The Met Gala, formally called the Costume Institute Gala and also known as the Met Ball, is an annual fundraising gala for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. It marks the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit and is overseen by Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, who ultimately decides who gets to attend the event each year.
The epic fashion event is a place for designers to think up out-of the box style and shocking designs for the most famous faces in Hollywood. Sometimes these looks are majorly elegant, while others totally miss the mark.
Here are the most epic of looks from the Met Gala over the years…
Lady Gaga – 2019
Lady Gaga rocked a quadruple look at the 2019 Met Gala. As she went down the pink carpet she theatrically shed layer after layer to reveal four different looks.
Lupita Nyong’o – 2019
Lupita Nyong’o wore this multi-colored look to the 2019 gala, clad with five combs and oversized shoulder wings because #MetGala.
Janelle Monae – 2019
Janelle Monae was also into multiples this year. Multiple looks in one and multiple hats made attendees do a double-take at Monae at the 2019 Met Gala.
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas – 2019
Newlyweds, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, apparently anointed themselves as 2019 Met Gala King and Queen. They probably would’ve won the popular vote, anyway.
Cardi B – 2019
Cardi B wore this over-the-top blood red gown to the 2019 Gala. Clad with feathers and a hood, even her lady bits were highlighted in this larger-than-life look. Cardi holds nothing back.
Kylie & Kendall Jenner – 2019
Kylie and Kendall Jenner played the sister card well at the 2019 Met Gala. With ornate purple and orange feathery looks, they looked like gaudy old Hollywood—a nod to the “camp” theme.
Ezra Miller – 2019
Ezra Miller was a man of many faces at the 2019 Met Gala. His special effect makeup and mask gave him a kaleidoscope-meets-arachnid look.
Katy Perry – 2019
No, that’s not Lumiere from Beauty & the Beast. Katy Perry chose to rock a chandelier for the 2019 gala. Why? Not quite sure. But her after party look was a cheeseburger, so it was one or the other.
Jared Leto
Jared Leto, and Jared Leto, went to the Met Gala in 2019. Leto took a wax replica of his own head as an accessory. Totally creepy, totally #MetGala.
Hailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld rocked a cotton-candy frock a la Alice in Wonderland to the 2019 Met Gala emblazoned with the text “No Photos Please.” Ironic as she’s on a major red carpet.
Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner – 2019
Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, who recently wed after the Billboard Music Awards, took their first red carpet as a married couple with an 80s-vibe.
Michael Urie – 2019
Michael Urie also went with the two-in-one look at the 2019 gala. Urie’s look was doing the most, as he had half of a pink frocked dress, and hale glitter pinstripe tuxedo and heels.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian – 2019
Kim rocked the wet look from head to toe, enhancing her shockingly curvy figure with a corset. Kanye on the other hand wore an outfit that cost $43 in total.
Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen – 2019
Mary-Kate and Ashley are fashion icons, but for the 2019 Met Gala, they chose to go the the vampire slayer route.
Emily Ratajkowski – 2019
Emily Ratajkowski rocked a risqué fairy-meets-Egyptian-princess look for the 2019 Gala. One wrong move and this could’ve been another Janet Jackson a la Super Bowl 38.
Celine Dion – 2019
The woman, the myth, the legend, Celine Dion, looked a bit like a Vegas showgirl for the 2019 Gala. You either loved it or hated it—there was no in between.
Cara Delevingne – 2019
Cara Delevingne showed up to the 2019 Met Gala clad in full rainbow attire. Her head piece looked like it was created with everything inside a $.25 prize machine.
Billy Porter – 2019
Billy Porter went full-on Egyptian King for the “camp”-themed 2019 Gala. Being carried in via six shirtless men certainly has its perks.
Zendaya – 2019
Zendaya’s unique look gave us all the Cinderella and her fairy godmother vibes. Her dress was lit with LED lights for a literal glow-up effect.
Harry Styles – 2019
Harry Styles was a fearless fashion icon at the 2019 Met Gala. He went sheer up top with a Victorian vibe and paired it with a high rise tailored pant and patent leather shoes.
