The Met Gala, also known as the “Haute Couture Fundraising Festival,” brings an extra level of glamor to the red carpet. Arguably fashion's biggest night, celebrities and designers use the occasion to show off some of the most dazzling custom looks of the year. While some stars only appear on the Met Gala red carpet once or twice, there are some lucky attendees who receive an invitation every year.
We're talking icons who've attended the Met Gala multiple times, from Zendaya and Rihanna to Jennifer Lopez and Blake Lively, and have always brought amazing fashion to the red carpet. Here are some names that might surprise you, too: stars who've quietly provided some beautiful looks throughout the Met Gala's long history. Beyond that, we'll look at some of the best-dressed celebrity regulars in Met Gala history.
Taylor Swift
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Taylor Swift first attended the Met Gala in 2008, and her style has evolved a lot since then. Swift is never afraid to experiment with her, and her dresses range from simple and sweet to huge ball gowns (this one from 2014) to short minidresses and lace-up heels.
nicole kidman
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Nicole Kidman has hosted the Met Gala many times, but she doesn't attend as often as some of the people on this list. When she made her first appearance in 2005, she wore a custom-made Chanel dress, and her looks have only gotten better since then. This 2024 dress is a recreation of a Balenciaga dress from the 1950s.
Zoe Kravitz
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Since she began attending the Met Gala in 2008, Zoe Kravitz has consistently rocked unique red carpet looks. The evolution of her Met Gala style is a good reflection of her evolution as an actor, with her 2015 chainlink-inspired look marking a turning point that pushed her in an edgier, cooler direction.
Mindy Kaling
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Mindy Kaling first attended the MET Gala in 2013 in a beautiful, structured white dress that set the bar pretty high for many of her remaining appearances. This one is from 2024 and is called “Time's Melting Flowers,” and it's a powerful show for the stylish star.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
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The Olsen twins are fashionable personalities, so it's no surprise that they were only 18 years old when they appeared at their first Met Gala. It's really fun to watch them evolve from teen stars to adult style icons (this appearance is from his 2019) who rock their own vintage girlfriend dresses.
emma chamberlain
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Emma Chamberlain has attended the Met Gala for several years in a row and is a regular on the red carpet. If this dress looks familiar, it's because she wore it during a number of red carpet interviews, including her now infamous exchange with Jack Harlow.
Chloe Sevigny
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Chloë Sevigny has attended the Met Gala many times, always showing off her unique, avant-garde style. She added that the 2024 look will include “lots of hair and a homage to the Victorians, and the people who celebrated by making ornaments and jewelery out of the hair of their deceased loved ones. He explained that it contains “homage.”
Emily Ratajkowski
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EmRata is a Met Gala regular, and she always rocks a see-through dress on the red carpet, but my favorite was her Vera Wang 2021 dress, which was themed “A Lexicon of Fashion” and paid homage to the designer's bridal collection.
katy perry
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While an AI-generated photo of Katy Perry attending the Met Gala in 2024 went viral, the star has graced the red carpet herself plenty of times. It makes sense that this 2018 Versace look had literal wings (the theme was “Heavenly Bodies”), and Perry got into character by kneeling and praying on the red carpet.
serena williams
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The Met Gala is Serena Williams' red carpet, and everyone else is just walking on it. The star attended the event as her co-chair and announced her 2023 pregnancy there for the first time, but my favorite of hers was this fluffy cape from 2021, which she wore with her husband Alexis Ohanian watches her with admiration and joy.
jennifer lopez
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In 2024, Jennifer Lopez made her 14th (!) Met Gala red carpet appearance. She appeared in this pseudo-winged Schiaparelli dress as her co-chair. In the past, she has appeared in dresses full of sparkle, sparkle, and detail, and the difficulty has only gotten more difficult over the years.
lady gaga
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Lady Gaga's love of costumes and drama makes her a perfect fit for the Met Gala, but believe it or not, she's only attended the event a handful of times: This look from 2015 was her first time walking the red carpet (the theme was “China: Through the Looking Glass”), and it's only gotten more dramatic since then.
Uma Thurman
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Uma Thurman often wears white dresses to the Met Gala, but for her first appearance in 2013, she wore this green gown by Zac Posen (themed “Punk: From Chaos to Couture”). It's an architectural, cool, and slightly edgy dress. It was a strong start for this young actress.
Anna Wintour
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It's no surprise that the Met Gala chair should be on this list. Anna Wintour doesn't always wear the most cutting-edge designs, but she always looks classy. In fact, this floral coat was a bit of a surprise considering her fashion rule of “no all black”.
