I Ranked 40 Iconic Met Gala Looks From "Oh Yes" To "Oh Sweet Lord, No"
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The Met Gala is a big deal in the celeb fashion world. Known worldwide for its star-studded attendees and displays of creative fashion, the event is eagerly awaited by fashion fans globally.
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Established in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, the gala is an annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City. These days, the event is run by Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue.
Each year's event has a specific theme for the guests to fit their attire into, and the creative and unusual themes have served us both beauties and beasts of outfits over the years!
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This year's theme is "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," in honor of the late fashion designer. The event will take place today.
So before 2023's gala outfits are seen, I took a walk down memory lane to pull out the looks I still think about — for better or for worse — from the decades before, and ranked them from my favorite to my least favorite! Let's dive in — first, my favorites:
1.Cher's 1985 look for the "Costumes of Royal India" theme:
Cher and designer Bob Mackie were a common pairing, with many of her most iconic outfits coming from her collabs with him. Her outfit for the 1985 event featured a simple black skirt bottom with an extremely elaborate bodice on top, wrapping the singer in glistening beads.
Mackie told Variety: "So the skirt on this was simple and black. It’s one layer of fine tulle and beads. The rest is her skin showing. Anywhere that is not black is her skin. There were also the ear cuffs, which people went wild for.”
I'm not surprised people went wild for the ear cuffs — I mean, look at 'em!
2.One more from Cher, for the 1974 "Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design" theme:
Cher is known for her bold looks, and her collab with Bob Mackie for the 1974 Met Gala turned every head in the room. One of the earlier examples of a "naked dress" (think: dresses that make the wearer look naked, like the Marilyn Monroe dress Kim Kardashian controversially borrowed from a museum), Cher's dress was pretty revolutionary at the time. Made up of fluffy, feathered sleeves and a matching hemline alongside sheer material adorned with delicate streams of crystal beads, the look landed Cher on the cover of Time magazine five months later.
Mackie said, "In those days, Time reserved its covers for world leaders or someone who invented something important, like a vaccine. Then there was Cher on the cover in that incredible piece of clothing, and newsstands sold out of it almost immediately.”
3.Katy Perry's look for 2018's "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" theme:
Katy Perry took the theme literally, rocking up dressed as the blingiest angel you ever did see. Donning a custom ensemble from Versace, Katy told the New York Times that she felt "very angelic. Celestial. Ethereal."
Since her wings prevented her from arriving by limo like everyone else, the singer came via a vintage topdown convertible in white to match her outfit. Ah, there's nothing like being in a car, roof down, wind whipping through your wings...
4.Cardi B for 2018's "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" theme:
Cardi B's Met Gala premiere was certainly done in style. In a matching ensemble with designer Jeremy Scott, the rapper's custom Moschino look was covered in beads and jewels, overlaid with a belted layered train at the waist, and accented with a thigh-high slit.
The dripping jewels, silken details, and bold headpiece all dripped opulence, and made sure Cardi's first time at the Met Gala wasn't an appearance to be forgotten.
5.Bella Hadid for 2018's "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" theme:
So, there were a lot of bold outfits for 2018's theme, and model Bella Hadid's was no exception. Her custom Chrome Hearts x Gareth Pugh outfit consisted of a black latex corset and a long skirt with cross detailing at the bottom, paired with a black coat with a high collar and short, structured sleeves.
Bella's veil, which she wore seemingly effortlessly, actually weighed 10 pounds and was sewn into her hair by celeb hairstylist Jen Atkin. Well, heavy the head that wears the...veil?
Here's Bella's veil close up:
6.Blake Lively for 2022's "Gilded Glamour" theme:
Blake Lively's gown was a real talking point for 2022's Met Gala. The elaborate ensemble initially appeared as a rose gold dress with a dramatic bow, paying homage to the Empire State Building and New York's architecture. However, when the actor untied the bow, the Atelier Versace dress was transformed as a beautiful blue train cascaded across the red carpet. The rose gold with the blue, paired with her tiered crown with seven rays, paid tribute to the Statue of Liberty and its changing color over the years.
Her train also featured elements from the constellation decor at Grand Central Station, so her look, while being visually striking, had a real story behind it too.
Check out her dress transformation here:
7.Amber Valletta for 2004's "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century'" theme:
Amber Valletta said, "Themed gala? I'm going all out!" The model paired a Maggie Norris couture corset with a John Galliano skirt.
Amber noted that in all her years attending the Met Gala, this Marie Antoinette–inspired look was definitely the most complicated one she's worn. She said, "The dress and the corset and the hair, everything. It wasn't that it took us that long, it's just that the skirt was pretty heavy, and it just took a little bit more research and thought of how to get that right."
