Like Miranda Priestly’s brutal one-liners in The Devil Wears Prada 2, we’re back and judging fashion — this time at the 2026 Met Gala.
In New York City on Monday, celebrities took on the “Fashion Is Art” dress code — or risked Anna Wintour’s side-eye — on the most unforgiving red carpet of all: the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s treacherous staircase. So how did they do? We assembled a group of kids to give their unfiltered takes on “sparkly skeleton” Beyoncé, “robot” Kim Kardashian, dragon master Sabrina Carpenter and the statuesque Heidi Klum.
This go-round, a very important kid (VIK) leads the panel: Duke McCloud, the 6-year-old actor best known for his roles in All Her Fault and Kinda Pregnant. A style standout at this year’s Golden Globes in a powder blue double-breasted suit with wing tips, he was more than qualified to weigh in on how the grown-ups did.
Spoiler: He’s a SZA superfan with a soft spot for anything gold, but he wanted more going on in Keke Palmer’s look.
Rounding out our group is a crew of kids ages 3 to 14, whose commentary is imaginative (from “hard-boiled egg” to “frilled-neck lizard” to “a jellyfish”) and often laugh-out-loud funny (see: Olivia Wilde’s “basketbutt”).
Expect pop culture references galore: Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Bluey, Moana, Despicable Me, Star Wars, Barbie and even a “red version of Big Bird.” They also put their math skills to work. To quote 8-year-old Zeppelin: “I’ve counted seven belly buttons so far. … eight … nine.”
Let’s get into it. (And if you’re still in a Met Gala mood, don’t miss our roundup of the best afterparty looks — where the fashion didn’t slow down.)
Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
“I actually love it because it kinda looks like the Statue of Liberty.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“A church statue.” — Lydia, 6
“What is that? Uh, the eyes need to change. Is she real?” — Elle, 7
“Is that a ghost?!” — Hayes, 4
“Imagine waking up in the middle of the night and seeing that in your bedroom?!” — Ayla, 11
Rihanna
Rihanna.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
“Is the [theme] ‘dress crazy’? I like it, especially the shape.” — Jolie, 7
“A beautiful, glittery egg dress.” — Gigi, 11
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
“I love it. She looks like the Wizard of Oz. [My favorite part are] the vines.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“She looks like Te Fiti [from Moana] doesn’t she!?” — Lydia, 6
Lena Dunham
Lena Dunham.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Matt Crossick/PA Images via Getty Images)
“She looks like the red version of Big Bird.” — Ayla, 11
Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Michael Loccisano/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
“Basketbutt!” — Lydia, 6
SZA
SZA.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
“OK, I will comment so much on that. Oh my God, I love that! I love that she put a bunch of flowers on. I love that she has a bunch of jewelry. Oh my God, that is beautiful! Uh-huh.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“Looks like she smells nice.” — Roxy, 14
“She likes nature. She’s a bloom.” — Dash, 9
“It looks so funny and I love it.” — Ruby, 4
“I love the flowers in her hair. Are they orchids? So pretty.” — Gigi, 11
“Nature and jewelry. Diamonds and gemstones. A lot of detail.” — Miles, 11
Bill Skarsgård
Bill Skarsgard.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
“I like it because he kind of looks like Gru from Despicable Me 4.” — Teddy, 8
“Weird.” Beau, 7
Doechii
Doechii.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
“That is so good. I like that it’s purple, in different shapes and zigzags.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“It’s just like Rapunzel — a purple dress, long hair and she’s not wearing shoes.” — Gigi, 11
Teyana Taylor
Teyana Taylor.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: TheStewartofNY/Getty Images))
“It’s Chewbacca’s second cousin!” — Gigi, 11
Natasha Poonawalla
Natasha Poonawalla.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
“She looks like a hard-boiled egg.” — Roxy, 14
Beyoncé
Beyoncé.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Michael Loccisano/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
“Looking like the queen she is.” — Veronica, 12
“Oh my gosh, yes. Yes, yes to all of this. Look at those diamonds. Best dressed.” — Jolie, 7
“She looks like a sparkly skeleton! Can you buy that headband for me?” — Elle, 7
Sombr
Sombr.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
“Oh my God — I love that. He looks like a black dragon!” — Duke McCloud, 6
“He looks like Percy Jackson!” — Dash, 9, and Miles, 11
“A combination of Snape from Harry Potter and a prince trying to rescue a princess. But he looks so serious, so maybe he didn’t save the princess that time. But I still believe in him. Go get her.” — Gigi, 11
Russell Wilson and Ciara
Russell Wilson and Ciara.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
“King and queen.” — Dash, 9
“This looks like the Mean Queen’s crown from Bluey.” — Gigi, 11
“She looks like Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt, and he looks like — I don’t know — a rapper?” (Told Wilson is an NFL quarterback, he adds, “I know.”) — Miles, 11
Nicole Kidman and Sunday Rose
Nicole Kidman and Sunday Rose.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Michael Loccisano/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
