The Most Ridiculous Met Gala Outfits of All Time

Unlike theOscarsor even theGrammys,Met Gala red carpetis the one that consistently delivers on wildly over-the-top style moments. This is the event where A-listers take risks…and they don’t always pay off.

As we gear up forthe latest Met Galaon May 2 (the second part of the “In America” theme thatdebuted last September), we're looking back on some of the biggest busts from the history of the fashion event. From Rihanna’s scrambled egg cosplay to Solange’s sleeping bag couture, here are 17 of the wackiest looks that have graced the famed steps of the Met in years past.

The 50 Best Red Carpet Beauty Moments of the 21stCentury


rihanna at the met gala
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/getty images

1.蕾哈娜在郭Pei (2015)

We don’t want to play favorites, but it’s Rihanna’s entrance each year that gets us most excited. Why? She really,reallygoes for it. From hersculptural Commes de Garçons moment in 2017tochanneling the Pope in 2018, it’s hard to choose the wildest Riri look, but we’re going to have to go with the yellow confection she wore to celebrate the “China: Through the Looking Glass” exhibit that spawned countlessmemes.

liv tyler and stella mccartney at the met gala
Mari Sarai/getty images

2. Liv Tyler And Stella Mccartney (1999)

Are one-shouldered T-shirts and low-rise khakis necessarily Met-appropriate? Nah, but the combo is, as Tyler and McCartney’s bedazzled tops so subtly proclaim, rock royalty. That means this duo can (and apparently will) do whatever the hell they want.

helena christensen and zac posen at the met gala
Patrick McMullan/getty images

3. Helena Christensen In Zac Posen (2009)

Posenwith the designer himself (get it? get it??), Christensen seemed to be campaigning for the role of teacher’s pet—the teacher in this case being Anna Wintour. She’s wearing a V-neck dress where the “V” stood for, you guessed it,Vogue. Is it ice skater-y and campy? Sure, but when the theme is “The Model as Muse,” and you’re one of the most iconic models of all time, you can kind of do whatever you want.

helen lasichanh and pharrell at the met gala
Karwai Tang/getty images

4. Helen Lasichanh In Rei Kawakubo (2017)

Here we have the chicest Sour Patch Kid of all time. Pharrell’s more stylish half consistently rules the Met red carpet, and she pulled out all the stops back in 2017. She even sacrificed the use of her arms and hands—that’s dedication, people. Pharrell, meanwhile, wore the basic bro uniform…snooze!

lupita nyongo at the met gala
George Pimentel/getty images

5. Lupita Nyong'o In Prada (2014)

The 2014 gala celebrated English-American designer Charles James. The exhibit, according toThe Met, “explore[d] James's design process, specifically his use of sculptural, scientific, and mathematical approaches to construct revolutionary ball gowns and innovative tailoring that continue to influence designers today.” Straying slightly (or not so slightly) from the ball gown theme, Nyong'o's green Prada number was part flapper, part fishing net and featured a brown slip dress beneath a tangle of netting and feathers. With a matching emerald headband and heels, the choice was as bold as it was unexpected (i.e., very confusing).

sarah jessica parker at the met gala
Kevin Mazur/getty images

6.莎拉·杰西卡·巴rker In Monse (2016)

年代erving Jack Sparrow and Alexander Hamilton realness, SJP’s white tank top, jacket and…capris (???) were the target of so much fashion-critic ire that the actress took toThe New York Timesto explain—and defend—her all white choice.

katy perry at the met gala
Jackson Lee/getty images

7. Katy Perry In Versace (2018)

Perry is never one to disappoint on the Met red carpet (and by disappoint, we mean wear something not totally batsh*t). Case in point: Her getup for last year’s Catholic-themed shebang. Of the gilded and feathered Versace ensemble, she toldThe New York Times, “I feel very angelic. Celestial. Ethereal.” Understandably so.

amber valletta at the met gala
Evan Agostini/getty images

8. Amber Valletta In John Galliano (2004)

Regarding the Marie Antoinette-inspired look she wore for the gala celebrating “Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century,” Valletta toldW:“Looking back on it, I think it’s so badass that I went for it, because it was at a time when people were just starting to get into the theme. That was a cool moment to be pushing the envelope.” We’re just grateful she didn’t show up as a guillotine.