Cynthia Erivo
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Cool is the only word that can describe Cynthia Erivo's red carpet style. This was actually the first dress she wore to the 2016 Met Gala (“Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology”). It's not the coolest dress she's ever worn, but it's a strong start to the pinnacle of fashion greatness.
lily james
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Normally, I'm not a fan of blunt micro-bangs, but Lily James is so chic she pulls them off. This one is from the 2023 Met Gala, and her all-black leather dress is Tamara Ralph Couture. James often skewers soft and feminine, so this “tough” look is a welcome surprise.
Keke Palmer
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Regarding her 2024 Met Gala look, Keiki Palmer said this Marc Jacobs look represented her “resurrection from the ashes.” She's attended the gala several times, but this look is clearly her favorite. “When I wear this dress, I feel like the star of a ball,” she said.
Michelle Yeoh
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I'm just blown away by how this Balenciaga dress (which Michelle Yeoh wore to the 2024 Met Gala) looks like couture tinfoil in the best way possible. This was her third consecutive appearance at the event, and her look was so eye-catching that she quickly became an icon of the event.
gabriel union
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Gabrielle Union first appeared at the Met Gala in 2014. A full decade later, when she appeared in this Michael Kors mermaid-inspired dress, it looked like a starlet at the height of her fashion powers (and as a special touch, she was dressed as a partner) (coordinated with Dwyane Wade).
Sarah Jessica Parker
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Sarah Jessica Parker is Met Gala royalty at the moment, and her outfits are often some of the most talked about looks of the night. The 2006 Alexander She McQueen is one of her best works. Parker walked the carpet alongside the late, very shy designer, coordinating her with a matching kilt.
Naomi Campbell
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Supermodel Naomi Campbell knows how to rock a dress, and this sparkly dress from 1995 is perhaps her finest. Though it's hard to see in the photo, the design featured sheer mesh stripes down the side. In 2024, she attended her 17th (!) Met Gala and looked as fashionable as ever.
amanda seyfried
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Amanda Seyfried has always given us something new since she started attending the Met Gala in 2013. 2024 was no exception. Prada made this dress from deadstock fabric from their Spring 2009 collection. Seyfried requested that this dress be sustainable, and the results are stunning.
Lil Nas X
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Lil Nas X has only been attending the Met Gala since 2021, but he's always made the most of his time on the carpet (this look was from his first appearance, with his gold suit dramatically revealed from under a giant cape), and his 2023 appearance was especially eye-catching once again, this time in Karl Lagerfeld's cat-like bling.
Cher
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What did Cher appear in in 1974? trend The dress, which was handcrafted by designer Bob Mackie, is what she calls “one of the most famous nude dresses of all time.” This was before elaborate sequin designs were common on the red carpet, and it was so controversial that it caused controversy. time She (and the dress) appeared on the cover.
karlie kloss
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Karlie Kloss first appeared on the Met Gala red carpet in 2009. Since then, she's sported a number of looks that look and feel different (though she claims she's still “justifiably” criticized for her 2019 “camp” look). This 2024 Swarovski look features a whopping 240,500 crystals.
Janelle Monae
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Janelle Monáe first appeared at the Met Gala in 2011 wearing a top hat and menswear. After that, he raced with an increasingly edgy look. I love this 2019 Christian Siriano that looks like a Picasso painting. Fun fact: the eyes on her chest actually blink.
Rizzo
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Lizzo has only attended the Met Gala a few times, but she makes the most of every invitation, and I couldn't help but be enchanted by her look in 2022. She wore a Thom Browne outfit, long nails, and carried around (and played) a rare $55,000 flute.
blake lively
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Blake Lively first appeared at the Met Gala in 2008, but as the invitations continued, including her co-host, her wardrobe game leveled up. There are a few to choose from, but this 2018 Versace (so big it needed a party bus) is luxurious in the best sense of the word.
Zendaya
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Since 2015, Zendaya has been turning heads with her glamorous looks at the Met Gala. two She'll be rocking a spectacular gown as co-chair in 2024. But to me, nothing's cooler than the 2018 gown she wore as a feminized Joan of Arc, and even Zendaya admits it's one of her best looks to date.
Bea (Shafer) Carrozzini
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Anna Wintour's daughter can wear some seriously amazing dresses (and has been invited to the Met Gala since 2004!). Honestly, all of her dresses are amazing, but this quietly beautiful dress she wore in 2016 is my favorite. Plus, she matched her mother!
Cardi B
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Cardi B is taking maximalism to a new level, and the Met Gala is the perfect place for her. It's hard to believe that she only started coming to the Met Gala in 2018. Because every look she wears is instant and unforgettable. This 2024 Windows gown of hers honestly might be the biggest in red carpet history.
Rihanna
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The Met Gala and Rihanna are inseparable (she's been attending since 2007), and a big part of the reason why is this 2015 dress. I'll never forget when she came to the gala (it'll be in 2021) in a flashy black duvet, so she's continued to innovate since that big moment.
