Every year, the Met Gala showcases our favorite celebrities in high-fashion getups; and every year, there are some eyebrow-raising choices, for better or for worse. Headed by Vogue's editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, the gala acts as a fundraiser for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. It is broadcast live and viewers often pick and choose their favorite looks of the night.
This year, the theme was 'Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty', chosen to honor deceased fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld. Many attendees stayed miraculously on theme as their personal stylists came up with both original and recycled pieces for the unique carpet. In this article, we will give the best and worst dressed from May 1st's Met Gala.
Best Dressed
Anne Hathaway
Starting off the list incredibly strongly with the beautiful Anne Hathaway. The mixed materials of tweed and golden safety pins are a distinct homage to Karl Lagerfeld's work in the 90s. This Versace dress looked almost like a vintage Chanel, with a matching white tweed coat.
Her hair was raised to the skies in a half-up-half-down look and she sported a shiny diamond necklace. Just like many others on the carpet, Hathaway wore pearls. However, the subtly with which they tied into the outfit elevated the look to perfection.
In my opinion, this was the best look of the night, totally screaming Lagerfeld while suiting the actress perfectly. On theme and gorgeous, Anne Hathaway was one of the best dressed at this year's Met.
Anok Yai
Anok Yai, a talented model, stunned photographers with her Prabal Gurung dress. The ombre golden dress stood out among her monochromatic peers. While some would argue it was off-theme, Yai's dress had a similar color palette and silhouette to one of Lagerfeld's 1993's Haute Couture looks, sported by Cindy Crawford.
Yai's look was completed by a brown-netted eyepiece. Another incredible look, this outfit was one of our favorites because of its uniqueness and shine. Positively radiant, Anok Yai was one to watch at the 2023 Met Ball.
Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa helped co-host this year's Met Gala and wore the dress to prove it. Her Chanel ballgown, once seen on a 1992 Claudia Schiffer, was designed by the one and only Karl Lagerfeld. It was made of tweed, a common theme in some of our favorite looks, and appeared to be stiff as a board.
Lipa paired the dress with a 100-carat Tiffany & Co necklace, worthy of an article itself. The necklace featured Tiffany's white Legendary diamond. This FW1992 dress was just as much of a delight on Dua as it was on Claudia, and we love the throwback. A vision in white, Dua Lipa had one of our favorite looks of this year.
Doja Cat
A somewhat controversial pick, Doja Cat honored her name and Karl Lagerfeld's cat, Choupette. She wore an Oscar de la Renta hooded gown, with cat ears and a fluffy trail. The most shocking part of her outfit was in fact her makeup.
A full feline prosthetic face is what made the musician stand out, for good and for bad. Personally, I thought the makeup elevated the look, while still keeping it classy with its simplicity. Some hate it, some love it, but Doja Cat was undoubtedly on theme and crushed this year's Met.
Conan Gray
A man who once tweeted, 'If I ever get to go to the Met Gala I solemnly swear to not wear a bland [censored] black tuxedo unless the theme is distinctly “bland [censored] black tuxedo”', Conan Gray did not disappoint. With a bedazzled Balmain suit and a matching fan, Gray turned heads on the Met Gala carpet. Lagerfeld's iconic pearls embellished the suit, keeping Gray on theme.
His hair really tied the look together, cut and styled in a fluffy vintage look. In our opinion, the delicacy of the suit and Conan Gray's commitment to the Met Gala made his outfit one of the best.
Jenna Ortega
In a combination of all things 'Lagerfeld Chanel', Jenna Ortega absolutely shut down the runway at this year's Met. In an asymmetrical black tweed dress with details of gold chain and a tasteful corset, she looked like a combination of any 1990s Chanel collection. Her outfit was designed by Thom Browne, the man who aced the Met Gala.
It was paired with knee-high sheer socks and extreme platform brogues. I loved how bold the outfit was, while still playing into Jenna's personal gothic style and matching Lagerfeld's work. Jenna Ortega looked perfectly on Vogue and punk rock.
Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton stunned audiences at her first-ever Met Gala. Accompanied by her stylist, the one and only Marc Jacobs, Hilton sported an all-black look. This surprised many, as the icon is usually seen in pink.
