Insects, Feathers & Thongs: See the Craziest Met Gala Looks Over the Years

Over the years, celebs have gone all out for the annual star-studded fashion event, which celebrates the launch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute's latest exhibition.

By Corinne Heller May 03, 2019 12:00 PMTags
Watch: "What The Fashion" 2018 Met Gala Fashion

Fashion's biggest night sure has spawned some wild looks!

Over the years, many celebs have turned heads with colorful, chic and unusual styles at the annual Met Gala, an annual star-studded fashion event celebrates the launch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute's latest exhibition.

Guests such as Rihanna have even spurred memes with their looks.

Others who have showcased crazy styles at the Met Gala include Oscar winner Frances McDormandSarah Jessica ParkerChrissy TeigenKaty PerryMadonna, Miley Cyrus and Donatella Versace, who was the first to showcased a dress made famous by her client Jennifer Lopez.

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2018 Met Gala Red Carpet Fashion

See unusual, and downright crazy looks at the Met Gala over the years:

Frances McDormand

The actress turned heads in Valentino Couture and covered her face with a headdress of green butterflies.

Blake Lively

The actress wowed in this gold beaded Atelier Versace gown with blue feathers.

Donatella Versace

She wore it first! A year before Jennifer Lopez shut down the 2000 Grammys red carpet with her plunging green chiffon Versace gown, the brand's designer herself wore the dress to the 1999 Met Gala.

 
Lady Gaga

The singer turned heads in this ensemble in 2015.

Rihanna

The singer does it again, with this look at the 2017 event.

Rihanna

The singer's look at the 2015 inspired slews of memes. Anyone hungry for an omelette?

Kendall Jenner

Sure, the model was basically naked at the 2017 Met Gala, but her beautiful physique only brought more focus to the custom La Perla gown, which was made out of 85,000 crystals strung together by a single thread!

Chrissy Teigen

While the model's Marchesa gown in 2017 featured intricate details, it had others wondering if the cotton-ball-like embellishments were necessary. 

Katy Perry

In 2017, as a Met Gala co-host, the "Firework" singer wore a Maison Margiela dress by John Galliano, who was famously fired from Christian Dior in 2011 after a video emerged showing the designer making racist and anti-Semitic remarks. 

Bella Hadid

Not only did the model don a see-through Alexander Wang catsuit in 2017, but she worked it...even as ex The Weeknd and then-girlfriend Selena Gomez made their red carpet debut. 

Claire Danes

There were a lot of opinions about the Homeland actress' Monse ensemble in 2017, but there were also many who came to her defense (including us!) for doing the unexpected. Respect!

Sarah Jessica Parker

In 2016, after trolls called the Sex and the City star's look pirate-chic, SJP shut haters down on social media, bringing to attention that her outfit was in line with the theme: fabrication in fashion. 

Irina Shayk

'Murica. 

Madonna

It wouldn't be a Met Gala without someone baring a prized asset. In 2016, the singer used her sheer dress by Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy as a political statement to defend gender and gay rights, she wrote on Instagram

Beyonce

In 2016, Bey graced us with her presence in latex Givenchy. Though some thought the dress looked like a certain contraception material, it was a much-appreciated and out-the-box choice, especially in a sea of pretty lace and tulle gowns. 

Anne Hathaway

The A-lister was a golden goddess in Ralph Lauren in 2015, but some were a bit confused by the hood. 

Solange Knowles

The volume alone in this 2015 Giles dress made it feel ahead of its time. It was designed to be an optical illusion for the "Chine: Through the Looking Glass" theme. 

Beyonce

In 2015, Bey wore the naked dress that made way for all illusion dresses to come. Sure enough, she shut down the red carpet and jaws were dropped. 

Kate Upton

The model's 2014 Dolce & Gabbana dress had a dark romance about it. 

Lupita Nyong'o

Did the actress' flapper-inspired gown channel 2014 theme, "Charles James: Beyond Fashion" motif? The bright-green hue was definitely an unexpected move. 

Katie Holmes

We're not sure if the actress and Marchesa were going for Beauty and the Beast vibes in 2014, but the ball gown did spark a meme frenzy. 

Gwyneth Paltrow

While there's no doubt the Goop co-founder looked amazing, the Internet was not so sure that her hot-pink Valentino gown was in line with the 2013 punk theme. 

Kim Kardashian

Props to Kim for attending the high-profile event far into her 2013 pregnancy. While she was glowing in Givenchy, the Internet likened the floral gown to grandma couches. 

Madonna

The netting. The thigh-highs. The bangs. With hot-pink pumps. Madonna in Givenchy was one of the few celebs to nail 2013's punk theme. 

Miley Cyrus

Along with Madonna, the "Malibu" singer also nailed the 2013 punk theme in Marc Jacobs.

Elizabeth Banks

This Mary Katrantzou dress could have been one of the actress' looks in The Hunger Games. We're loving the structure—do you?

Florence Welch

The singer's 2012 Alexander McQueen was a visual depiction of the "Schiaparelli And Prada: Impossible Conversations" theme...even though its tiered silhouette was seen as unconventional at the time. 

Karolina Kurkova

The model's 2005 Chanel gown was undeniably beautiful...even though it was quite literal. 

The 2019 Met Gala takes place on May 6.

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