Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Attends Her First Met Gala in a 'Tax the Rich' Dress

The U.S. Representative attended with Aurora James from Brother Vellies.

U.S. Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez hasn't just proven herself to be popular with young leftists — the fashion industry has also become enamored with her, covering Vanity Fair and making waves for hitting the steps of the Capitol with her Telfar bag.

Still, it was something of a surprise to see AOC on the steps of the Met Monday evening. Not that she isn't perfectly stylish, but the Met Gala isn't exactly her normal scene. Yet there she was, with Aurora James of Brother Vellies — the perfect date, as the two share a set of values — and wearing a dress that's sure to make waves outside the fashion set.

Ocasio-Cortez chose to use her first Met Gala red carpet to send a message loud and clear: Tax the Rich. It was written in enormous red letters across the back of her gown, also designed by Brother Vellies — a pretty bold move, considering that the room would be packed with some of the most rich and powerful people in New York City (not to mention the fact that these images are likely to run for months, if not years, to come).

The gown is already proving polarizing on social media, where some feel the dress is a hollow statement considering the price of a ticket and the glam of the event itself. (I won't even touch what conservatives have to say about it.) It's also on its way to becoming a meme. But then there are others who appreciate the message being present amongst the VIPs who typically attend the Met Gala.

If this is how AOC does the Met Gala, we can only imagine what a Vogue cover might look like.

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