Hailey Bieber – 2019
Hailey Bieber was pretty in pink for the 2019 gala. She wore a pale pink floor-length, form-fitting, Alexander Wang gown with a revealing back showing that she was wearing Wang underneath it all, too. Mod glam risqué with a sweet as pie bow, this look was a win.
Kacey Musgraves – 2019
Kacey Musgraves attending her first Met Gala in full-on Barbie fashion. Clad with an epic blonde wig and hot pink fur and patent leather, Kacey gave us all the 90s vibes.
RuPaul – 2019
RuPaul had a full-sequin moment at the 2019 Met Gala. The vibrant tiger-striped suit and platform shoes was over-the-top but rather tame for a RuPaul look.
Gigi Hadid – 2019
Gigi Hadid did the most at the 2019 Gala. The hooded white and silver look clad with sequins and feathers was a confused miss.
Liza Koshy – 2019
Liza Koshy was a pink-carpet correspondent, but her odd-shaped feather look appeared more like she was commanding a small water vessel.
Jordan Roth – 2019
Jordan Roth’s 2019 outfit choice for the Met Gala looked more like an oversized horrific moth to a flame.
Kate Bosworth – 2018
Kate Bosworth went full bridal for the 2018 Met Gala. The look was elegant, but the train and oversized rear bow was smothering on her small frame.
Blake Lively – 2018
Blake can pretty much do no wrong when it comes to her fashion choices, but her 2018 Met Gala look was seriously epic. The theme for the 2018 gala was “Heavenly Bodies Fashion and the Catholic imagination” and Lively’s look was both Victorian and imaginative hitting all the right notes.
Rihanna – 2015
rihanna arrived in full glam for the 2015 gala. The theme was “China through the Looking Glass.” This dress took designer, Guo Pei, 20 months to make and it weighed a remarkable 55 lbs.
Amber Valetta – 2014
Amber Valetta’s 2004 Met Gala look resembled a poor man’s Marie Antoinette. The dress was poorly structured and the fabrics just looked mismatched.
Madonna – 2016
Madonna showed up to the 2016 Met Gala in a revealing Givenchy look. She vocalized that her outfit choice was a statement on women’s bodies but it felt a little overdone.
Frances McDormand – 2018
Frances McDormand showed up in this wild Valentino Couture dress at the 2018 “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” Met Gala. The dress and headpiece were confusing and drown her entirely in all of the fabric.
Sarah Jessica Parker – 2013
The 2013 Met Gala theme was “Punk: Chaos to Couture” and SJP really nailed the chaotic side of the theme with that wild headpiece and satin print fabric.
Katy Perry – 2018
Katy Perry went full Victoria’s Secret Angel for the 2018 Gala, taking the Heavenly Bodies theme quite literally in custom Versace.
Marc Jacobs – 2012
Designer, Marc Jacobs, left little to the imagination at the 2012 Gala rocking a sheer black dress with which underwear clearly visible underneath.
Julie Maclowe – 2017
Julie Maclowe showed up to the 2017 Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons-themed Met Gala in this confused and absurdly oversized tartan look that missed the mark.
Beyonce – 2015
Beyonce arrived at the 2015 nearly naked in this sheer embellished nude-colored gown. She was the talk of the town after her red carpet moment.
Jaden Smith – 2017
Jaden Smith confused everyone as he carried his cut-off dreadlocks down the red carpet at the 2017 Met Gala. Not one to ever underwhelm, Smith left everyone with more questions than answers.
Daphne Guinness – 2011
Daphne Guinness, a close friend of the late designer, Alexander McQueen, wore his his feathered and highly-structured piece to the 2011 gala.
Kendall Jenner – 2017
Kendall Jenner let it all hang out with this La Perla look featuring just a black thong and sheer gown at the 2017 gala.
Rihanna’s 2017 Met Gala outfit looks like it was cut out of a magazine, literally. The dress ended up being featured in the exhibit a year later.
Solange – 2015
Solange wore this stiffly-structured dress to the 2015 China-themed Met Gala. The singer could not put her arms down the whole night… fashion is absurd.
Donatella Versace – 1999
Donatella Versace turned heads at the 1999 Met Gala before JLo wore this dress to the Grammys the following year.
