements being made.

Take a walk through my photos and if you feel inclined, the exhibit will be there through January 10, 2027.