70 of the wildest looks in Met Gala history

In 1999, Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney wore handmade "Rock Royalty" tank tops to the "Rock Style"-themed Met Gala.

"It wasn't really appropriate that we wore those shirts. Officially, we weren't following the honors of the dress code," Tyler toldVoguein 2020.

Still, as the daughters of famous rock stars Steven Tyler and Paul McCartney, the pair's "Rock Royalty" tank tops unintentionally created an iconic moment in pop culture.

"It was an amazing thing, in a way. We were just being ourselves," Tyler added.

Embracing 2004's 18th-century theme, Amber Valletta showed up wearing Maggie Norris Couture.

She even had her hair styled to fit the theme.

Karolina Kurkova attended the 2005 ball in a floor-length white gown, taking her adoration for Coco Chanel to another level.

The theme was "The House of Chanel," and Kurkova's gown featured the words "I love you" across the bottom.

Charlize Theron hit the red carpet in 2006 wearing a beautiful burgundy gown by Christian Dior.

She tookJohn Galliano, the creative director at the time, as her date.

Sarah Jessica Parker was draped in plaid alongside her date, designer Alexander McQueen, in 2006.

She's always one to take a risk in the name of fashion.

Style queen Daphne Guinness paid tribute to her late friend Alexander McQueen in 2011.

McQueen died in February 2010, and the 2011 Met Gala theme, "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty," was chosen to honor his legacy.

Guinness wore a dramatic feathery frock from the designer's Spring 2011 collection.

Supermodel Naomi Campbell also paid tribute to McQueen that year by wearing one of his designs.

The gown featured feather-like tassels on the skirt and bodice.

Serena Williams attended the Met Gala in a feathered white Oscar de la Renta ball gown that same year.

She paired it with a dramatic silver headpiece.

Also present at 2011's tribute to Alexander McQueen was Christina Ricci.

Shewent for a gothic romantic look by Zac Posen.

In 2013, Madonna sported a black bob and a Givenchy by Ricardo Tisci ensemble for the "PUNK: Chaos to Couture" theme.

Her pink pumps added a nice pop of color.

Nicole Richie also embraced the punk theme by dyeing her hair this ghostly silver-gray color.

Topshop designed her white floral dress.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West caused a conversation at the Met Gala in 2013.

Kardashian hit the red carpet in a floral gown with a thigh-high slit while eight months pregnant with her first child, North.

Still, Miley Cyrus really made a statement that year in this fishnet dress designed by Marc Jacobs.

She also rocked a spiky 'do to complement the theme.

Lupita Nyong'o made several best-dressed lists in 2014 thanks to this emerald-green Prada dress.

The dress had aflapper-inspired design.

In 2015, Rihanna won the red carpet (and unintentionally became a meme) with this bright-yellow, fur-trimmed cape designed by Guo Pei.

The look helped establish her status as the undisputed queen of the Met Gala.

Beyoncé left little to the imagination when she wore this see-through Givenchy gown to the Met Gala in 2015.

It was definitely a daring choice that instantly became iconic.

Jennifer Lopez chose a sheer Versace gown when she attended that year.

The gown featured red jeweled accents applied to look like a fiery dragon.

Solange Knowles looked like an optical illusion in her circle dress in 2015.

Giles designed the stunning dress.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West wore matching metallic silver Balmain ensembles in May 2016.

West even wore silver contacts to match his jacket, while Kardashian completed her look by lightening her eyebrows.

Beyoncé wowed the crowd with another Givenchy gown in 2016. This one was made with latex material and featured pearl embellishments.

The star had released her sixth album, "Lemonade," just a week before the Met that year.

Solange dressed head to toe in a lemon-yellow ensemble by David Laport.

She completed the look with yellow latex leggings.

When it comes to making fashion statements, Madonna didn't disappoint at the Met Gala in 2016.

Here she is in a sheer black Givenchy dress.

Lupita Nyong'o took another risk in 2016, wearing a shimmery, mint-green Calvin Klein gown.

She paired it with a gravity-defying natural hairstyle.

Leave it to Lady Gaga to show up in a fierce Versace ensemble complete with a leotard and a cropped metallic jacket.

She finished her 2016 look with a pair of sky-high platform boots.

Rita Ora wore this feathered frock designed by Vera Wang in 2016.

She seemed to be channeling her inner "Black Swan."

Claire Danes was glowing (literally) in 2016 thanks to this glow-in-the-dark ball gown by Zac Posen.

The light-blue dress appeared to be inspired by Cinderella.

Zoe Kravitz walked the red carpet in 2016 in a dress with a giant bow on the back.

She paired it with a lace mask for dramatic effect.

Katy Perry made heads turn in 2016 in this black Prada gown with gold embellishments.

She paired the look with matching dark makeup and hair.

She then arrived looking like an actual angel with oversized wings by Versace in 2018.

She paired the wings with a gold minidress and thigh-high gold boots.

Rihanna wowed everyone yet again in 2018 with a Margiela ensemble that seemed to be inspired by the pope.

She wore a high-low skirt, plenty of jewelry, and an attention-commanding headpiece.