Her dress was masterfully crafted out of leather and rhinestone-studded fabric. She wore the extreme platform heels we've seen skyrocket in popularity in the last few months. Her look was completed with a sparkly choker, displaying Lagerfeld's signature flower we saw on so many celebrities.
I thought her look was symbolic of her growth within the fashion industry, growing from the pink and short skirts of her youth to this long black getup. At this year's Met Gala, Paris Hilton looked gorgeous and terrifying.
Devon Aoki
Devon Aoki, one of the last supermodels at only 5'6, wore an iconic dress for the iconic event. The custom Moschino was designed by Jeremy Scott, the man who was practically Karl Lagerfeld's apprentice. He brought Aoki into the fashion world, leading her to become the face of Versace and a late-90s Chanel bride.
Nostalgic, beautiful, and intricate, this look made our list easy. Inspired by Lagerfeld's Chloé Fall Ready to Wear collection from 1983 and touching moments between the three, Scott created a masterpiece.
Ben Platt
Playing on Chanel's female suit designs, Ben Platt arrived on the carpet in a white tweed Wiederhoft suit. This piece was placed over a corset and paired with platform Louboutins. The most important part of his look, however, was the Star of David necklace he wore.
The Jewish performer displayed his faith publicly, at an event honoring Lagerfeld, a man whose parents were Nazis. The delicate necklace was likely designed by David Yurman. We loved the look because of its commitment we don't often see in men on the red carpet.
In addition, the subtle act of defiance really spoke to the world, especially the Jewish community. Easily one of the best male looks we saw on this year's carpet, Ben Platt made a political and fashionable statement.
Cardi B
Donning three different Met Gala outfits, Cardi B had one of the most successful moments at this year's Met. Originally in a Miss Sohee getup, the rapper left her hotel in head-to-toe pink. To the surprise of onlookers, this outfit was just a decoy.
When she arrived on the steps of the Met Gala, Cardi B wore a Chenpeng Studio ballgown, detailed with a tie and a camellia flower skirt to honor the night's designer. This outfit, pictured above, made her one of the best dressed of the night. She ended the event in a pink and black tweed suit, a more comfortable look. All three outfits were totally Chanel-inspired, and the fashion icon made our list easily.
Worst Dressed
Just like every year, some killed it and some were major letdowns. From disappointing to just plain ugly, some stars just did not cut it. Unfortunately, some of our (and Lagerfeld's) favorites fall into that category. Below are our top ten worst-dressed celebrities at the 2023 Met Gala.
Alton Mason
In an attempt at a reinvention of the 'Chanel Bride,' Alton Mason fell short. He was the first black man to walk on the Chanel runway, the label so affected by Karl Lagerfeld, and audiences were disappointed with his awkwardly fitting look. Designed by Hun Kim, the Karl Lagerfeld couture piece took inspiration from bridal wear.
However, the shoes and the full-body lace catsuit are considered 'too much' by paparazzi and fashion lovers. The combination of the corset bodice with the shoulder pads negatively altered Mason's proportions and, in our opinion, there wasn't much to like about this outfit.
Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X shocked viewers with his Choupette-inspired sparkly look. Thousands of crystals and pints of silver paint couldn't hide the truth; the getup was slightly unsettling. Makeup artist, Pat McGrath, and stylist, Nicola Formichetti, spent hours designing and applying this metallic vision, but the reality was it was simply too revealing.
The rapper donned silver underwear, and not much else. While an amazing effort, Lil Nas X's Met Gala look left photographers uncomfortable. We think with a few extra items of clothing, this look could have been incredible.
Pedro Pascal
Some say it's daring, we say he should have played it safe; Pedro Pascal broke too many fashion rules. Many were impatiently awaiting Pascal's return to the Met Gala carpet. However, he arrived in a Valentino outfit that had many fans disappointed.
If short shorts weren't enough, his footwear was deemed questionable. Military-style combat boots with black crew socks were not something we expected at this year's Met. In addition, his skinny tie is sadly considered outdated, just like his slick-back hairdo. Though heartbreaking to admit, the 'Internet Daddy' did not pull through at the 2023 Met Gala.
