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The 20 most glamorous Met Gala dresses of all time

From Cher to Sarah Jessica Parker...

NEW YORK CITY - NOVEMBER 20:   Singer Cher, fashion designer Bob Mackie and Cher's friend Paulette Betts attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Insitute Gala Exhibition "Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design" on November 20, 1974 at The Metropo
Lauren Ramsay
Online Writer
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An invitation to the Met Gala is steeped in exclusivity, meaning if you manage to bag a ticket, you'd better bring your red carpet A-game. The outfits from 2023's version of the annual event will no doubt have us talking for the rest of the month and beyond - major props to the likes of Penélope Cruz, Nicole Kidman and Emily Ratajkowski who nailed the assignment.

Can you believe it’s been almost a year since Kim Kardashian wore (and reportedly tore) Marylin Monroe’s vintage Bob Mackie gown? Or Blake Lively unexpectedly stole the red carpet in the most transformative dress ever? Well, there has been plenty more where that came from over the 75 years the Met Gala has existed.

MORE: Everything you need to know about the 2023 Met Gala

Hello! Fashion shares the most glamorous Met Gala dresses of all time: 

Penélope Cruz

Penélope Cruz stunned in a sheer hooded ball gown from Chanel's SS88 collection© Theo Wargo

Penélope Cruz stunned in a sheer hooded ball gown from Chanel's SS88 collection at the 2023 Met Gala.

Nicole Kidman 

Nicole Kidman re-wore a piece from her iconic 2004 Chanel N°5 advertisement © Lexie Moreland

For 2023, Nicole Kidman re-wore a piece from nearly 20 years ago, taking the gown from her iconic 2004 Chanel N°5 advertisement for another spin. 

Emily Ratajkowski 

Emily Ratajkowski wore a plunging ethereal number by Tory Burch © John Shearer

Emily Ratajkowski wore a plunging ethereal number by Tory Burch featuring a geometric bodice pattern and a plunging neckline at this year's ball.

Blake Lively

Blake Lively wore a showstopping Versace dress in 2022 that changes from rose gold to copper to represent the oxidization of the Statue of Liberty.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga 2019 Met Gala© Getty

There's nobody who makes an entrance like Lady Gaga, and in this case it was a 16 minute long one. She nailed the Barbiecore trend before it was even a thing, she wore the most extravagant fuschia pink cape coat by Brandon Maxwell in 2019. Later in the evening for her performance the cape was removed to reveal another black strapless gown, followed by a diamante bra and pants set.

RELATED: Did you see Blake Lively's magical dress transformation?

Diana, Princess of Wales

With the anticipation surrounding the sartorial agenda of the Met Gala, most guests opt for the most OTT outfit possible. Not the late Princess of Wales. She attended the 1996 event in stunning navy slip dress from Dior paired with a seven-strand pearl necklace complete with a gigantic sapphire. 

Naomi Campbell

No Met Gala dress will ever be as blinding as Naomi Campbell's jaw dropping crystal encrusted bandeau gown from Versace that she wore in 1995.

Rihanna

Rihanna Met Gala 2015© Getty

Rihanna gave Belle from Beauty and the Beast's dress a Met Gala worthy upgrade in a stunning bright yellow cape by Gui Pei that nailed the 2015 'China: Through the Looking Glass' theme.

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande 2018 Met Gala© Getty

Ariana Grande stunned in an etheral 'sistine chapel' gown in 2018 by Vera Wang for the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry's playful style agenda teamed with Moschino was a match made in heaven for the 2019 event. She wore a chandelier complete with battery packs to illuminate the lights. 

Zendaya

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 01:  Zendaya at 'Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons:Art of the In-Between' Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.  (Photo by Jackson Lee/FilmMagic)© Jackson Lee
Zendaya

Zendaya attended the 2017 Met Gala in a Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda gown, adorned with a tropical parrot print. 

Kendall Jenner

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 13: Kendall Jenner attends The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 13, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)© Mike Coppola
Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner attended the 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion wearing a sheer embellished Givenchy gown which channeled Audrey Hepburn in one of her most iconic roles. The dress was reminiscent of the one Audrey wears in My Fair Lady, when she took on the iconic role of Eliza Doolittle. 

Sarah Jessica Parker

In 2014 SJP wore a Carrie Bradshaw worthy Oscar De La Renta gown with a black trellis motif. Both the designer and the style muse we co-chairs on the night.

Cher

Though Marylin Monroe is the star most talked about with a Bob Mackie gown and the Met Gala right now thanks to Kim Kardashian, we must honour Cher's feather trim gown in 1974 that began the event's naked dress trend.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 04:  Ashley Olsen and Mary Kate Olsen attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York City.  (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Variety)© Andrew H. Walker
Ashley Olsen and Mary Kate Olsen

Vintage at the Met Gala is The Row founders and minimalist luxury style muses Mary-Kate and Ashley's specialty. But the decadent black evening gowns they wore in 2015 to attend the China: Through The Looking Glass Met Gala were exquisite. 

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita nailed the 2014 Charles James: Beyond Fashion themed gala wearing an emerald green Prada flapper dress with a twist.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

 AOC took the phrase 'statement dress' and ran with it, giving it the most literal meaning possible. For the 2021 gala the congresswoman donned a white strapless dress from Brother Vellies with 'tax the rich' sprawled across the back in red writing.

Lizzo

Lizzo shut down the red carpet in 2019 in an ombre pink and white feathered look from Marc Jacobs.

Kaia Gerber

Kaia Gerber at Met Gala© Getty

Nepo baby Kaia wore a stunning Oscar De La Renta dress in 2021 that paid homage to a dress Bianca Jagger wore 40 years prior. Gerber's dress boated similar floral detailing across the neckline.

View of Nicaraguan model and actress Bianca Jagger and fashion designer Halston (born Roy Halston Frowick, 1932 - 1990) as they attend a Costume Institute gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, 1981. (Photo by Rose Hartman/Getty Image© Rose Hartman
Bianca Jagger

Cardi B

Cardi B met gala 2019© Getty

The rap sensation wore an epic Thom Browne gown in 2019 that reportedly took 35 people and more than 2000 hours to create.

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