8.Rihanna for 2015's "China: Through the Looking Glass" theme:
RiRi's 2015 Guo Pei outfit was a "love it or hate it" look, but there's no denying that it's become an iconic example of Met Gala history. The singer told Access Hollywood that even she wasn't sure if it was too bold, explaining that even getting into the car required choreography!
She said, "I remember being so scared to get out of that car because I felt like, ‘I’m doing too much.’ I was driving past the red carpet, and I was just seeing, like, gowns, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’m a clown. People are going to laugh at me. This is, like, too much.’ I thought that. I circled like three times, I’m not even joking. And finally I was like, ‘Whatever, let’s go. Let’s just go. Let’s just go.’ I know. I don’t regret it."
She isn't even mad about all the memes her dress inspired, calling the frying pan/egg meme "legendary!"
The headband and necklace accompanying the dress were also stunning!
9.Madelaine Petsch's outfit for 2019's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme:
Riverdale star Madelaine Petsch certainly understood the assignment, which aimed to showcase how theatricality and exaggeration were expressed in fashion. For her first Met Gala rodeo, Madelaine wore a pale mint Jean Paul Gaultier dress, which combined sheer fabric with a hoop skirt and bold shoulders that created a fairy wing effect. Pairing it with bright pink eyeshadow, the actor looked like a flower fairy come to life. Obsessed!
Seriously, can someone cast her as a fairy in a movie?
10.Solange Knowles for 2016's "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology" theme:
Solange Knowles's look was texture and movement central. The singer's flowing ruffles almost seemed to defy gravity, and certainly showed a unique construction for clothing.
Paired with spandex stirrup pants and Loewe heels, the bright yellow David LaPort number was rumored to be a nod to her sister Beyoncé's newly released Lemonade album.
11.Kendall Jenner for 2021's "Celebrating in America: A Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
Kendall Jenner's naked-illusion Givenchy gown is somehow both delicate and ethereal while being bold and eye-catching. The sheer gown is embellished with jewels and accessorized with a matching chunky choker. Similar to sister Kim Kardashian's homage to classic movie star Marilyn Monroe at the Met Gala, the look is inspired by Givenchy muse Audrey Hepburn's My Fair Lady dress.
12.Fredrik Robertsson for 2022's "Gilded Glamour" theme:
You may recognize fashion lover Fredrik Robertsson as the person mistaken for Jared Leto by hordes of people on Twitter, and even by the press themselves at the event! Despite being continually mistaken for the actor, Fredrik managed to turn heads in his custom Iris van Herpen attire. The silver bodysuit was covered in an intricate trim of needles, making the activist and designer look pretty sharp.
13.Timothée Chalamet for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
Cohost Timothée Chalamet paired his Haider Ackermann tuxedo with an American classic — Converse All Stars! The mishmash of high fashion and high street somehow works, and the nontraditional cut to his pants helps the actor create a fun new twist on the classic tux look.
14.Kim Kardashian for 2019's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme:
The critics were divided on whether Kim Kardashian's look fit the theme, but whether you think it fulfilled the criteria, it certainly ticked the "theatrical" and "exaggerated" boxes in Susan Sontag's Camp: Notes on Fashion, as well as the "love of the unnatural," thanks to her organ-crushing Mr. Pearl corset. Kim's look is designed to look like a woman stepping out of the ocean, and surprisingly, it really does the illusion well. Thierry Mugler came out of retirement to design the dress for Kim, and it took him eight months to finish.
15.Michael Urie for 2019's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme:
NAILED the look! This look makes my eyes hurt, but in a good way. Actor Michael Urie's ensemble featured a Christian Siriano creation that spliced together a pink tulle ball gown and a black pinstripe suit. Along with half a face of bold makeup, Michael's look makes you do a double take for all the right reasons.
16.Nikkie de Jager for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
Makeup YouTuber Nikkie de Jager wore this stunning look to her first Met Gala event. Designed by Edwin Oudshoorn, the look featured 18-karat-gold flowers, leaves, and buds created by goldsmith Digna Gorkovoi, combined with handmade silk flowers and beading. But the dress had more than just visual impact. Nikkie, who is transgender, wanted to honor her idol, trans activist Marsha P. Johnson, so the dress featured a quote from the iconic Stonewall riot leader down the skirt, as well as a custom flower crown as a nod to the ones Marsha famously wore.
17.Iman for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
Supermodel Iman's dress took 400 hours to make! The gilded feather cagelike skirt, paired with a golden armless pantsuit and huge headpiece, is mesmerizing to look at. The lovechild of Dolce & Gabbana and Harris Reed, this look was inspired by ballroom culture in America's golden age.
18.Elle Fanning for 2019's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme:
This look reminds me of a '70s Barbie doll, and I am here for it! This Prada and Miu Miu collab featured chunky '80s-inspired charm necklaces, with charms that say "The Met," "Camp," and "2019," and even a cameo of Elle Fanning at the last Met Ball she attended!
