If there’s one night that consistently delivers jaw-dropping fashion, internet-breaking moments, and just the right amount of red carpet chaos, it’s the Met Gala. Every year, I find myself scrolling for hours, dissecting every feather, train, and sheer illusion panel, in the name of answering one impossible question: What are the best Met Gala outfits of all time?
Let’s be honest. “Best dressed Met Gala attendee of all time” isn’t just a title. It’s a debate. It’s Cher in barely-there Bob Mackie, Princess Diana rewriting royal dress codes, and Rihanna ascending literal fashion-royalty status (multiple times, might I add). The Met Gala red carpet best dressed moments aren’t just about clothes. They’re about cultural shifts, risk-taking, and those rare looks that instantly make fashion history.
That’s what makes this list so fun and so subjective. From the unapologetic excess of the ’80s and the polished minimalism of the ’90s to the experimental looks of the 2000s and the meme-worthy and theme-dominating looks of the 2010s and 2020s, the Met Gala has given us decades of style moments to obsess over. They might not be your cup of tea, but they sure are unforgettable.
Consider this your definitive, highly opinionated, fashion editor–approved walkthrough of the best dressed Met Gala of all time—era by era, look by iconic look. Let’s get into it.
What is the Met Gala 2026 theme?
According to Vogue, the Met Gala 2026 theme is officially Costume Art. The theme ties directly to the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, which explores how clothing and the dressed body have been depicted across thousands of years of art history—pairing actual garments with paintings, sculptures, and more.
Now, when it comes to what we’ll actually see on the steps, the dress code is where things get fun. For 2026, it’s Fashion Is Art, a different theme that plays in conjunction with the Costume Institute’s exhibition.
When is the Met Gala 2026?
Mark your calendar: The Met Gala 2026 is set for Monday, May 4, 2026. As always, it falls on the first Monday in May aka fashion’s biggest night.
Where can I watch the Met Gala 2026 red carpet?
If your invite to the Met Gala 2026 got lost in the mail this year (same!), the next best thing is watching the Met Gala red carpet live. The official livestream will be hosted by Vogue and kicks off at 6 p.m. ET, streaming across its website, YouTube, and TikTok.
If you want the fashion-person commentary—the real reason we’re all watching—we’ve got you. Who What Wear will be reacting in real time on our socials with best dressed breakdowns and all the moments that matter.
See the Best Met Gala Looks of All Time
’80s
WHO: Diane von Furstenberg
WHAT: Attending the 1984 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Cher
WHAT: Attending the 1985 Met Gala
WEAR: Bob Mackie dress
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Diana Vreeland
WHAT: Attending the 1980 Met Gala
WEAR: Saint Laurent outfit
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Diana Ross
WHAT: Attending the 1981 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Bianca Jagger
WHAT: Attending the 1981 Met Gala
WEAR: Dior gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Iman
WHAT: Attending the 1981 Met Gala
WEAR: Calvin Klein dress
(Image credit: Getty Images)
’90s
WHO: Naomi Campbell
WHAT: Attending the 1995 Met Gala
WEAR: Versace dress
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Kate Moss
WHAT: Attending the 1995 Met Gala
WEAR: Calvin Klein dress
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Christy Turlington
WHAT: Attending the 1992 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Cher
WHAT: Attending the 1997 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Anna Wintour
WHAT: Attending the 1996 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Chloë Sevigny
WHAT: Attending the 1998 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Miuccia Prada
WHAT: Attending the 1998 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Princess Diana
WHAT: Attending the 1996 Met Gala
WEAR: Dior gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: André Leon Talley and Anna Wintour
WHAT: Attending the 1999 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2000s
WHO: Diana Ross
WHAT: Attending the 2003 Met Gala
WEAR: Gucci gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Iman and David Bowie
WHAT: Attending the 2003 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Vanessa Paradis
WHAT: Attending the 2005 Met Gala
WEAR: Chanel gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Lee Radziwill
WHAT: Attending the 2000 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Rihanna
WHAT: Attending the 2008 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Blake Lively
WHAT: Attending the 2009 Met Gala
WEAR: Versace gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Sarah Jessica Parker and Alexander McQueen
WHAT: Attending the 2006 Met Gala
WEAR: Alexander McQueen gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Madonna
WHAT: Attending the 2009 Met Gala
WEAR: Louis Vuitton by Marc Jacobs dress
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Mary-Kate Olsen
WHAT: Attending the 2009 Met Gala
WEAR: Christian LaCroix Couture gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Stefano Gabbana and Naomi Campbell
WHAT: Attending the 2001 Met Gala
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2010s
WHO: Rihanna
WHAT: Attending the 2011 Met Gala
WEAR: Stella McCartney gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Miley Cyrus
WHAT: Attending the 2013 Met Gala
WEAR: Marc Jacobs gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Anne Hathaway
WHAT: Attending the 2015 Met Gala
WEAR: Ralph Lauren gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Sarah Jessica Parker
WHAT: Attending the 2015 Met Gala
WEAR: Oscar de la Renta gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Mary-Kate Olsen
WHAT: Attending the 2013 Met Gala
WEAR: Chanel gown; Balmain coat
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Beyoncé
WHAT: Attending the 2016 Met Gala