Solange's gown by Iris van Herpen featured one of the most elaborate structural designs of the 2018 event.

She paired the look with black latex thigh-highs and shoes.

Frances McDormand had one of the most head-turning looks on the red carpet.

The headpiece was a daring choice, but her Valentino ensemble ultimately became one of the most memorable looks of the evening.

Greta Gerwig then took the 2018 theme and ran with it with this nun-inspired design by The Row.

She was one of a few celebrities to take a literal approach to the theme.

Jared Leto also opted for a literal interpretation of 2018's theme.

His outfit sparked a lot of conversation on Twitter.

Sarah Jessica Parker also had one of the most elaborate looks of the evening with a Nativity scene as her headpiece.

She always nails the theme of the Met Gala, and that year was no exception.

Lady Gaga arrived at the 2019 Met Gala in a sweeping pink gown by Brandon Maxwell.

She later revealed three other ensembles underneath through a 16-minute entrance routine that perfectly embodied the theme, "Camp: Notes on Fashion."

Katy Perry lit up the pink carpet in a chandelier-inspired look in 2019.

She was surrounded by working light bulbs around the skirt and on the headpiece.

At the 2019 Met Gala, Billy Porter wore a golden ensemble by The Blonds.

He was first carried down the pink carpet with six men in matching ensembles. Porter then stepped down to reveal an eye-catching pair of wings attached to his arms.

Cardi B stole the show with a flowing red train in 2019.

Her puffy gown featured feathered detailing at the edge of its dramatic train.

In 2019, Janelle Monáe arrived in a showstopping ensemble by Christian Siriano.

Her head-turning dress featured a blinking eye mechanism at the bodice, which she paired with several top hats.

Priyanka Chopra opted for a semi-sheer design with a crown-like headpiece in 2019.

Her gown flowed out thanks to multicolored feathers.

Yara Shahidi went with a custom Prada ensemble for the 2019 Met Gala.

She paired her swimsuit-style bodysuit with embellished tights and a feathered black coat.

Stella Maxwell wore a daring sheer design in 2019.

Her dress featured an abundance of strategically placed silver stars.

In 2019, Cara Delevingne brought a touch of rainbow color to the carpet.

Her platform heels were embellished with Swarovski crystals.

Emily Ratajkowski turned heads in a daring ethereal design in 2019.

Her headpiece was shaped like wings that framed each side of her face.

The frills on Céline Dion's shimmery dress were hard to miss in 2019.

The singer wore an Oscar de la Renta dress to the Met Gala that year.

Jared Leto carried a replica of his head as an accessory in 2019.

Alessandro Michele, Gucci's creative director at the time, dressed the actor in a Victorian-esque scarlet gown covered in jewels.

The outfit was a nod to Gucci's Autumn/Winter 2018 runway show, which featured models carrying their own heads.

Tiffany Haddish's zebra-print suit was a bold look.

The comedian and actor was photographed in a Michael Kors flared-leg pantsuit and matching hat designed by Stephen Jones. W Magazine reported that the look comprised 57,000 sequins — 17,000 on the jacket and 40,000 on the pants.

Michael Urie wore two different looks at once in 2019.

The actor wore a half-tux, half-gown outfit designed by Christian Siriano.

"Christian Siriano is a genius," he told Page Six then. "And his staff and he made it so impeccably that it was comfortable. I had a high heel that was the same height as a Doc boot, it was brilliant. And I could pee!"

Dan Levy's custom JW Anderson look for the 2021 event had many hidden details.

The custom outfit featured a map shaped like two men kissing.

Levy told Vanity Fair that his look was a celebration of queer love inspired by the late artist and AIDS activist David Wojnarowicz.

The look featured oversize sleeves, pants with a map pattern, and black boots with gold details and flowers. He completed the look withCartier jewelry.

Lil Nas X made an entrance at the 2021 Met Gala by wearing three Versace looks.

Lil Nas X arrived at his first-ever Met Gala in a gold Atelier Versace velvet cape. It had oversize shoulder pads and a collar.

He then removed the cape to reveal golden body armor underneath. It had spikes on the shoulders, the Versace crest on the neckline, and sculpted abs.

Finally, before he went inside, Lil Nas X took off the armor to reveal a brown bodysuit covered in crystals. He paired it with a Versace choker.

Kim Kardashian attended the 2021 Met Gala covered in head-to-toe black.

Kardashian said on Instagram that her inspiration for the "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion"-themed gala was a T-shirt.

She arrived in a Balenciaga bodysuit that completely covered her. Two trains flowed out of the back of her dress, as did her 75-inch ponytail.

Frank Ocean made a bold choice at the 2021 gala by arriving with a robot baby in his arms.

The singer kept it simple in a black suede, three-piece Prada suit with a white T-shirt.

Ocean's robotic baby was dressed in a onesie from Homer, the jewelry brand Ocean founded. It could move, making it seem almost lifelike.

Rihanna wore an over-the-top, all-black Balenciaga look.

Rihanna was among the last stars to arrive at the gala, but she brought the drama with this look.

