At the annual Met Gala, fashion takes center stage and the red carpet, normally seen as the precursor to a party, has become the main event. The gala, which raises funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, takes place on the first Monday in May and in the past three decades, has become a fixture for celebrity clotheshorses and a must-watch event for fashion enthusiasts and pop culture aficionados alike.
Read more: How Do You Get Invited to the Met Gala? An Industry Insider Weighs In
While any red carpet for a formal event can summon beautiful gowns and dapper tuxes, the Met Gala is special because it champions sartorial risks like no other. The night's dress code is determined by a theme inspired by the Costume Institute's annual exhibition, which attendees can interpret as they please, but the most memorable looks are the ones that fearlessly and creatively reimagine the theme on their own terms. On the steps of the Met, fashion history has been made with the daring and truly outrageous looks worn by Met Gala guests over the years, from Sarah Jessica Parker and Alexander McQueen clad in matching looks made of his Scottish family's tartan to Rihanna's showstopping, fur-trimmed yellow Guo Pei cape.
With that in mind, we revisited 45 of the most outrageous looks from every Met Gala from 1975 to 2023 (with the exceptions of 1991, 2000, 2002 and 2020, years when the gala was not held.
Pat Buckley, 1975
Socialite Pat Buckley, who would later go on to chair the gala in '80s and '90s, wore an off-the-shoulder black gown with dramatic fringe to the event in 1975.
Diana Vreeland, 1976
Legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who helped to make the Met Gala as we know it today by championing themes for the annual event, wore a floral dress with fringe in 1976.
Divine in Zandra Rhodes, 1977
Drag queen Divine wore a bold Zandra Rhodes gown that mixed patterns to the 1977 Met Gala.
Lee Radziwill, 1978
Lee Radziwill, an interior designer and sister of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, paired her sleek white gown with a matching white fur for a monochromatic look at the 1978 Met Gala.
Berry Berenson and Steve Rubell, 1979
Socialite Berry Berenson wore a sparkling red jumpsuit to the 1979 Met Gala, which she attended alongside Studio 54 owner Steve Rubell.
Diana Vreeland in Yves Saint Laurent, 1980
Diana Vreeland cut a striking figure in a black gown and Yves Saint Laurent jacket with sculptural gold embellishment for the 1980 Met Gala; she accessorized the look with coral inspired jewelry.
Diana Ross, 1981
Legendary singer Diana Ross delivered her signature glamour in 1981 with a ruffled tulle gown trimmed with feathers.
Zandra Rhodes and Diana Vreeland, 1982
Fashion designer Zandra Rhodes complemented her trademark hot pink hair with a matching pink and red gown at the 1982 Met Gala, while Diana Vreeland turned to bold white accessories to make her black gown pop.
Nan Kempner, 1983
Socialite and noted clotheshorse Nan Kempner, here with John Richardson, paired her black ensemble with a dramatic floor-length jacket tied with a pussy bow at the neck.
Guests, 1984
Eighties' fashion was at its boldest and best at the 1984 Met Gala, where guests showed off daring shoulder pads, ostentatious sequins, and statement ruffles.
Cher in Bob Mackie, 1985
Cher attended the 1985 Met Gala alongside her longtime collaborator, the fashion designer Bob Mackie. The theme of the night was "Costumes of Royal India," so Cher dressed accordingly in a gown with a sheer and crystal embellished bodice and a matching pair of ear adornments.
Lauren Ezersky, 1986
Television fashion journalist Lauren Ezersky wore a white and gold embellished suit dress for the 1986 Met Gala.
Mai Hallingby, 1987
Socialite Mai Hallingby, who attended the 1987 Met Gala alongside her financier husband Paul, wore a dramatically ruffled purple floral gown styled with a black rosette.
Guests, 1988
At the 1988 Met Gala, this guest wore a short dress with an overskirt and matching stole.
Anna Wintour, 1989
Before she became the event's chair, Anna Wintour—here with her husband David Shaffer—attended the Met Gala as aVogue editor, donning a gold sequin and black satin dress that she paired with a pearl necklace and a bedazzled overcoat.
Naomi Campbell in Versace, 1990
Supermodel Naomi Campbell, who attended the 1990 Met Gala as a guest of Gianni Versace, wore a colorful Versace mini dress and a matching jacket, while partying with photographer Francesco Scavullo.
Guests, 1992
At the 1992 Met Gala, this guest's unconventional look included a conical metal bra and a sparkling maxi skirt.
Guests, 1993
At the 1993 Met Gala, this guest wore a lingerie-inspired outfit, with a bra top, a fluffy tulle skirt, and garter stockings.
Guest, 1994
This guest took a walk on the wild side with a snakeskin sheath dress and matching blazer.
Christy Turlington in Calvin Klein, Naomi Campbell in Versace, Kate Moss in Calvin Klein, 1995
The supermodels Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss made a splash when they arrived at the Met Gala in 1995; both Turlington and Moss wore streamlined dresses by Calvin Klein, while Naomi went for sparkling maximalist glamour in a silver Versace dress.
Iman in Christian Lacroix, 1996
Supermodel Iman wore an intricately embellished black bustier gown by Christian Lacroix when she attended the Met Gala with the designer in 1996.
