Fairycore Beauty Is Everywhere At The 2022 Met Gala

Though we’ve come to expect a whimsical display of grandeur for the Met Gala’s dress code, the beauty tends to err more on the safe side, allowing the clothes to do all the talking. But on this year’s red carpet, the undeniable reigning theme of the night took a leaf out of the fairycore wave we’ve been riding as of late.

Channelling an ethereal blend of Y2k meets woodland princess, Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid and Olivia Rodrigo were just some of the evening’s guests that nailed the look, resembling characters straight out of a Tolkien adaptation.

With over a billion views and counting, the #fairycore hashtag has been prolific in recent years — even outshining its cousins #goblincore and #dragoncore. Though the lines between fairies, elves and pixies can get a little blurred for us regular folk, the general vibes take note from fairytales and films like The Lord Of The Rings that depict the creatures as the epitome of elegance.

So why is looking like a fairy or elf so flattering? It’s hard to pinpoint, but a quick browse through filters and this author is already converted. Ears poking out behind hair, the wild, untamed manes, faux freckles, rosy cheeks and the lifted (or bleached) brows, it’s all rather romantic, right?

On the other side, though, the look does borrow elements of grunge, as many Met Gala guests demonstrated. With dramatic smokey eyes, and winged liner sharp enough to make your head turn, the dark side of fairycore certainly had a presence on the red carpet.

Scroll on for the best of fairycore beauty at the 2022 Met Gala.