It's Official: Kiss Curls Dominated the 2025 Met Gala Red Carpet
Here, our favorite iterations of the night.
This year's Met Gala theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, is a celebration of Black dandyism, and celebrity attendees paid homage in every way, from impeccably tailored suits to structured bobs to swoopy kiss curls—arguably the biggest hair trend of the evening. Want proof? Just take a peek at the 'dos of Simone Biles, Dua Lipa, and Sydney Sweeney, plus many, many more stunning iterations—and the products used to create them.
What Are Kiss Curls?
But what is a kiss curl, you ask? They're similar to laid edges in that they're slicked down to create an intricate, artistic look, but kiss curls refer to just a few dramatic pieces (or sometimes just a single strand) swirled on the forehead. Josephine Baker was known for the iconic style in the 1920s, so it makes sense why we'd see loads of them on tonight's carpet. They also easily suit any hairstyle, from low buns to pixies to XL braids, so there's no shortage of red carpet inspiration to go around.
Curious about our favorite kiss curls of the night? Scroll right ahead.
All the Kiss Curls We Saw at the 2025 Met Gala
Hairstylist Brenton Diallo wanted to create a "sculptural, high-shine moment" for Biles with a "nod to Josephine Baker’s iconic bang swirl." He relied on K18 products for the glossy finish, namely the brand's Molecular Repair Hair Oil."This helped marry the texture of her hair and the baby hair swirl we added that was gelled to her forehead," Diallo shares in a release.
Dua Lipa chose to accent her sculptural updo with four decorative kiss curls.
We're obsessed with Coco Jones's XL braid (the full length doesn't even fit in this frame!), but the single, thin kiss curl really makes the look sing.
Sydney Sweeney's intricate loops are so dreamy. Celebrity hairstylist Glen Oropeza used a tail comb and Kérastase's Laque Extreme Hair Spray to create those "finger swirls."
Bad Bunny paired his single-strand kiss curl with flipped ends and a pava straw hat, worn as a tribute to his Puerto Rican culture.
WNBA star Angel Reese also accented her flicked bob with a single, swoopy kiss curl.
Taraji P. Henson's deep side part makes the kiss curls appear even more elegant.
For Ciara's slicked-back pixie, celebrity hairstylist Cesar Deleon Ramirez worked the Kérastase Genesis Homme Cire d’Épaisseur Texturisante Wax Pomade into specific areas he wanted more definition (like the subtle kiss curl). "It was perfect for contouring the look—without any crunch," he says in a release.
