Costume Institute Benefit Gala Mega Picture Post

Here's what I really don't get about celebrities, and socialites in general. In order to raise money for a cause, they throw lavish parties, wear absurdly expensive dresses and jewels, and eat food that costs more for one meal than most families could afford for a month. All in the name of fundraising.

Take, for example, the Costume Institute Benefit Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year. The goal is to raise money for the Met, to fund the arts, and all that good stuff, but wouldn't it make more sense to shelve the egos, put away the dresses, and just give all that money, that would otherwise be spent on frivolity, directly to the cause for which they are trying to raise funds?

I mean, there are starving artists in the East Village who can't even afford new canvases, let alone the cost of their next heroine fix.

Of course, if celebrities didn't throw these ridiculous parties, I wouldn't have all these pictures to post on my blog, and then no one would be happy.

You can find all 248 pictures after the jump, including Lindsay Lohan, Jessica Alba, Sienna Miller, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mandy Moore, Scarlett Johansson, Charlize Theron, and many more.

Amanda Peet is a world of no. I think she just broke every rule in the fashion book.

Amber Valletta is a classy, sassy girl.

Bridget Moynahan is a beautiful woman, but her hair is somewhere between the Coneheads and the Rocketeer.

Charlize Theron looks ridiculous, and so does designer John Galiano, but he always does.

Ciara is not someone I'm particularly familiar with, but I wouldn't mind getting to know her a bit better.

Drew Barrymore is getting a bit past her prime, I must say.

Emmy Rossum looks very pretty, if somewhat lost.

Eva Mendes is stunning, but it looks like she found her dress in the reject pile of Natalie Portman's Star Wars costume bin.

Ginnifer Goodwin has to be just about the cutest girl in the whole wide world. Not crazy about the dress, but with a face like that, who cares.

Giselle Bundchen comes close to showing the good in this amazing get-up, but alas, she's taken precautions.

Gretchen Mol is stunning, as always, and do I detect a bit of see-through action going on here? Why, yes I do. Attention: we have almost visible nipples. I repeat, almost visible nipples.

Jennifer Lopez doesn't really do it for me, but she looks pretty good here. Now if she would just get rid of the Chiwawa.

Jessica Alba never looks bad. Ever.

Karolina Kurkova is a very pretty girl (comes with the whole Supermodel job thing, I guess), but I'm not crazy about this ensemble. Much better without the jacket.

Kate Moss looks great in this black suit, though she might want to carry a lint brush with her. White powder might show a bit on that outfit.

Lindsay Lohan has the uncanny ability to hit it out of the park. It's only a matter of hours until her next salacious rumour crops up, but until then... Behold... Lohan.

Liv Tyler takes her slinky black dress to that next level.

Mandy Moore is incredible. I have no words. Unless those words are gdflgjanank....

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen scare the crap out of me.

Michelle Monaghan looks great, but if it wasn't for Mission Impossible III, I doubt she'd be here.

Molly Simms could have probably done a bit better, but all things considered, she looks quite nice.

Petra Nemcova is always cute, no matter what.

Rosario Dawson looks fantastic, but is it just me, or does she look a bit pregnant?

Sara Jessica Parker is hurting my eyes with this travesty of all things Scottish. I don't know who let her out of the house looking like that, but they should be shot. Or have to listen to bagpipes for the rest of their lives.

Scarlett Johansson looks awful chummy with Stella McCartney. Nice outfit, but nowhere near as good as her Golden Globes dress.

Selma Blair is wearing a dress that even the Amish wouldn't touch.

Sienna Miller seems to think it's appropriate to wear leggings at a black tie event. She is mistaken.

Stephanie March from NBC's Conviction looks amazing, and it's a good show, you should watch.

Victoria Beckham could do with a couple cheeseburgers, but it's a nice dress.