40+ Celebrity Fashion Fails From the Met Gala That We Can’t Forget

Kim Kardashian is known for being a pretty stylish person, but sometimes her choices make us scratch our heads. Choosing to don this Balenciaga design, she walked the 2021 Met Gala carpet and definitely turned some heads. It turns out, though, that Kim wasn’t fully on board at first.

In fact, according to the powerhouse, “I fought against it. I was like, I don’t know how I could wear the mask. Why would I want to cover my face?” she recalls. “But Demna and the team were like, This is a costume gala. This is not a Vanity Fair party where everyone looks beautiful. There’s a theme, and you have to wear the mask. That is the look.”

The 2001 Met Gala, which focused on Jacqueline Kennedy’s fashion, was the breeding ground for a lot of the worst looks ever to be seen at the event. Unfortunately, many of those poor looks came from fashion designers themselves.

John Galliano, who’s an English fashion designer, chose to wear this brightly colored blazer with embroidered floral print. To be perfectly honest, we’re not sure John understood the assignment.

Madonna has always been a cutting-edge fashionista. She tends to go for ensembles and outfits that are a bit outside of the box and so, when she walked the carpet in 2009, she chose a unique bunny ear look that really made her stand out.

Of course, standing out isn’t always necessarily a good thing. Although the pop star sported bunny ears made by the iconic Louis Vuitton, the look as a whole still didn’t quite meet the Met Gala criteria for that year.

Sometimes, the themes of the Met Gala can be pretty broad — so, when the theme was American fashion for the 2021 Met Gala, that was just the case. So, it’s easy to see why there were some big misses during that year’s event.

Pete Davidson chose to wear Tom Brown, and though it definitely does fit the American fashion theme, it has a bit of a priestly look that didn’t quite sit well with everyone.

Louis Vuitton, a sports All-Star, and the Met Gala carpet seemed like a combination made in heaven. But, that’s only if the sports All-Star can find the right look, and unfortunately for Naomi Osaka, she did not.

The Met Gala is definitely a place to be experimental, but nothing about this outfit worked. In particular, the hair was a certain point of contention.

Musicians tend to go way out of the box when it comes to choosing their Met Gala uniform. Kim Petras definitely took that to heart when she dressed in a 3D horse head and bodice for the 2021 Met Gala.

Still, these unconventional ideas don’t always translate as well as one might think — which is exactly what happened here…

2018’s Met Gala was intended to pay homage to heavenly bodies and the Catholic imagination. This left a whole array of ideas up in the air that could have been fantastic, but Shailene Woodley didn’t pick any of them.

Looking to portray Joan of Arc, she went with a Ralph Lauren outfit. Unfortunately, it didn’t get quite the applause she thought it would. In fact, many people liken it to a particular cartoon villain’s look.

In 2001, the Met Gala decided they wanted to honor Jackie Kennedy and her iconic fashion sense during her years in the White House. There were beautiful period pieces, and almost everybody hit the mark except for Jessica Simpson.

That year, Jessica Simpson wore an off-the-shoulder dress that might have been a perfect on-the-mark piece if in a traditional color. Instead, we’re unsure what she thought when choosing this pearlescent pastel color scheme.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler built quite the reputation for her portrayal as Meadow in The Sopranos. So, when she was invited to the Met Gala in 2003, she jumped at the chance to address the theme in the best way possible.

Unfortunately, the t-shirt style dress that she chose didn’t quite meet the theme of Goddess: The Classical Mode. It just fell a little short.

Zac Posen is a fashion designer and so, you’d think he’d hit the mark every time he makes an appearance at any type of red carpet event. But in 2004, when he made his walk down the Met Gala carpet, his look was not quite as stunning as most thought it would be.

In 2004, the theme for the Met Gala was Dangerous Liaisons, so he opted for a bullfighter-esque style. It just wasn’t a well-thought-out look!

The early 2000s to the mid-2000s saw a rebirth of girl groups. One of the biggest of the time was 3LW, and in 2001, they got that special invitation to attend the Met Gala. However, it appears that they didn’t get the memo about the theme.

While we understand that these ladies were fairly new to the spotlight at this point, someone should have stepped in to help them correctly — and appropriately — pay homage to the theme of Jacqueline Kennedy: the White House years.

When most people think of Victoria Beckham now, they think of a fashion designer and icon. But, she wasn’t always as fashionable as she is today. Just take a gander at this look from the 2003 Met Gala.

Sure — you can see that she was trying to meet the theme, but it didn’t quite hit the mark. In fact, it may be one of her worst looks ever.

We all have our own idea of what “rock style” is. Most of them probably involve some sort of leather. But, when Jennifer Love Hewitt attended the Met Gala in 1999, she had something completely different in mind.

This bare midriff and feathered white skirt just didn’t cut it then, and it definitely doesn’t cut it now. In fact, we’re sure that when she looks back at this picture, she probably cringes just a bit.

