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Taylor Swift has opted out of attending the 2024 Met Gala, confirmed by PEOPLE. Despite earlier speculations of her attendance, the singer, fresh from the release of her Tortured Poets Department album on April 19, has decided to skip the grand affair. Instead, she'll be dedicating her time to rehearsals and tour preparations for her upcoming Eras Tour, which resumes on May 9 in Paris, followed by an extensive schedule across Europe throughout spring and summer.
Scheduled for May 6, the Met Gala, renowned as fashion's pinnacle event, would have posed a tight schedule squeeze for Swift, 34, given her imminent tour commitments. TMZ had previously reported that Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, would not grace the Met Gala this year.
Having attended the prestigious event six times before (her last appearance being in 2016), Swift's absence marks a departure while Kelce, on the other hand, is yet to make his debut at the renowned soirée.
Swift's recent weeks have been monumental following the release of The Tortured Poets Department, as she gears up for her tour. Dominating the Billboard charts once more, her album has garnered 1 billion Spotify streams within a week, alongside receiving glowing reviews for her work.
While Swift's absence leaves a void, the Met Gala is poised to draw in fashion's elite. This year's theme, "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," will be showcased through an exhibit featuring approximately 250 items, including 15 notable pieces such as an 1877 Charles Frederick Worth silk satin ball gown, spanning over 400 years of history. Andrew Bolton, Wendy Yu Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute, describes it as an homage to nature and the emotional essence of fashion.
Themed "The Garden of Time," the dress code draws inspiration from J.G. Ballard's 1962 short story of the same name, envisioning a utopia of leisure, art, and beauty. Stars are expected to arrive in ensembles paying tribute to florals, music, and time.
Leading the pack as co-chairs for the night are Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth, and Bad Bunny. With the Gala just weeks away, some are still in the process of finalizing their looks, as the pressure mounts for the highly anticipated event.
Zendaya, a five-time attendee known for her remarkable Cinderella transformations, revealed to Vanity Fair that she's still uncertain about her attire but has several ideas in mind. Meanwhile, Lopez, speaking to Vogue, admitted to still pondering over a few potential outfits, indicating her tendency to decide at the last minute, embracing the essence of the night dedicated to stunning fashion statements.
