The 2025 Met Gala—celebrating the Costume Institute’s exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”—flooded social feeds with razor‑sharp suits, pearled pinstripes, and serious vocabulary. If you heard Vogue’s livestream (or scrolled the memes) you probably bumped into a few tongue‑twisters. Below are six of the most‑mispronounced words from the night, plus quick pronunciation tips, meanings, and who wore what. Master these and you’ll sound as sharp as the looks themselves.
1. Dandyism
Say it:DAN‑dee‑iz‑əm, /ˈdæn.diˌɪz.əm/ What it means: A flamboyant, detail‑obsessed approach to dress—think swagger, tailor‑made confidence, and a love of sartorial drama. Pharrell, A$AP Rocky, Tracee Ellis Ross and co‑chair Colman Domingo all praised “Black dandyism” on the carpet.
ANGELA WEISS/Getty Images
2. Zoot suit
Say it: zoot soot, /ˈzuːt ˌsuːt/ What it means: A 1940s suit with padded shoulders, cinched waist and exaggerated wide‑leg trousers—iconic in Harlem and Chicano culture. Designer legend Dapper Dan arrived in an emerald‑striped Louis Vuitton zoot suit, tipping his hat to the Harlem Renaissance.
Getty Images
3. Peplum
Say it:PEP‑ləm, /ˈpɛp.ləm/ What it means: A ruffled or flared extension at the waist of a jacket, top, or dress that creates an instant hour‑glass line. Host La La Anthony pointed out the polka‑dot peplum buttons on her custom Christopher John Rogers look during the livestream.
Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images
4. Superfine
Say it:SOO‑pər‑fayn, /ˈsuː.pɚ.faɪn/ What it means: An old textile term for extremely fine wool suiting. It’s the keyword in the exhibition title “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which traces three centuries of Black sartorial excellence.
5. Jacquard
Say it: zhə‑KARD, /ʒəˈkɑːrd/ What it means: A fabric woven on special looms so the pattern is built into the cloth, not printed on top. Rapper Pusha‑T’s burgundy pin‑stripe jacquard suit showed how subtle texture can still shout luxury.
Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images For The Met Museum
6. Sartorial
Say it: sar‑TOR‑ee‑əl, /sɑːrˈtɔːr.i.əl/ What it means: A fancy adjective meaning “relating to tailoring or clothes.” Vogue editors used it all night—“sartorial excellence,” “sartorial risk‑taking”—to capture the evening’s obsession with cut, fit and flair.
The 2025 Met Gala—celebrating the Costume Institute’s exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”—flooded social feeds with razor‑sharp suits, pearled pinstripes, and serious vocabulary. If you heard Vogue’s livestream (or scrolled the memes) you probably bumped into a few tongue‑twisters. Below are six of the most‑mispronounced words from the night, plus quick pronunciation tips, meanings, and who wore what. Master these and you’ll sound as sharp as the looks themselves.
1. Dandyism
Say it:DAN‑dee‑iz‑əm, /ˈdæn.diˌɪz.əm/ What it means: A flamboyant, detail‑obsessed approach to dress—think swagger, tailor‑made confidence, and a love of sartorial drama. Pharrell, A$AP Rocky, Tracee Ellis Ross and co‑chair Colman Domingo all praised “Black dandyism” on the carpet.
ANGELA WEISS/Getty Images
2. Zoot suit
Say it: zoot soot, /ˈzuːt ˌsuːt/ What it means: A 1940s suit with padded shoulders, cinched waist and exaggerated wide‑leg trousers—iconic in Harlem and Chicano culture. Designer legend Dapper Dan arrived in an emerald‑striped Louis Vuitton zoot suit, tipping his hat to the Harlem Renaissance.
Getty Images
3. Peplum
Say it:PEP‑ləm, /ˈpɛp.ləm/ What it means: A ruffled or flared extension at the waist of a jacket, top, or dress that creates an instant hour‑glass line. Host La La Anthony pointed out the polka‑dot peplum buttons on her custom Christopher John Rogers look during the livestream.
Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images
4. Superfine
Say it:SOO‑pər‑fayn, /ˈsuː.pɚ.faɪn/ What it means: An old textile term for extremely fine wool suiting. It’s the keyword in the exhibition title “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which traces three centuries of Black sartorial excellence.
5. Jacquard
Say it: zhə‑KARD, /ʒəˈkɑːrd/ What it means: A fabric woven on special looms so the pattern is built into the cloth, not printed on top. Rapper Pusha‑T’s burgundy pin‑stripe jacquard suit showed how subtle texture can still shout luxury.
Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images For The Met Museum
6. Sartorial
Say it: sar‑TOR‑ee‑əl, /sɑːrˈtɔːr.i.əl/ What it means: A fancy adjective meaning “relating to tailoring or clothes.” Vogue editors used it all night—“sartorial excellence,” “sartorial risk‑taking”—to capture the evening’s obsession with cut, fit and flair.
Frequently asked questions
How can I practice these six words so the pronunciation sticks?
Record yourself repeating each word three times, stressing the bold syllable just like the guide. Then play a short clip from Vogue’s 2025 livestream and shadow the host in real time. The mimic‑and‑compare method locks in both rhythm and vowel shape.
Do these words matter outside Met Gala chatter?
Absolutely. Sartorial appears in fashion journalism year‑round, jacquard and peplum pop up in retail descriptions, and dandyism crops up in cultural commentary. Mastering them boosts both everyday reading comprehension and your style conversation game.
What does the exhibition title “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” mean?
“Superfine” is a 19th‑century term for exceptionally fine wool suiting. The Met’s 2025 exhibit traces 300 years of Black menswear—from zoot‑suit swagger to Savile Row‑level tailoring—showing how clothing became a canvas for identity, resistance, and joy. Knowing the vocabulary helps you catch those references when you visit or read reviews.
Speaking with colleagues, interviewers, and examiners can be a stressful experience, especially if you speak a foreign language or expect tricky questions. Focusing on what you say and, at the same time, being aware of how you talk is extremely challenging.
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