Answer Angel: The Met Gala

Ellen Warren, Tribune News Service on May 13, 2025

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Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Can you please explain to me what is the big deal about the Met Gala? What am I missing here?

--James. J.

Dear James: What? You mean you don’t enjoy watching rich, famous people in amazingly expensive one-of-a-kind outfits (many of whom got them for free) posing for photos before entering a swanky dinner party that you weren’t invited to? Where a seat at the table can go for $75,000 and your presence at the dinner party still isn’t guaranteed until Vogue czarina/fashion queen Anna Wintour OKs your presence?

I get it. It’s not for everyone. Literally. Perhaps you will understand why this is a big deal for some if you think of the breathless, fawning coverage of this annual event as entertainment. Watching the live streaming of the red carpet arrivals for some of us is a guilty pleasure. Others think it’s pointless and silly.

But not everybody likes the same books and movies so it is entirely expected that most of us will not be paying much attention to what a small contingent of the population considers the event of the year. Some people can’t wait to take the family on a Disney cruise or attend an annual Super Bowl party. For others, that’s the lowest circle of hell.

If it helps curb your contempt, the Met Gala is a fundraiser — a highly successful one — for the Costume Institute at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, a revered cultural institution — that only a fraction of us have ever visited.

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I have several items of pleather (short for “plastic leather” also called faux leather, vegan leather or synthetic leather) for which the cleaning instructions say do not dry clean and do not wash. I've asked several cleaners if they have another method to clean pleather, and they suggest spot cleaning it; however the garments have been worn multiple times and need a good overall cleaning/refreshing rather than a spot cleaning. Do you have any suggestions?

--J.J.

Dear J.J.: Reconsider your idea that, because your items require “a good overall cleaning” that rules out a spot cleaning. Just spot clean the entire item by hand. Use a soft cloth, cool or lukewarm water, and rub gently, inch by inch.

If that doesn’t work, add gentle detergent, dish detergent or baby shampoo and repeat by hand. Air dry. There are also faux leather cleaning products on the market. But, as with any cleaning effort, test first on a small, obscure area.

If you are still not satisfied, before heading for the washing machine, take your chances and ignore the “do not wash” instructions. Prepare a bucket with cool water dunk the whole garment in there. Use a (very) soft brush for tough stains, rinse and air dry.

Still not happy with your results? There’s your last choice, the washer. (Don’t even think about dry cleaning since mixing the components of dry cleaning with the polyeurethane is a formula for disaster.)

--Turn the item inside out if possible.

--Put it in a mesh laundry bag (I’ve found extra large ones on Amazon).

--Chose a detergent designed for delicate items.

--Use the delicate or gentle setting with cold water and the lowest spin speed available.

--Do not use the dryer! Air dry flat on a towel, or on a drying rack or hanger.

One more thing: There’s a whole line of “fabric refresher” sprays ranging from Febreze (walmart.com, $6.94) to Downy $8.39 (target.com) to luxury brands like Laundry Sauce (laundrysauce.com, $35).

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Why is it impossible to find a pajama set (preferably cotton or cotton blend) that has long pants? The last several pairs I bought have capri length pants and I hate them.

--Mary Alice H.

Dear Mary Alice: Of course I want to help out another anti-capri zealot like myself! You can find what you’re looking for at, among others, Gap (gap.com), Lands' End (landsend.com), Quince (all linen, quince.com), Old Navy (oldnavy.gap.com), The Cat’s Pajamas (thecatspjs.com) and J. Crew (jcrew.com). There's a wide selection on amazon.com too.

Angelic Readers

And a vote for capri pants and a high-five for a sometimes neglected demographic…

From Ellen G.: “I am short, under five feet tall. I LOVE capri or crop pants! With a short inseam, they are the perfect long pants for me.”