Diane von Furstenberg and Alexandra von Furstenberg in Diane von Furstenberg, 1997
Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and daughter-in-law Alexandra von Furstenberg wore DVF's designs to attend the 1997 Met Gala, but Alexandra's gravity-defying hairdo was the highlight of the night.
Alan Cumming in Tommy Hilfiger, 1998
Actor Alan Cumming shone at the 1998 Met Gala in a silver Tommy Hilfiger suit, which he dressed down with a pair of sneakers.
Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney in Stella McCartney, 1999
Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney cheekily referenced their status as nepo babies with rock-star fathers by wearing one-shouldered statement tops, which they paired with fitted trousers for a fresh and unfussy look at the 1999 Met Gala.
Stefano Gabbana and Naomi Campbell in Dolce & Gabbana, 2001
Supermodel Naomi Campbell and designer Stefano Gabanna took their sartorial cues from musical icons for the 2001 Met Gala. Campbell, who wore a sheer lace skirt and embellished shirt that read "Like a Virgin," channeled Madonna, while Gabanna referenced the rock band AC/DC on his jeans for the night.
Victoria Beckham in Dolce & Gabbana and Naomi Campbell, 2003
For her first Met Gala in 2003, Spice Girl Victoria Beckham wore a lingerie-inspired slip dress with sparkling accents by Dolce & Gabbana, while Naomi Campbell wore a playful red fringed dress.
Amber Valletta in Jean Paul Gaultier, 2004
For the "Dangerous Liasions"-themed gala in 2004, supermodel Amber Valletta committed to the theme with a towering powdered wig and a corseted ball gown by Jean Paul Gaultier.
Karolina Kurkova in Chanel, 2005
Supermodel Karolina Kurkova took statement dressing literally with her white and red Chanel gown.
Alexander McQueen and Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen, 2006
When actor Sarah Jessica Parker attended the 2006 Met Gala with fashion designer Alexander McQueen, the duo arrived in matching outfits made out of McQueen's family tartan.
Jean Paul Gaultier and Coco Rocha in Jean Paul Gaultier, 2007
Supermodel Coco Rocha attended the 2007 Met Gala alongside French designer Jean Paul Gaultier, who designed a romantic tulle gown with floral accents and a bow at the waist for her.
Kate Mara and Zac Posen in Zac Posen, 2008
For the 2008 Met Gala, whose theme was "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy," designer Zac Posen, who attended the event with actor Kate Mara, created a Superman-inspired look for the night.
Madonna in Louis Vuitton, 2009
Madonna, no stranger to making a bold fashion statement, turned heads on the Met Gala red carpet with her daring Louis Vuitton mini dress, thigh-high boots, and matching hair scarf.
Katy Perry, 2010
Katy Perry was an early adopter of wearable technology with her light-up candy striped gown at the 2010 Met Gala.
Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen, 2011
At the 2011 McQueen-themed Met Gala, socialite and fashion icon Daphne Guinness paid tribute to the late designer, one of her close friends, by wearing a sculptural McQueen dress made entirely of feathers.
Beyonce in Givenchy, 2012
Beyoncé helped to usher in the era of the "naked dress" with her sheer, embellished Givenchy gown with a purple ombré feather train at the 2012 Met Gala.
Madonna in Givenchy, 2013
Madonna really committed to the theme of the 2012 Met Gala, "Punk: Chaos to Couture," with a studded plaid blazer worn as a dress, ripped fishnet tights, and a jet-black bob.
Lupita Nyong'o in Prada, 2014
Actor Lupita Nyong'o turned heads when she arrived to the 2014 Met Gala in a green flapper-esque look from Prada.
Rihanna in Guo Pei, 2015
All eyes were on pop star Rihanna when she arrived to the Met Gala in a sweeping, bright yellow fur-trimmed cape by Guo Pei and matching tiara for the 2015 Met Gala.
Lady Gaga in Versace, 2016
Singer and actor Lady Gaga made the case for formal wear sans pants when she showed up to the 2016 Met Gala in a bedazzled leotard, matching jacket, fishnets, and a pair of sky-high platform boots.
Helen Lasichanh in Commes des Garcons, 2017
Designer Helen Lasichanh, here with singer-songwriter Pharrel Williams, showed the lengths she was willing to go to for fashion when she showed up to the 2017 Met Gala in a Comme des Garcons bodysuit with no arm holes.
Katy Perry in Versace, 2018
Katy Perry took the "Heavenly Bodies" theme of the 2018 Met Gala seriously, showing up to the event in a gold Versace dress, matching boots, and a pair of feathered angel wings bigger than her body.
Cardi B in Thom Browne, 2019
Cardi B shut down the Met Gala red carpet when she arrived in a feathered and quilted hooded Thom Browne dress with a sizeable train.
Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga, 2021
Kim Kardashian veered into the avant garde with her simple but striking Balenciaga look at the 2021 Met Gala.
Alessandro Michele and Jared Leto in Gucci, 2022
Designer Alessandro Michele (left) and actor Jared Leto made a case for twinning when they showed up in identical outfits, from matching Gucci embroidered tuxedos and pink bow ties to the crystal barrettes in their side-parted hair dos.
Doja Cat in Oscar de la Renta, 2023
Doja Cat took accessorizing to the next level when she paired her hooded crystal Oscar de la Renta gown (complete with feather train and cat ears) with prosthetics that made her look like a true feline for the night.