“Mama, this is boring” — Jasper, 4
Rosé
Rosé.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
“The bird on her dress looks like it’s flying away. Her diamonds match. I want you to order me that outfit.” — Everly, 3
“I love that bird!!!” — Pearl, 4
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
“I like the shoes and, like, the pose and, like, the crown. I love that one.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“Picture perfect.” — Veronica, 12
“You know that book [series] Dragon Masters I read? It’s about dragons and their masters. Well, she looks kinda like that. She looks powerful like a goddess with that jewel thingy on her head. Sparkly. But the bottom part looks like the devil. She has devil high heels.” — Miles, 11
“Half of her is kind of blackish, the other half she’s basically not wearing anything.” — Dash, 9
Gustav Magnar Witzøe
Gustav Magnar Witzøe.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
“What even is that?” — Beau, 7
“This is good to wear on May the 4th be with you.” — Teddy, 8
“Eeek! He’s a skeleton!” — Lydia, 6
Kylie Jenner
Kylie Jenner.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Kevin Mazur/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
“I like that. The skirt is good.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“A plain vibe. Not really too colorful. She’s naked at the top.” — Miles, 11
“Um … [laughs] … Um … [laughs].” — Dash, 9
“If I went out like that at school, I would never hear the end of it.” — Gigi, 11
Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Michael Loccisano/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images)
“She looks like a peacock.” — Beau, 7
“Ooh, a blue macaw!” — Lydia, 6
“It’s a bird.” — Emilia, 2
Colman Domingo
Colman Domingo.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
“Whoa! I like the pants. He looks like a rainbow professor.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“He looks like a party guy.” — Lydia, 6
“Very outgoing and bright!” — Veronica, 12
“I love the color combo.” — Gigi, 11
Madonna
Madonna.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
“Spooky. She looks like Rapunzel’s mom.” — Elle, 7
“Is that a ship on her head? Weird.” — Ava, 4
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
“That’s actually a good costume. Love the color. It’s super-good because it’s golden.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“Is she made out of metal? She looks like a robot.” — Jolie, 7
“She looks like a metallic Barbie doll with rubber legs.” — Gigi, 11
“Volcano vibes!” — Miles, 11
Chase Infiniti
Chase Infiniti.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty Images)
“I love it because it’s so rainbow” — Ruby, 4
“She belongs in a museum.” — Veronica, 12
“I love the rainbow colors but [whispers] I don’t like the nipple part.” — Gigi, 11
Sam Smith
Sam Smith.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Kevin Mazur/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
“Looks like outer space.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“Professor Snape! — Lydia, 6
Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Matt Crossick/PA Images via Getty Images)
“It doesn’t have a lot of detail. Just the necklace, high heels and the red dress. That’s not that much.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“It looks like she loves red. She dyed her hair red. She’s wearing red slippers. She made her lips red. Red all around.” — Dash, 9
Kris Jenner
Kris Jenner.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)
“That’s hard. [It looks like] a karate vest.” Do you like it? “Yes.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“You know how at the dojo they have the master? It’s like that. Sensei vibes.” — Miles, 11
Dree Hemingway
Dree Hemingway.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
“Is she supposed to be a frilled-neck lizard?” (Mom note: Thanks, Ranger Rick.) — Lydia, 6
Patrick Schwarzenegger
Patrick Schwarzenegger
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Michael Buckner/Penske Media via Getty Images)
“Hotel Transylvania! His cane is nice.” — Everly, 3
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
“Ohh, I like the picture.” — Duke McCloud, 6
“Reminds me of church.” — Miles, 11
“The top part kinda looks like an upside-down sword.” — Gigi, 11
“She looks cozy.” — Dash, 9
Blake Lively
Blake Lively.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
“She looks like a cupcake. I like it.” — Jolie, 7
“Is that Rapunzel? She looks pretty.” — Elle, 7
“She looks like Cinderella. Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo.” — Gigi, 11
“Very colorful. Cushiony — if that’s a word. Cozy. She looks like the queen of dreams.” — Miles, 11
“I don’t like it, give me the diamond lady.” — Ava, 4
Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
“Ohhhhh! She looks like a jellyfish! Wait, is she dropping sand?!” — Lydia, 6
“Do they make this for kids? I want one. I want to be like her.” — Pearl, 4
“It’s like a beach and sand. She looks like she’s melting.” — Miles, 11
Lisa
Lisa.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
“Probably the best.” — Roxy, 14
“Is somebody behind her????” — Lydia, 6
“That’s so cool — it’s like she’s in her own little world.” — Gigi, 11
Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid.
(Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: John Shearer/WireImage via Getty Images)
“Her dress had diamonds that are like rain!” — Everly, 3
“I see London, I see France, I see that lady’s underpants.” — Lydia, 6