Ariana deBose
Recently victim to the internet, Ariana DeBose had an opportunity to redeem herself from her ridiculed BAFTA performance. Unfortunately, she did not take it. Her neon yellow dress had a built-in furry coat, not suitable for early May.
The outfit contrasted casual and formal, but sadly, not well. The dress was inspired by the 1920s and designed by Joseph Altuzarra. Personally, I thought that Ariana's outfit was one of the worst ones on the carpet, and had no place at the Met Ball. Strikingly off-theme and bright, Ariana DeBose's outfit dispirited fans.
Cara Delevigne
Cara Delevigne, ex-Victoria's Secret Angel, was Karl Lagerfeld's favorite model and the world expected more from his muse. The outfit was designed by Karl Lagerfeld himself before he passed away in 2019. However, the four-year gap showed in the outdated style seen on Delevigne.
The thigh-high leg warmers turned several viewers away from the look, even after viewing the gorgeous white mini dress. The shoes didn't seem to match with any other element of the outfit. Though she was on theme, Cara Delevigne's getup was a major disappointment.
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner is an incredibly successful model and a Met Gala veteran, with eight under her belt. Hence, why many were expecting more from this year's look. She donned a sparkly black catsuit, designed by Marc Jacobs, with bold sleeves that ended at an awkward length and extended in two dramatic trains behind her.
One of the most notable aspects of her outfit was her ultra-platform heels. With her already tall nature, at 5'10, Jenner grew to almost 6'7 at this year's Met, causing her to tower over all other attendees. While her look wasn't awful, Kendall Jenner's 2023 Met Gala outfit did not meet expectations.
Jared Leto
Jared Leto appeared on the Met Gala carpet completely incognito, hidden under a massive Choupette costume. While definitely a creative choice, Leto's look was also positively terrifying. Leto has made bold decisions at the Met Gala in past years, one example being when he carried a hyperrealistic sculpture of his own head.
However, this year took the cake. Joshua Balster, manager of the costume's design, admitted that he and his team had only four weeks to create the scary costume. Mid-carpet, Leto took off the cat's head to reveal himself, in unflattering makeup.
I think, just as Aubrey Plaza said, maybe he should have kept that head on for a little while longer. Wearing a controversial outfit, Jared Leto definitely made an interesting choice for the Met Ball.
Donatella Versace
While she crushed Anne Hathaway's and Simu Liu's designs, Donatella Versace seemingly ran out of time for her own. The famous fashion designer attempted to take inspiration from the House of Chanel, like many other stars on the carpet. The shade of pink was synonymous with that of flesh, turning viewers off from the look.
In addition, the infamous transparent mesh was seen covering Versace's arms and parts of her torso, making the highly expensive dress look cheap. A major disappointment for a fashion designer, we expected so much more. While a good attempt at homage, Donatella Versace could have done much better.
Kim Petras
With another hit-or-miss Marc Jacobs look, Kim Petras was a let down at the 2023 Met Gala. Her black and white dress had a lot of volume to it, a puffy bodice with a long train. However, the material and ruching reminded many of a garbage bag.
The worst part of the look was the makeup. An explosion of white eyeshadow, Petras looked as if she hadn't brushed away the excess setting powder. The cool tones of the dress and makeup washed the singer out, making an unflattering look all around. I think Petras should find a new stylist, as better makeup could have made the look so much better.
Margot Robbie
In a vintage Chanel piece, Margot Robbie severely disappointed on this year's carpet. The beloved actress sported a dress originally seen on Cindy Crawford from Chanel's 1993 Haute Couture Spring collection. However, the same material that ruined Versace's dress affected Robbie's silk chiffon gown.
The transparent paneling on the waist led many to long for the separation of Robbie and Chanel. While it was definitely on theme, we cannot confidently say that Margot Robbie's dress was anywhere near our expectations for the 2023 Met Gala.
From utter disappointments to surprising favorites, the 2023 Met Gala had it all. We watched our favorites walk the carpet in black and white dedications to the late Karl Lagerfeld. Though there were hundreds of attendees, in this list we picked who we thought stood out the most, for better or for worse. Now, we just have to wait for next year's gala to roll around so we can see our favorite star-studded carpet once again.
