Gabrielle Union Says She Got ‘Shady Baby’ Approval for Her Mermaid-Inspired Met Gala Look (Exclusive)

Gabrielle Union And Dwyane Wade never fails to make a declaration to the Met Gala. At Monday’s iconic bash, the longtime couple strutted their stuff on the fashion event’s famous staircase in “Shady Baby”-approved looks!

Union’s Michael Kors dress addresses this year’s theme “Sleeping Beauties: Waking Up Fashion” in a unique way: The silver and green water-inspired dress makes the 51-year-old actress look like a mermaid.

The idea of ​​you The producer paired her dress with Paloma Picasso for Tiffany & Co. Archives earrings, Elsa Peretti Starfish brooch, platinum bracelet with green tourmaline and diamonds, platinum bracelet with black opal and diamonds , as well as platinum rings and platinum rings with blue vyprians.

Chatting with ET’s Rachel Smith, Union said her dress got the only vote of approval she needed: that of her 5-year-old daughter, Kaavia James Wade.

“Mission accomplished,” she said of the toddler’s feelings. “There’s only one girl we care about what we look like and Shady Baby likes that. She said to me, ‘Mom, you look like a mermaid!'”

Wade, 42, accompanied his wife in a lilac purple suit, looking as elegant as ever. The couple explains that as familiar faces from the Met Gala carpet, they have their getting ready routine down to a science.

“We start with the sketches and that takes months, so (there’s) a lot of back and forth with our stylist and Michael Kors and Donatella and Dwyane and Jason Bolden — it’s a lot,” Union admits.

As for preparing for Big Monday, Wade shares that there’s a lot of “wine and music” involved.

“It’s about creating that atmosphere because we come here and it’s loud,” Union adds. “(There are) things happening everywhere, but being able to look at a theme and have your own identity within a theme, that’s the most important thing.”

While Attending last year’s Met Gala, the couple shared that Kaavia is a much harsher critic than her 16-year-old sister, Zaya Wade.

“Kaavia is a harsher judge, but yes, they both approve of these outfits,” Union told ET. Still, the actress loves sharing her passion for fashion with all of her children, with Wade teasing that his wife “begged” Zaya and her older brother Zaire to attend school dances so she could see them in outfits evening.

“Give me a homecoming, a prom,” she begged, noting that Zaya attended her winter prom in January. Wade proudly shared photos from the evening on his Instagram. “I had two dances but Zaya was like, ‘I got you. I got you.'”

With Zaya almost ready to leave home for college, Union must come to terms with the fact that her children are growing up. Speaking with ET at the New York premiere of The idea of ​​you Last month, Union spoke about her recent university visit trips with Wade and Zaya.

“I think she’s so calm about it because I think she knows exactly where she wants to go, but I think she’s making us happy by seeing what our country has to offer,” Union told about his daughter-in-law. “We’re stressed. We’re stressed that she’s away from us…(Parents all have) the same nerves and anxieties about sending your babies away. It’s hard.”

When Zaya starts college, she’ll have to turn to someone other than Union and Wade for help with her studies, as the actress joked, “She wants to major in astrobiology, so we can’t offer her much help, to be honest… I was a sociology major, (so I’m like) ‘Girl, you’re on your own.'”

With her family in mind, Union is particularly picky about the projects she takes on. This philosophy, Union said, is also his best way to combat aging.

“Not saying no…you’ll need all the serums, but the power of no and boundaries will save you a lot of money and plastic surgery, I think,” she joked.

However, the Union could not miss the opportunity to be part of The idea of ​​you, Anne Hathaway And Film directed by Nicholas Galitzine she produced.

“I read a first manuscript and fell in love, then I presented it to my husband and he loved it, but for different reasons,” Union said, before adding that it “lasted six years”.

Entertainment Tonight will be on the iconic Met Gala red carpet, so keep checking back with ETonline for more coverage from fashion’s biggest night, including live updates and all the stunning red carpet looks.