If Halloween had a Vogue subscription and unlimited couture budget, it would politely step aside for the Met Gala. This annual fashion fever dream is where celebs transform into chandeliers, walking gardens, and occasionally, sentient history textbooks. Sure, the theme screams future, but the real slayage often lurks in the past; just ask Kim Kardashian reenacting Marilyn Monroe, Billie Eilish throwing it back to Victorian goth glam, or Blake Lively flipping through New York architecture like a mood board. Speaking of history making a stylish comeback, one star stepped out looking like a love letter to old Hollywood wrapped in couture.

Sydney Sweeney just entered this year’s Met Gala channeling an iconic 1967 film starlet with enough icy glam to make James Stewart drop his monocle.

Sydney Sweeney made a cinematic statement at the 2025 Met Gala by channeling legendary screen siren Kim Novak. The actress arrived in a black sequined Miu Miu gown featuring a dramatic asymmetrical cutout, directly inspired by a gown Novak wore in the 1967 film The Legend of Lylah Clare. Before stepping onto the carpet, Sweeney even shared a still from the film on her Instagram stories, offering a clear visual cue to her homage and signaling a glamorous transformation rooted in celluloid history.

But do not confuse sparkle with frivolity. The ensemble honored more than just Miss Novak’s on-screen mystique. It tipped a veiled hat to Colman Domingo, poised to direct a tale of love, defiance, and press clippings. And further still, it resurrected a silhouette once worn by Joan Crawford in a 1937 Dorothy Arzner picture, The Bride Wore Red. Quite the evening for a dress with a résumé.

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Sweeney's Met Gala 2025 outfit was proof that, when in doubt, one can always take a page from Old Hollywood’s iconic fashionistas.

The ghosts of Old Hollywood keep dressing the best of us. Rihanna’s 2015 Met Gala entrance in yellow Guo Pei was pure Bette Davis glamor, while Kim Kardashian’s 2019 'wet' look had Jean Harlow written all over it, sultry and sleek. Sydney Sweeney’s 2025 Miu Miu gown was a clear nod to Kim Novak’s The Legend of Lylah Clare, with a touch of vintage speed, reflecting her well-hidden car obsession.

Whether it is Zendaya channeling Joan Crawford’s sharp, bold lines or Lupita Nyong’o’s ethereal Prada gown bringing back Diana Ross’ grace, Old Hollywood’s influence is undeniable. From dramatic silhouettes to soft, romantic styles, the spirits of the past continue to inspire modern fashion. It is proof that glamor, much like classic cinema, never truly fades away.

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Were you able to figure out which classic film star Sydney Sweeney drew inspiration from for her look? Let us know!