19.Zendaya for 2019's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme:
I couldn't do a list of iconic Met Gala looks and not include Zendaya and Law Roach's Cinderella-inspired performance! With a wave of his wand, Law made Zendaya's dress literally light up and grow outward — exactly like the fairy godmother in the Disney classic movie!
Watch the moment come to life here:
20.Nina Dobrev for 2019's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme:
Nina Dobrev's dress gave Zendaya's Disney vibes a run for their money thanks to its Tinkerbell aesthetic. Nina's dress was 3D printed and a daring mini, in comparison with the typically long gowns seen at formal events. The dress was made up of four parts, which came together like a jigsaw in Nina's exact measurements. The actor had to stand completely still in a spandex suit while a camera snapped 360-degree photos to create the one-of-a-kind dress specifically for her.
Nina said, "It was a pretty futuristic fitting concept. Pretty cool and cutting-edge."
Zac Posen, the designer behind the dress, said the dress mimics a "glass slipper, perfume bottle, rock crystal interpreted through my draping. It takes you into a surreal futuristic fantasy."
Here's the dress from the front:
21.Hailee Steinfeld for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
I'm obsessed with this Iris van Herpen Magnetosphere dress, which took 640 hours to make and is made of upcycled ocean plastic. I love the swirling shape, which is flamboyant yet flattering. Also showcasing bleached eyebrows and a blunt blonde bob, Hailee Steinfeld was a beautiful hybrid of human architecture and nature's materials.
22.Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez didn't mince her words even at the Met Gala, with her "Tax the Rich" dress inciting an official investigation. AOC's Brother Vellies ivory wool jacket dress featured an organza flounce, with the controversial words smeared in bright red across her back. Whether or not you agree with the message, the actual look is a great combo of elegance and mess, thanks to the smooth fabric combined with the bold, paint-splashed letters.
23.Lili Reinhart for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
Lili Reinhart's delicate floral dress featured the official flowers of all 50 US states to honor the Met Gala's theme. The flowing train was delicate and pretty and worked in perfect contrast with the sharp outline of the sheer powder pink bodice. The Christian Siriano dress was paired with soft, sleek hair inspired by the "floral, ethereal nature of her dress."
24.Cara Delevingne for 2019's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme:
Model Cara Delevingne's Dior look peeerrrfectly fits the theme. The rainbow stripes, nude illusion, platform glitter heels, and bonkers custom headpiece are about as maximalist as you can get, and I'm here for it.
Okay, so we've taken a look at my personal favorites and the ones that went down in the history books for the right reasons — but what about the ones I can't help remembering for all the wrong reasons? (Disclaimer: I have zero fashion qualifications. This is all just my humble opinion!)
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Here we go:
25.Anya Rubik for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
Supermodel Anya Rubik wore this Saint Laurent see-through mesh dress embellished with teal feathers to the 2021 Met Gala, and I wanted to love it, I really did. But I just can't. The cut of the dress is so strange, and the feathers are placed in a way that looks almost accidental. The more I look, the more bemused I get!
26.Natalia Bryant for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
I complained about the cut of Anja Rubik's dress above, so imagine my face when I saw this bad boy. In theory, it's great — the Conner Ives number is sustainably made from recycled PET plastic. Anna Wintour had a say in choosing Natalia Bryant's Met Gala debut look and opted for this unusual silhouette.
I love the colors and even the fun, sequined look of it. But I can't get behind the shape! Do you remember those art projects you did as a kid with a balloon and papier-mâché? This dress just makes me think of that, and I don't think that's exactly what Natalia was going for...
27.Helen Lasichanh for 2017's "Art of the In-Between" theme:
I caaan't with these weird silhouettes. I sit here thinking I'm creative and open-minded, then an outfit with a bizarre outline pops up and my brain short-circuits. Am I being weird or are these outfits just odd?
28.Chloe Bailey for 2022's "Gilded Glamour" theme:
You know in cartoons when something melts dramatically? That's what this dress reminds of. Something about the weirdly uneven hip and bust silhouette of the dress gives me the ick majorly.
29.Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney for 1999's "Rock Style" theme:
I have such mixed feelings here. Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney (with their dads being Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and the Beatles' Paul McCartney) are undeniably in the rock royal family. And it's totally rock 'n' roll to say, "Hey, I see your dress code, but I'm gonna go my own way with this." They fit the theme, sure, but the actual outfits were...dare I say it? HIDEOUS!
Apparently, Stella rang Liv to invite her to the event, but their looks weren't thought of until the day of the Met Gala. Stella took a pack of Hanes tank tops to a vintage store called Filth Mart to be customized, then they shopped for the rest of their outfits. Liv got a Comme des Garçons slip skirt, while Stella opted for a pair of low-rise, bejeweled Chloé trousers.