solange at the met gala
Jamie McCarthy/getty images

9. Solange In Thom Browne (2017)

While many (arguably too many) celebs play it safe on the one night they can really push the sartorial envelope, Solange is always game to go all-in on a theme. For the exhibit celebrating Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo, she opted for a Thom Browne-designed coat that’s part sleeping bag, part puffer jacket. Taking the whole unconventional thing even further, she finished the look with a long, quilted train and ice skate-inspired shoes. Sky-high heels aside, imagine how warm and cozy she was.

lady gaga at the met gala
George Pimentel/getty images

10. Lady Gaga In Versace (2016)

Watching her sashay down the red carpet in show-stopping couture gowns, it’s easy to forget that Lady Gaga’sfashion rootsare a touch more…avant-garde. Take her outfit for the “Manus x Machina” exhibit: Between the giant hair, giant shoes and barely-there bodysuit, this is peak Gaga. And we’re peak obsessed.

daphne guinness at the met gala
年代tephen Lovekin/getty images

11. Daphne Guinness In Alexander Mcqueen (2011)

You know your dress is making a statement when your famously ice-blonde-and-black hair looks positively normal in comparison. Fittingly, for the opening of the “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” exhibit, the muse, model and philanthropist paid tribute to her late friend Lee McQueen in one of his signature over-the-top frocks, which she changed into in thewindows at Barneys. The lilac dress, which was part of McQueen’s spring 2011 collection, featured a high neckline, cap sleeves and a super-tight bodice that gave way to an exaggeratedly wide skirt.

cardi b at the met gala
George Pimentel/getty images

12. Cardi B In Moschino By Jeremy Scott (2018)

Is it wise to play it safe for your first Met Gala experience? If you’re Cardi B, absolutely not. Her pearl-embellished gown came complete with a thigh-high slit and detachable train that she took off once inside the party. Accessories-wise, she went in the opposite direction of subtle with a thick choker and an absurdly ornate headpiece. Basically, Cardi’s maiden voyage at the Met won’t soon be forgotten.

gigi hadid and zayn malik at the met gala
Larry Busacca/getty images

13. Zayn Malik In Versace (2016)

看起来像一个额外的RoboCop, Malik stole the spotlight from then-girlfriend Gigi Hadid in 2016. The suit-armored sleeve combo might’ve been made by Versace, but Malik bragged toDazedthat he was actually responsible for the design: “I was asked to design my own costume by Donatella Versace!” Casual.

karolina kurkova at the met gala
Peter Kramer/getty images

14. Karolina Kurkova In Viktor & Rolf (2005)

You’ve heard of wearing your heart on your sleeve, yes? How about wearing your heart across your draped white ball gown? That’s precisely what Kurkova did in this one-shouldered dress for the “House of Chanel” themed Costume Institute exhibit. Honestly, we’re not sure if this would work on anyone who’s not an eight-foot-tall Czech glamazon supermodel, but all things considered, Kurkova looks fab—if a little out-there.

madonna at the met gala
George Pimentel/getty images

15. Madonna In Givenchy (2016)

According to the singer, there was more to this bondage-inspired leather-and-lace look than meets the eye. “We have fought and continue to fight for civil rights and gay rights around the world,” Madonna wrote onInstagram. “When it comes to women's rights we are still in the dark ages. My dress at the Met Ball was a political statement as well as a fashion statement.” Sure thing.

jacobs hero
Randy Brooke/Getty Images

16. Marc Jacobs In Commes Des Garcons (2012)

AsHarry Styles proved in 2019, a sheer black ensemble can be quite dazzling. However, while Marc Jacobs was trying to pay tribute to fellow designers Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli with his lace gown back in 2012, the inclusion of the white boxer briefs underneath was a bit of a disaster. Jacobs certainly succeeded in grabbing everyone's attention, but it looked like he had forgotten to change his underwear before dressing up for the big night. We have to respect the boldness, at least.

leto hero
Theo Wargo/Getty Images

17. Jared Leto In Gucci (2019)

In 2019, Jared Leto took the Met Gala theme of “Camp: Notes on Fashion” to a wild extreme when he showed up in a bejeweled red Gucci gown while carrying a fake replica of his own severed head. AsWmagazinenoted, this was a nod to Gucci's fall 2018 collection, where runway models carried recreations of their heads (and made plenty of heads turn in the audience). However, it was still a bit unnerving to see double Leto on the Met steps.



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