Anna Wintour is one of the most well-known names in the fashion industry — it’s a name that everyone knows and respects. Because of this, you’d that she’d nail her outfit every time she hits the Met Gala carpet. That may be the case for most years, but in 2004, she seemed to be less than perfect.

With the theme being Dangerous Liaisons, many expected the Vogue editor-in-chief to opt for something a bit edgier. Instead, she went with this encrusted crystal overcoat with a strange neckline.

She may be able to create one heck of a dish in the kitchen, but when it comes to choosing looks for the Met Gala red carpet, Sandra Lee lacks a little bit of skill. In 2014, she chose to wear this bridal look.

Though it may be a stunning look to walk down the aisle, it doesn’t really suit the Met Gala carpet. Frankly, it just seems a little out of place!

Models are looked at as fashion icons by millions of people across the globe. Of course, one of those models is Kimora Lee Simmons, who strikes a beautiful pose with this perfectly chosen outfit.

The 2008 Met Gala focused on superheroes and so, it makes sense that Simmons chose this brightly colored halter dress. Though it definitely resembles what a superhero would perhaps wear during a night out, the dress just didn’t have the right fit or look to land Simmons on the best-dressed list.

Asian culture has introduced a lot of fantastic things to the Western world — one being fashion-forward looks. In 2015, the Met Gala thought that they would shine a light on this. They chose to focus on the fantastic fashion of China.

Sarah Jessica Parker is known to have iconic style — as both herself and her on-screen character, Carrie Bradshaw — and so, she chose a pretty exciting headdress. Unfortunately, this accessory seemed just a little tone-deaf when it came to Chinese culture.

Alexander McQueen was known for his classic lines and iconic style and so, it’s no wonder that the Met Gala chose to honor him in 2011. Though Serena Williams thought she was doing just that, unfortunately, the look fell flat.

A haltered, feathered flapper style look did not suit the tennis star’s frame — nor the fashion of the red carpet at this Met Gala.

Nicki Minaj is known for having eccentric taste when it comes to fashion. This is her image, so it’s not surprising that, in 2017, she chose to take it up a notch on the Met Gala carpet.

She obviously wanted to dress according to the theme — Japanese label Comme des Garçons and its founder, designer Rei Kawakubo. Unfortunately, she chose to do so by wearing a leather Obi belt featuring a mask of the face of Kawakubo…

In 2021, the Met Gala focused on American fashion. So, it comes as no surprise that some attendees would incorporate a little street style into their look — like, for instance, wearing a pair of Converse.

Timothee Chalamet did this with a pair of white converse and paired it with a white suit. Though it did meet the theme, many felt that it just didn’t work with the outfit.

This American poet has words that make your heart sing. And though this dress would generally be a hit, there was one thing that could have been a little less political — the handbag she chose to go with it.

Many people take the opportunity to make a statement on the carpet, but it might not have been the best option at this moment in time.

Harry Styles has made quite the splash in fashion over the past couple of years, being as cutting edge as possible. So, when everybody heard he was going to be at the Met Gala, they assumed that his outfit would be spectacular.

Instead, he went for a very conservative Gucci outfit. While it looked fantastically chic and matched with all of his other accessories, the overall look just didn’t rise to the occasion.

Being the host of Project Runway, you’d imagine that Karlie Kloss would have a hands-down perfect outfit for any Met Gala outing. But in 2019, with the theme, the looks were meant to be a little more exaggerated and out there.

Unfortunately, this fashionista didn’t get that memo and came out with a reasonably conservative Dapper Dan look. Maybe she thought the puff sleeves were risky enough, but this actually came off as more of a classic look.

When you think of American fashion, oftentimes, people think of combining leisure or activewear with more fashionable pieces. This can be a great combination if done right.

Though some found Kristen Stewart Chanel’s couture look at the 2021 Met Gala fantastic, others felt that it looked a little frumpy. In particular, the snakeskin top combined with the wide-legged pants didn’t quite work together.

Another controversial look at the 2021 Met Gala was Rihanna and her Balenciaga outfit. From her beanie to the black wrap dress — and the jeweled accessories — Rihanna’s ensemble was the perfect representation of the theme.

So much so that Ri was the last celebrity to arrive at the 2021 Met Gala! Unfortunately, others thought her outfit looked very sloppy, probably due to the large ruffles and the unstructured fit of the dress.

Olivia Rodrigo has become the talk of the town over the past year with her hit single. So, it’s not surprising that she got an invite to the Met Gala, where she chose to wear Yves Saint Laurent.

As a nod to punk music and her debut album, the rocker decided to wear a see-through lace jumpsuit. Though it hit the mark theme-wise, she could have gone for a different look. Still, this was her first Met Gala so we’re sure her style will evolve as time goes on.

Taron Edgerton walked the red carpet thanks to his epic portrayal of the iconic Elton John in the biopic Rocketman. Because of this, in 2019, he was expected to really show up in character — especially since the Met Gala theme was a camp theme.