Alessandro Michele, Lana del Rey, and Jared Leto – 2018
Alessandro Michele, Lana del Rey, and Jared Leto, all wore cohesive looks from Gucci at the 2018 Fashion and the Catholic imagination Met Gala.
Katy Perry – 2017
Katy Perry’s 2017 Met Gala dress was designed by Maison Margiela and was topped off with her album name across her forehead.
Alexander McQueen and Sarah Jessica Parker – 2006
Alexander McQueen and SJP arrived at the 2006 British Fashion themed Met Gala together in McQueen’s matching tartan designs.
Priyanka Chopra – 2017
Priyanka Chopra had a serious Inspector Gadget moment at the 2017 Met Gala when she wore an exaggerated trench coat gown designed by Ralph Lauren.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West – 2016
KKW and Kanye arrived for the 2016 Manus x Machina: Fashion in an age of technology wearing Balmain. Kanye’s look was most controversial as he wore tattered jeans to the high fashion event paired with icy blue contacts.
Cardi B – 2018
Cardi B had a modern Madonna and child moment in her Moschino look at the 2018 gala.
Helen Lasichanh – 2017
Helen Lasichanh, Pharrell’s wife, walked the red carpet at the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between” themed 2017 Met Gala in opposing Comme Des Garçons looks.
Zendaya – 2018
Zendaya wore a Versace chain metal gown a la Joan of Arc, for the religious-themed event.
Kim Kardashian – 2013
KKW wore Riccardo Tisci to the 2013 Gala. This floral look was everywhere from her gloves to her shoes. It was a bit… overwhelming.
Sarah Jessica Parker – 2018
SJP really got into the 2018 Catholicism theme, wearing a Dolce & Gabbana gown with a full nativity scene in her headdress.
Solange – 2016
Solange wore an electric yellow David Laport look to the 2016 Met Gala playing into her sister’s Lemonade album released that year.
Solange – 2018
Solange wore this black patent leather number to the 2018 Met Gala which had a Disney Maleficent vibe to it.
Solange – 2017
Solange wore the world’s longest puffer coat to the 2017 Met Gala. Perhaps it’s where Kanye West and Lil Pump got the inspo for their larger than life attire in their “I Like It” music video.
Bella Hadid – 2017
Bella Hadid wore a sheer sparkly catsuit to the 2017 Met Gala.
Lisa Maria Falcone – 2010
This 2010 Met Gala look from Lisa Maria Falcone was a fashion miss. From the oversized bow on the front to the overly-matchy shoes, she looked like she took a wrong turn from Oz.
Rihanna – 2009
Rihanna broke gender stereotype in her 2009 gala look wearing a high-shouldered satin tuxedo with her sleek short hairstyle.
Karolina Kurkova – 2005
Karolina Kurkova made on add choice for the 2005 Met Gala. The look said, “bedspread, but make it fashion.”
3LW – 2001
3LW went a little too casual in 2001. While their outfits definitely matched early 2000s fashion, they were a little too trashy for such a regal and highly-regarded fashion event.
Victoria Beckham – 2003
Victoria Beckham attended the 2003 Met Gala with Dolce and Gabbana in a barely there lingerie look, one that she now wishes she could take back.
Jennifer Love Hewitt – 1999
Jennifer Love Hewitt attended the 1999 Met Gala, Rock Style themed, in an odd furry number that was seriously confused.
Hillary Clinton – 2001
Hillary Clinton attended the 2001 Met Gala, and let’s just stay she should stick to politics.
Sandra Lee – 2014
Sandra Lee went full Franken-bride for the 2014 Met Gala and it was NOT a good look.
John Galliano – 2001
John Galliano attended the 2001 Met in a look that can be best described as John Wayne meets Vanilla Ice.
Serena Williams – 2011
Serena Williams 2011 Met Gala look was doing too much and made her look more like she was the birthday girl at a Quinceañera.
Nicki Minaj – 2017
Rapper, Nicki Minaj attended the 2017 Met Gala wearing a vampire meets China doll confused look.
Kimora Lee Simmons – 2008
Kimora Lee Simmons in Kevan Hall at the 2008 Met Gala resembled a bright and dramatic stained glass window.