The Met Gala is never about playing it safe. While gowns and suits are usually the focal point of the night, the real magic often happens below the ankles. The invitees’ shoes at the Met Gala have a reputation for being daring, impractical, and sometimes downright whimsical. The highest heels are often required for an added boost to wear massive floor-length gowns or those with a long train.

Over the years, celebrities have turned footwear into sculptural art, performance pieces, and even endurance tests of who can make it up the museum steps in towering heels without tumbling down. Here are some of the wildest shoe moments that had everyone talking.

Lady Gaga Is Known for Taking Sky-high Shoe Risks

When it comes to gravity-defying footwear, few moments compare to the towering platform heels that seem engineered more for shock value than walking. On multiple occasions, stars have arrived in heels so lofty and impressive that they required assistance just to climb the stairs. These shoes often blur the line between fashion and physics experiment, with some looking like they belong in a museum exhibit rather than on a human foot. For the 2019 Met Gala, Lady Gaga paired various ensembles by Brandon Maxwell with towering, glitter Pleaser boots. The Pleaser shoe brand is usually known for making tall heels for pole and exotic dancers.

Kim Kardashian’s Infamous ‘Can’t Walk’ Moment

Every year, there’s at least one celebrity who clearly underestimated their footwear. From wobbling on the carpet to being physically carried up the steps, these moments have become a Met Gala tradition of their own. In some cases, stars have had to pause mid-carpet just to regain balance — or abandon any attempt at normal walking altogether. Kim Kardashian has been a frequent offender in this category, and in 2024, she wore a pair of heel-less platform Pleaser wedges that gave her trouble as she climbed the steps.

Marc Jacobs’ Statement Boots Steal the Show

While heels get most of the attention, boots have delivered some of the boldest statements. The Marc Jacobs Kiki boot is a style that makes constant appearances on the Met Gala red carpet over the years, with stars like Teyana Taylor and Kim Petras wearing custom-made versions of the designer’s popular boot design.

Bad Bunny Shows Men How to Take Shoe Risks

Bad Bunny leaned on Christian Louboutin and Maison Margiela to come up with a shoe design for him that would break him free from the traditional men’s dress shoe that we often see on the red carpet. For the 2024 event, the brands designed a pair of Tabi boots for him, giving the illusion that he had hoofs as shoes. The Tabi shoes featured a sleek black design and were complemented by a side zipper and an embellishment of white and brown fur on the top that gave them an animal-like appeal.

Thom Browne Knows How to Turn Heads

From platform brogue heels to interesting track-inspired boots, no other designer knows how to make a shoe quite as dramatic and polished as Thom Browne. Over the years, stars like Zoe Saldaña, Amandla Stenberg, Cynthia Erivo and more have modeled the brand’s designs on the carpet, and the shoes completely elevated their looks. Take a look at more wild shoe moments at the Met Gala below.