WEAR: Givenchy gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Selena Gomez
WHAT: Attending the 2015 Met Gala
WEAR: Vera Wang gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Rihanna
WHAT: Attending the 2014 Met Gala
WEAR: Stella McCartney two-piece gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Taylor Swift
WHAT: Attending the 2016 Met Gala
WEAR: Louis Vuitton dress
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Blake Lively
WHAT: Attending the 2014 Met Gala
WEAR: Gucci gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Kim Kardashian
WHAT: Attending the 2016 Met Gala
WEAR: Balmain gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Solange
WHAT: Attending the 2018 Met Gala
WEAR: Iris van Herpen gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Rihanna
WHAT: Attending the 2017 Met Gala
WEAR: Comme des Garçons gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Zendaya
WHAT: Attending the 2017 Met Gala
WEAR: Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Ashley Olsen
WHAT: Attending the 2013 Met Gala
WEAR: Christian Dior by Marc Bohan gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Beyoncé
WHAT: Attending the 2015 Met Gala
WEAR: Givenchy gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Rihanna
WHAT: Attending the 2018 Met Gala
WEAR: Maison Margiela dress
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Ariana Grande
WHAT: Attending the 2018 Met Gala
WEAR: Vera Wang gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Bella Hadid
WHAT: Attending the 2017 Met Gala
WEAR: Alexander Wang catsuit
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Katy Perry
WHAT: Attending the 2018 Met Gala
WEAR: Versace dress, boots, and wings
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Lana Del Rey
WHAT: Attending the 2018 Met Gala
WEAR: Gucci gown and headpiece
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Zendaya
WHAT: Attending the 2018 Met Gala
WEAR: Versace gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Lily Collins
WHAT: Attending the 2019 Met Gala
WEAR: Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Chadwick Boseman
WHAT: Attending the 2018 Met Gala
WEAR: Atelier Versace suit
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Lady Gaga
WHAT: Attending the 2019 Met Gala
WEAR: Brandon Maxwell gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Harry Styles
WHAT: Attending the 2019 Met Gala
WEAR: Gucci by Alessandro Michele suit
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Emily Ratajkowski
WHAT: Attending the 2019 Met Gala
WEAR: Dundas gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Beyoncé
WHAT: Attending the 2011 Met Gala
WEAR: Emilio Pucci gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Kim Kardashian
WHAT: Attending the 2013 Met Gala
WEAR: Givenchy gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Janelle Monáe
WHAT: Attending the 2019 Met Gala
WEAR: Christian Siriano gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Lily-Rose Depp
WHAT: Attending the 2019 Met Gala
WEAR: Chanel gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Kim Kardashian
WHAT: Attending the 2019 Met Gala
WEAR: Manfred Thierry Mugler gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner
WHAT: Attending the 2019 Met Gala
WEAR: Versace gowns
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Zendaya
WHAT: Attending the 2019 Met Gala
WEAR: Tommy Hilfiger gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Beyoncé
WHAT: Attending the 2014 Met Gala
WEAR: Givenchy gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2020s
WHO: Billie Eilish
WHAT: Attending the 2021 Met Gala
WEAR: Oscar de la Renta gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Kim Kardashian
WHAT: Attending the 2022 Met Gala
WEAR: Archival Jean Louis gown worn by Marilyn Monroe in 1962
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Barbie Ferreira
WHAT: Attending the 2022 Met Gala
WEAR: Simkhai gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Zoë Kravitz
WHAT: Attending the 2021 Met Gala
WEAR: Saint Laurent gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Kim Kardashian
WHAT: Attending the 2021 Met Gala
WEAR: Balenciaga gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Iman
WHAT: Attending the 2021 Met Gala
WEAR: Harris Reed gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Hailey Bieber
WHAT: Attending the 2022 Met Gala
WEAR: Saint Laurent gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Doja Cat
WHAT: Attending the 2023 Met Gala
WEAR: Oscar de la Renta gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Kendall Jenner
WHAT: Attending the 2023 Met Gala
WEAR: Marc Jacobs bodysuit
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Keke Palmer
WHAT: Attending the 2021 Met Gala
WEAR: Sergio Hudson gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Billie Eilish
WHAT: Attending the 2022 Met Gala
WEAR: Gucci gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Rihanna
WHAT: Attending the 2023 Met Gala
WEAR: Valentino Haute Couture gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Zendaya
WHAT: Attending the 2024 Met Gala
WEAR: Maison Margiela by John Galliano gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Diana Ross
WHAT: Attending the 2025 Met Gala
WEAR: Ugo Mozie gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Jennie
WHAT: Attending the 2025 Met Gala
WEAR: Chanel gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Tyla
WHAT: Attending the 2024 Met Gala
WEAR: Balmain gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Bad Bunny
WHAT: Attending the 2025 Met Gala
WEAR: Prada suit
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Greta Lee
WHAT: Attending the 2024 Met Gala
WEAR: Loewe gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Lana Del Rey
WHAT: Attending the 2024 Met Gala
WEAR: Alexander McQueen by Seán McGirr gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Doechii
WHAT: Attending the 2025 Met Gala
WEAR: Louis Vuitton suit
(Image credit: Getty Images)
WHO: Blake Lively
WHAT: Attending the 2022 Met Gala
WEAR: Atelier Versace gown
(Image credit: Getty Images)







