Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is in the unusual position of being incredibly famous — in certain circles infamous — and a staunch, tireless crusader for progressive causes. Among her positions is that the working class deserves a working wage. And one way to achieve that, she’s argued, is to make the unimaginably wealthy pay their share of taxes. So while she showed up at the ultra-elite 2021 Met Gala, filled with the usual array of head-turning outfits, she did so while wearing a spectacular dress bearing a message some in attendance wouldn’t like.
Rep. @AOC on the #MetGala red carpet in a dress that reads Tax the Rich. pic.twitter.com/nq87zCdm8z
— The Recount (@therecount) September 13, 2021
The annual event, which was cancelled last year for obvious reasons, is arguably New York City’s premiere social event. It attracts the rich and/or famous: pop stars, actors, trust fund kids, society swans, and anonymous members of the glitterati. Some of those no doubt support AOC, at least in theory. But she wanted to make sure that her message got across.
And so a proud member of the Democratic Socialists of America showed up at a soiree where individual tickets start at $35,000 clad in a long white gown designed by Brother Vellies, bearing the words “Tax the rich” in purest red across her back. (She could have gone with “Eat the rich.”)
It seemed to be a dig at another dress, worn by pro-Trump singer Joy Villa at the 2019 Grammys, which had the same idea but with the words “Build the wall.”
aoc wears a “tax the rich” dress in an apparent mockery of joy villa’s “build the wall” dress from the 2019 grammys. inch resting pic.twitter.com/vWxtIATOU8
— matt (@mattxiv) September 14, 2021
A lot of people found it badass.
aoc wearing the words tax the rich on her dress? simply iconic #MetGala pic.twitter.com/utsxXBXEIl
— ilana kaplan (@lanikaps) September 13, 2021
.@aoc is at the Met Gala. The back of her dress reads "TAX THE RICH." pic.twitter.com/OBRQ3a4XQV
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) September 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/AllTheShine/status/1437572520937410565
Hate the gala, not the gal. Well played @AOC. pic.twitter.com/l7Ipl3uey2
— Francesca Fiorentini (@franifio) September 14, 2021
aoc turned up to the met and said EAT THE RICH 🍽 #MetGala #MetGala2021 pic.twitter.com/9iysM5ysby
— VALERIJA (@vaaalerijaaa) September 13, 2021
https://twitter.com/cazurinova/status/1437569339025133572
Some imagined the reactions she got from some in attendance.
All the rich people at the #MetGala when AOC walks by in her “tax the rich” dress pic.twitter.com/sZ4OG8fbHS
— Emily (@emilybernay) September 14, 2021
Others wondered if AOC would run into the wife of one of the richest people in the world.
https://twitter.com/ketchuu_p/status/1437568764506169348
AOC wasn’t the only one present with a message embroidered on their frock.
A quick round of applause for the women making a statement at the #MetGala 👏 @Caradelevingne @AOC https://t.co/gmWnEQrP4P pic.twitter.com/UWLtbSBgqT
— E! News (@enews) September 14, 2021
(Via The New York Post)