Belle of the Ball

Last night’s annual Costume Institute Gala at the Met in New York City was fashion napalm – look at me with my Jessica Simpson reference.

Seriously, though, the ladies turned it up for the occasion, with Blake Lively (pictured here) stealing the evening from the seasoned clotheshorses around her in a super-hot Marchesa mini. The color was a little too last year’s event, but the Gossip Girl star still looked sooo a-freakin’-mazing!

My second best dressed pick would have to be Kerry Washington, who looked quite va-va-boom in a one-of-a-kind Thakoon for Gap asymmetrical red gown.

Back-up Plan star Jennifer Lopez looked beyond as well, in a sequin-dusted Zuhair Murad Haute Couture gown, while Sarah Jessica Parker looked peachy in a playfully disco number from Halston Heritage, the fashion house for which she serves as creative director.

Btw, Parker narrates the Met’s new exhibit, “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity,” which the evening highlighted.

But back to the fashion.

Best Dressed Couple honors go to Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale – sorry, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel…but you looked boring. Ditto Taylor Swift – girlfriend, you gotta spice it up every once in a while.

Speaking of couples, Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen, of course, looked the part of Couple I Most Want to Have a Threeway With (my runners-up would be Diane Kruger and Joshua Jackson); and Kate Bosworth showed why she’s one of the young’uns with whom I most want to hang out – and whose closet I most want to admire – in a beaded Valentino.

The evening was a most consistently stylish one – thank you for channeling Modern Day Madonna in Gucci, Elizabeth Banks. I think because it didn’t have an out-there theme like in years past.

Too bad January Jones didn’t get the memo, though.

Photo: People.com.