The Most Outrageous Met Gala Outfits The Red Carpet Has Ever Seen

The Met Gala: home to bizarre accessories and jaw-dropping outfits since 1948. Every year, our favorite celebrities push the boundaries in elaborate ensembles for “fashion’s biggest night out.” That could mean catching anything from a 40-pound hat to a blinking eye bustier – or even a severed head – on the red carpet. Yes, the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art have certainly seen it all. And 2023’s event, whose theme celebrated the legacy of fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, delivered in spades. Read on for 40 of the most outrageous couture concoctions in Met Gala history.

1. Jared Leto, 2023

Jared Leto may be known best for his award-winning acting, but he's fast getting a reputation for stealing the show on the Met Gala walk of fame, too. And his ode to fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld at the 2023 event was no exception! Leto donned a furry suit that bore an uncanny resemblance to the design veteran's beloved pet cat. If you thought this moment couldn’t get any better, the real Choupette sent her regrets at not being able to attend: the sassy Birman cat posted to her official Instagram account on the morning of Met Gala, “Many people invited me to walk the red carpet of the #METGALA2023 in tribute to Daddy, but we preferred to stay peacefully & cozy at home.” 

2. Rihanna, 2018

Your holiness! At the 2018 event, Rihanna sure lived up to her reputation as Met Gala royalty. And to the delight of her fans, she interpreted the theme, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” in the most literal way. Dressing as a bedazzled pope – and topping it all off with a matching miter hat – RiRi’s almighty makeover wowed. But we expected nothing less from the pop princess, who chaired the night with Amal Clooney.

3. Celine Dion, 2019

Celine Dion had only been to the Met Gala once before her 2019 appearance, but that didn’t stop her from razzle-dazzle-ing us. She wore a shimmering Oscar de la Renta bodysuit that comes in at over 22 pounds in weight. Yes, you read that right! The jaw-dropping outfit was also a true labor of love, with 3,000 hours of work put into its creation. We bet those thousands of pieces of fringe took a few days alone. The iconic star completed her showgirl look with a suitably ostentatious feathered headpiece.

4. Lil Nas X, 2023

With the theme for 2023 being 'Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,' you might not be entirely sure where rapper Lil Nas X's other-worldly ensemble fits in. Look closer, though, and you'll spy a set of pearl-encrusted whiskers poking out from their extravagant mask, paying homage to Lagerfeld’s famous cat, Choupette. You'd be forgiven for missing that minor detail given that the rest of the musician's outfit consists of body paint and a set of skimpy Dior Men underpants. Why not, right?