Balenciaga's creative director, Demna Gvasalia, designed her all-black coatdress. She paired it with a beanie, a crystal headpiece, and custom-made Maria Tash earrings.

ASAP Rocky followed his partner Rihanna's lead in this quilt-like ERL look.

The rapper wore a look from the designer's spring 2022 collection. Underneath the quilt, ASAP Rocky had a black suit that matched Rihanna's Balenciaga ensemble.

Megan Fox stole the show at the gala in a red Dundas gown with criss-cross cutouts and a high slit.

The actor wore the custom design with satin platform sandals and a long train.

Fox told Vogue that her look was inspired by Bram Stoker's "Dracula."

"I think the inspiration, like the color — I wanted a dress that I had seen in Bram Stoker's 'Dracula,'" she said. "I'm very into gothic things and vampires and such."

Grimes accessorized her Iris van Herpen dress with a sword.

The Canadian musician told Vogue that her look was inspired by Frank Herbert's novel "Dune." The chrome mask she's wearing is actually an original prop from David Lynch's 1984 film adaptation of the book.

In 2022, Kim Kardashian caused one of the biggest controversies in recent Met Gala history by wearing a dress once worn by Marilyn Monroe.

Monroe famously wore the dress to perform "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" in 1962, and the internet had plenty to say when Kardashian arrived in the iconic look.

Jared Leto took 2023's theme, "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," literally.

Leto's look was inspired by the late designer's cat, Choupette.

Leto wasn't the only one to take inspiration from Choupette. Doja Cat appeared in her own feline outfit.

The rapper and singer remained committed to her character, causing an awkward moment with Vogue red-carpet correspondent Emma Chamberlain when she replied to questions with meows instead of words.

Bad Bunny embodied a charming prince with a custom look featuring horse-feet shoes in 2024.

The Puerto Rican popstar, who served as cochair of the event in 2024, wore a custom Maison Margiela Artisanal ensemble inspired by fairytale princes and their horses.

Zendaya brought all the fairytale drama in 2024.

Also wearing a custom Maison Margiela look, Zendaya arrived in a blue and emerald dress inspired by fictitious villains. That year, the Met Gala theme was "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion."

Lana del Rey became a veiled wall of thorns.

The singer arrived at the event wearing a custom Alexander McQueen gown completed by a dramatic veil inspired by the Sleeping Beauty tale.

Tyla wore an immovable sand piece. She needed to be carried up the infamous gala stairs.

At her first Met Gala, Tyla wore a form-fitting, sculpted Balmain piece made of sand. It adhered to the year's theme and its connection to time. A sand-filled hourglass accessorized the piece.

The sculpted piece was solid and immovable, so the singer had to be carried up the stairs at the event.

Mindy Kaling arrived in a sculptural, floral-inspired dress.

The actor and screenwriter wore a piece by Indian designer Gaurav Gupta. The caped gown, called "The Melting Flower of Time," was inspired by the passage of time through the death of a flower, which is referenced by the gown's delicate layers.

Diana Ross wowed the 2025 red carpet with an 18-foot-long feathered train.

After a 22-year hiatus from the gala, Motown legend Diana Ross showed up to the 2025 Met Gala in a white gown by Nigerian designer Ugo Mozie. The embroidered gown featured crystals and feathers, and an 18-foot-long train embroidered with the names of her children and grandchildren.

Sabrina Carpenter ditched the pants for 2025's theme of "Tailored for You."

For her third-ever Met Gala, Sabrina Carpenter wore a burgundy tuxedo-inspired Louis Vuitton bodysuit with two long trains — and no pants.

She said the idea of ditching the pants from the outfit came from fellow musician Pharrell, who has also been the creative director for Louis Vuitton's menswear since 2023.

"He was like, 'You're quite short, so no pants for you.' So here we are. Here we are," she said, as reported by People.

Teyana Taylor combined many historical elements in her Black-Dandyism-inspired look.

Teyana Taylor's 2025 Met Gala look paid fitting homage to the year's dress code of "Tailored for You."

The look, designed by Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter, brought together many historical elements: a pinstripe zoot suit, an embroidered burgundy cape, a feathered velvet hat with a matching durag underneath, and matching red leather gloves and platform heels.

André 3000 brought a nearly full-size grand piano with him — literally.

Rapper and musician André 3000 arrived at the 2025 Met Gala with a piano strapped to his back, created by the design and fabrication company Pink Sparrow. The piano was modeled after a Steinway Model S baby grand at 75% scale. The 30-pound accessory was made of foam, plywood, and 3D printed elements.

The piano teased his newest project, "7 Piano Sketches," a collection of seven piano tracks released on the day of the gala.

His look was completed with … a black trash bag.

Janelle Monáe hid her look under an optical illusion overcoat that same year.

In 2025, Janelle Monáe wore an optical illusion Thom Browne ensemble that paid homage to the night's theme of "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style."

A two-piece black-and-red striped skirt suit was topped with a matching silk overcoat. The look was completed with a bowler hat and an attached monocle clock, which added to its surrealist quality.

Underneath the coat, the singer wore a unique diamond brooch made from 1800 Tequila designed by Jonathan Raksha of Maison Raksha.