Ross King: Like a slayer? Material Girl Madonna goes Gothic at Met Gala

WHEN I was wee, a gala was something held at the local church hall.

The most fashionable thing to happen would be if Mrs McGlinchey wore a bunnet to match her brooch when she was manning the face-painting stall.

Who would have thought that years later a gala would be the most stylish event in the showbiz diary?

Last week was The Costume Institute Gala at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the Met Gala as it’s known.

Everyone who’s everyone goes along, dressed to the nines. Although that doesn’t quite do it justice – they look like they’re dressed to the tens, elevens and twelves, too.

Katy Perry, Rihanna, Olivia Munn, Grimes, George and Amal Clooney, Princess Beatrice, Gisele Bundchen and many, many more were there and looking…well. It’s hard to say!

Previously, guests have had to dress to the themes of the evening, which have included Manus x Machina, Punk: Chaos to Couture, and China: Through the Looking Glass.

Yep, I have no idea either.

Still, guests seem to lap it up and this year’s theme – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination – was no different.

It really fired the imagination with some of those strolling down the red carpet – which was ironic as with some of them there wasn’t a lot left to the imagination.

Sunday best?

More like Sunday worst.

For the event itself there were treasures on loan from the Sistine Chapel, and the Sistine Chapel Choir even turned up.

How religious! Except Madonna, who appeared in a Gothic ensemble by Jean Paul Gaultier, sang her hit, Like A Prayer.

That might seem quite fitting but it’s a bit of a naughty song.

Hopefully The Pope doesn’t read the lyrics…

Speaking of which, Rihanna may be fantastic at being a pop star, but she switched to being a Pope star… by dressing up like him.

Katy Perry dressed as an angel sporting eight-foot wings. I don’t know if she looked angelic but it was certainly a striking look.

The only drawback was someone had to sit behind those ginormous wings while Madonna was on.

Reminds me of the time I went to a fancy dress party as an angel.

The host said I had really nailed the budgie look…