So in theory, I love the thrown-together, totally rock 'n' roll vibes of the pair, but in practice, I hate both outfits!
30.Kim Petras for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
I just...what?!
Kim Petras's Collina Strada dress featured a 3D horse head bustier and dramatically boned skirt. The design mastermind behind Collina Strada is Hillary Taymour, who worked with David Burroughs Mattingly, the creator of the Animorphs book series, on the collection that inspired this equestrian-themed chaos in cloth.
Hillary is fully aware that the unusual look was gonna be a "love it or hate it" situation, but she cheerfully told Vogue, "We could be on the best-dressed list or the worst-dressed list, but hopefully it’s one of those moments people will reference. 'Remember that time Kim Petras and I dressed up as horses for the Met Gala?'”
I love its boldness, but I HATE the overall look!
31.Kim Kardashian for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
Honestly, just what on God's green earth is this?!
The face-hiding Balenciaga look was originally not something Kim Kardashian was on board with, telling Vogue, "I fought against it. I was like, I don’t know how I could wear the mask. Why would I want to cover my face? But Demna [Gvasalia, Balenciaga’s creative director] and the team were like, 'This is a costume gala. This is not a Vanity Fair party where everyone looks beautiful. There’s a theme and you have to wear the mask. That is the look.”
Demna said the mask was, “conceptually speaking, quite important," explaining that "people would know instantly it was Kim because of her silhouette." He followed up, saying, "They wouldn’t even need to see her face, you know? And I think that’s the whole power of her celebrity, that people wouldn’t need to see her face to know it’s her.”
This is another look where I really like the concept behind it, but the execution was just not my cup of tea.
32.Jennifer Lopez for 2021's "In America: The Lexicon of Fashion" theme:
So I can't critique Jennifer Lopez's 'fit for the theme — it's all great on paper.
But the finished Ralph Lauren look gives early-2000s music awards show, and I'm sorry, I'm just not here for it. I had a belt that looked exactly like J.Lo's necklace circa 2005-ish, and this look is giving me shudder-inducing flashbacks. No thank you!
33.Madonna for 2016's "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology" theme:
I just can't with this one. The mishmash of textures, stripes, lace, and beads, then the boob and butt cutouts. I've featured plenty of naked-looking dresses done well in the good, first part of this list, but this 2016 Madonna ensemble looks like a bad Halloween outfit to me.
34.Kylie Jenner for 2022's "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" theme:
There is. SO. MUCH. GOING. ON. The huge ruffled skirt. The T-shirt sleeves. The wedding dress–style bodice. The veil. Oh yeah, and the BACKWARD BASEBALL CAP? It's giving "I've been clearing out my wardrobe and I'm trying on a bunch of stuff I haven't seen in years."
35.Emily Ratajkowski for 2022's "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" theme:
Why is this so chaotic?! This kinda looks as if Emily Ratajkowski fell into a box of scarves. Something about the bodice is reminding me of a lampshade and a door curtain simultaneously, and I just don't like it.
36.Kodi Smit-McPhee for 2022's "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" theme:
I screamed when I first saw this, and not for a good reason. The random gloves give this look a certain "I'm trying to hide evidence of a crime I committed" vibe, but ironically, they are the crime themselves.
37.Jessica Alba for 2009's "The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion" theme:
So, disclaimer — this is not the worst look overall, especially not compared with some others on this list. There's nothing really wrong with it per se, but the sequined top, the fit, and the black opaque pantyhose are reminding me of Sweet 16 parties or high school proms, so it's weird to see at the Met Gala.
38.Kendall Jenner for 2017's "Art of the In-Between" theme:
Kendall Jenner's Met Gala looks are usually pretty good, but this one was a firm miss for me. It's as if the overall cut couldn't quite decide where it was going?
39.Sarah Jessica Parker for 2022's "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" theme:
Beetlejuice, is that you?!
Sarah Jessica Parker herself looks lovely, but the outfit looks a bit like the room Enid and Wednesday Addams share, but not in a good way.
40.Franklin Leonard for 2022's "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" theme:
I mean, bustles in clothing are historically accurate, but the way it's done with Franklin Leonard's look reminds me of when characters in movies comedically try to smuggle things in their coats, so I'm not sure it's exactly what I was expecting to see at the Met Gala?!
And finally: honorable mention to Katy Perry's 2019 afterparty dress:
This isn't technically a Met Gala outfit, since Katy only wore it to the afterparty, but sooo many people were completely confused as to why she thought it was appropriate. It's kinda great in a terrible way — the burger even unstraps to reveal a green lettuce leaf dress!