Instead, he chose an elegant and classic-looking suit that just wasn’t as campy as some thought he should have gone. Too bad he could have really been the shining star of the Met Gala carpet.

It seems that the Kardashians can’t quite get the idea that there are themes set for these Met Gala events. That’s why they wind up on these Met Gala fail lists, just like Kris Jenner did — thanks to her look at the 2019 Met Gala.

This jumpsuit, with a few choice accessories, didn’t quite hit the mark when it came to the theme of camp-inspired fashion. Though it looks fantastic, it definitely is also an epic fail for the Met Gala.

In 2019, there were a lot of people that just didn’t quite hit the mark when it came to the theme. One of those happened to be Portuguese supermodel Sara Sampaio. Instead of getting campy with her look, she went a little more classic — which, in this case, is a total failure.

The supermodel sported an August Getty Atelier gown, which would have been perfect for prom, but it was less ideal for the camp-themed Met Gala.

Camping fashion can be interpreted in multiple ways — you can choose your fashion according to what you’d camp in, or you can opt for something that’s simply campy (absurdly exaggerated, artificial, or affected in a usually humorous way). Still, Shawn Mendes went for neither of these looks at the Met Gala.

This classic look was meant to be something of a statement, but all it did was fail to meet the requirements of the Met Gala carpet. At any other event, this would have been a stunning look, but it just fell flat at the gala.

It seemed that the 2019 Met Gala led to a lot of people just falling short of what the intended look was supposed to be. Hailey Baldwin Bieber was, of course, one of the people that walked the Met Gala carpet — and unfortunately, even though her Alexander Wang dress was beautiful, it was not campy.

The skin-tight open-back pink dress flowed nicely and was beautiful. But, even the velvet bow in her hair wasn’t enough to transform the look.

Sometimes, people take the themes too literally when choosing their outfits. When you hear heavenly bodies, many people automatically imagine angels. That must have been what happened when Katy Perry chose her outfit for the event.

The Versace wings she chose to wear were quite literal. Even though she’s known for her crazy outfits, it seemed to be a little over-the-top.

Going over the top is a tradition for the Met Gala. Sometimes, over-the-top can be too much, though. That may be the case when looking at Lana Del Rey’s outfit for the 2018 event.

Her outfit was pretty outrageous, but she also walked the carpet with two bearded men (Jared Leto & Alessandro Michele), who we assume were supposed to resemble Jesus. Perhaps, though, this was a little too religious for some!

Product placement isn’t something most people think of when they look at Met Gala outfits. But in 2018, when Tesla owner Elon Musk walked the carpet with the Grimes, it sparked quite the conversation.

In fact, both of them wore Tesla-inspired accessories, which didn’t quite match the theme of Heavenly Bodies. We’re sure he probably thinks that his company is something that belongs in the stars — it just doesn’t scream Catholicism.

Frequently, the Met Gala is focused on a particular designer or style. In 2017, the focus was on the art of the in-between with a spotlight shining on Kawakubo. In a nod to this, Thandie Newton decided to wear a red drawstring dress with Swarovski crystals and a very interesting hat.

This look was all wrong with too much rushing and, of course, that very odd hat drew attention away from the actress’s beauty.

Sometimes, you can pick and choose things from an outfit that one of the stars wore on the Met Gala carpet. Occasionally, though, the stars that walk the carpet somehow find a way to butcher the entire outfit.

In 2017, beloved actress Mandy Moore didn’t quite get it right with her Michael Kors gown. We’re not entirely sure what possessed her to choose such bright, lavender eyeshadow — but it really throws off the whole look if we’re being honest.

Yet another member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan has found themselves a culprit of one of the biggest fails in Met Gala history. Kendall Jenner, who’s known for her looks and modeling career, has sported several fabulous red carpet looks.

This attire didn’t quite live up to her reputation. Sporting an almost lingerie-style dress, the look didn’t quite hit the mark at this particular Met Gala.

Gigi Hadid is known as one of the most beautiful models out there and makes many red carpet appearances. In 2017, she chose to rep Tommy Hilfiger — but perhaps she should have gone for a different look altogether.

The cut and styling of the piece just didn’t flatter her or the high-end fashion of the gala. Because of this, it was the talk of the gala… and not in a good way.

Wiz Khalifa has a specific look and reputation when it comes to events. But, for this Met Gala, he chose to go a little more classic with his look. Unfortunately, the look didn’t quite pan out. That being said, at least he tried.

The white suit with the black piping almost made it look a little like he was stepping right out of an old black and white cartoon. It just didn’t hit the mark, and many people questioned this fashion choice.

Trying to match the theme, Dakota Johnson opted to wear a pretty voluminous dress that had an almost goth-like look for her walk down the 2017 Met Gala carpet.

Unfortunately, though she tried her hardest, a few pieces of the dress just didn’t work. In fact, her gown had so many ruffles, people could hardly pay attention to anything else.