Mixed Opinions
The Met Gala is one of fashion’s most glamorous showpieces. Known for the outrageous and over-the-top costumes worn by the famous people who attend it, the event does get criticized too. Over the years, people have tended to find it unnecessary, politicized, and insensitive at times.
The gala remains a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City. However, times are changing, and the event has seen more Gen Z and social media personalities than ever. What has never changed is the wildly creative outfits worn by attendees. Here’s a look at some of the most iconic and wild looks over the years.
Blake Lively
The beautiful actress donned a gorgeous ruby gown by Versace at the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination themes, 2018 Gala, and looked amazing. The dress reportedly took more than 600 hours to create.
It featured a bejeweled corset and a beautifully beaded train reminiscent of something fit for a Queen in the 1800s. With a gorgeous headpiece to top it off, this was one look that got attention for its fashionable beauty above all else.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga makes bold, fashion-forward wardrobe choices at ordinary events. However, she stood out again at the Notes on Fashion, 2019 Gala.
The singer went through a whopping four outfit changes that night, but certainly one stood out the most. Wearing a fluffy, bulbous pink Brandon Maxwell piece with a matching bow, Gaga’s look was praised for its artsy rendition of the theme.
Billy Porter
As a star of the show, Pose, Billy was all-in at the 2019 gala. Arriving on a litter carried by six men, and wearing a gold, sequined Cleopatra look, Porter certainly turned heads with this one.
Complete with everything from a headdress to a cape that doubled as golden wings that he could spread, the ensemble by Pat McGrath and team isn’t likely to be forgotten any time soon.
Fredrick Robertsson
The Swedish fashionista had people wondering exactly what look he was aiming for. Appearing to be something out of this world, Robertson dazzled and turned heads in this jaw-dropping outfit.
Sadly, after all the effort to create this iconic look, many people on social media incorrectly identified Roberston as Jared Leto instead. Of course, Leto is also known for his wild and weird turns at the Met Gala.
Jared Leto
The Met Gala is known to be one of the world's most daring fashion events, so attendees are often encouraged to push boundaries. Actor Jared Leto did not shy away from this challenge when he showed up to the 2019 edition in a red, Gucci AW18 Runway-inspired outfit.
That might have been enough to fly under the radar, except Leto completed the look with a purse replica of his own head. Talk about quirky and bold, with on-screen characters including the likes of Morbius and the Joker, Leto showed off his wonderfully weird side in a shocking way.
Rihanna
The superstar singer and fashionista has become a veteran of recent Met Galas. With so many stunning and thought-provoking looks over the years, it’s difficult to choose just one.
Rather than try and choose a winner among them, Riri has earned more than a mere mention. So instead, here are three of Rihanna’s best Met Gala looks since 2015.
Rihanna - 2018
Taking a staggering 750 hours to make, this Maison Margiela look by John Galliano is rumored to have come at a cost upwards of a million dollars.
If decadence had a name and a beauty to make it appealing, Rihanna and this outfit were that match. However, one of her previous Met Gala appearances got the ball rolling for the iconic status she’d attain at the event.
Rihanna - 2015
Rihanna’s infamous omelet dress for the 2015, China: Through the Looking Glass edition of the Gala was nothing if not awe-inspiring. Its dazzling color cost $650000 and shot designer Guo Pei to fame.
Rihanna had been attending Met Galas since 2007. However, featuring a 16-foot train and reputed to weigh 55 pounds, it was the 2015 dress that began Rihanna’s epic run at the Met Gala over the years.
Rihanna - 2021
After missing two Galas in a row, Rihanna made a fantastic return at the 2021 edition. Hosted by rapper A$AP Rocky, Rihanna sported an elegant look that turned heads for it, somehow managing to be simple and out there at the same time.
A black gown and beanie piece by Balenciaga, the look was praised and cemented Rihanna as one of the best-dressed Gala attendees of the last decade.
Cardi B
The enigmatic rapper channeled a Queen-of-Hearts look with this stunner in 2019. The dress required five assistants just to help with carrying the enormous train.
Cardi certainly brought it when she completed this dazzling look with red makeup and a headdress. As far as larger-than-life outfits go, this one certainly set a bar for Met Gala looks to come.
Michael Urie
The actor proved why 2019’s Met Gala was definitely one of the best in modern history when he rocked this showstopping look. Created by Christian Siriano, it featured a half pink ballgown and a half pinstripe suit, complete with two-face style makeup.
Creating a mindbending gender illusion, the outfit was praised for its boldness and diversity-championing charisma. The look has been difficult to top because of how seamlessly it was pulled off despite its complexity.
Katy Perry
Again, at the 2019 gala, another standout appearance was Katy Perry. Rocking a Moschino chandelier dress, Perry later even transformed into a trendy hamburger.
Perry is another veteran of the Gala and by 2019, had made her eigth appearance at the event. Known for her quirky and fashion-forward looks, if anyone could pull off such an outlandish look, it was Perry.
Kim Kardashian
No fashion list would be complete without at least one mention without the Queen of divas herself. Providing simultaneously an ode to anonymity and a nod to the American-Muslim community, Kim’s all-black get-up at the 2021 Met Gala.
Sporting a 75 inch ponytail, the strange, but oddly chic outfit inspired a lot of memes but also quickly became a legendary look.
What Next?
Whether you love or hate the Met Gala, the outlandish event never fails to dish out intrigue over its attendees’ fashion choices. With newer, fresher faces, and personalities on show each year, the event is slowly evolving with a new generation of jaw-dropping looks.
It seems that glamor, controversy, and risque fashion statements will continue to be the leading attractions. The event’s popularity only seems to grow no matter how much criticism it sometimes faces and only time will tell what weird and wonderful looks will be on show next.