The 2018 Met Gala's Best Dressed Stars
The Met Gala is famously one of Hollywood's glitziest, most glamorous evenings, and the best dressed celebs are typically in jaw-dropping looks. Formally known as the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala, this is far from your run-of-the-mill Hollywood red carpet event. The Met Gala is a place where fashion meets art — and the line between the two is often completely blurred.
Held annually on the first Monday of May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City since 1948, the Met Gala (or Met Ball) is known for the elaborate, often theatrical ensembles worn by attendees to represent each year's respective theme. Throughout the years, celebrities have dressed for such themes as 2016's Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology, 2008's Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, 2001's Jaqueline Kennedy: The White House Years — and, of course, the 2018 Met Gala theme — Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. Here's a look at some of the most angelic looks from the evening.
Anne Hathaway stuns in Valentino red
Because the Met Gala themes are incredibly specific, designers will often create completely new pieces that best represent both the theme for the evening and the celebrity wearing the design. In the case of Anne Hathaway, designer Pierpaolo Piccioli knew just the gown to choose for the Heavenly Bodies themed event.
According to Vogue, Piccioli (who was named Valentino's sole creative director in 2016) had a lot of feelings about Hathaway's 2018 Met Gala gown. And, seriously, just look at it — can you blame him? "Pierpaolo felt strongly about this dress for Annie," Hathaway's stylist, Penny Lovell, told Vogue. "When it arrived, it was one of those great moments when a dress actually looks better off the runway and in real life."
The gorgeously dramatic gown — which Lovell notes is reminiscent of Princess Diana's unforgettable wedding gown — was complemented by a statement-making spiked-crown rooted in Hathaway's classic ballerina-bun. "[Hathaway] really loves that there's a theme," Lovell says. "It's always so special for her."
Kendall Jenner looks pretty and powerful in a pantsuit
Move out of the way — Kendall Jenner is coming through!
No, but seriously, move out of the way — or you just might find yourself pushed out of her spotlight by Jenner herself. At least, that's what the internet seems to think happened to a poor Met Gala security guard who somehow ended up in one of the reality star's precious shots! But before you go throwing stones, you should know that it was possibly the most gentle of pushes. Perhaps now the security guard can brag to his buddies that he was touched by an angel. After all, Jenner most definitely looked the part.
The reality star beauty stunned on the red carpet wearing a simple-yet-dramatic all-white ensemble consisting of an off-the-shoulders top with elbow-length, sheer gloves, coupled with a pair of long, couture pants featuring a train. The ensemble, designed by Off-White's Virgil Abloh, embodied the "purity and delicacy of a modern angel," according to the brand's statement. Fitting, since Jenner does know a thing or two about angels.
Jennifer Lopez dazzles in feathers and sequins
For years, Jennifer Lopez has gifted us with some of the red carpet's most memorable looks. From the barely-there, art deco-themed dress she wore to the 2015 Billboard Music Awards, to the stunning Oscar's gown fit for Cinderella herself — and who could ever forget that iconic green Versace dress from the 2000 Grammy Awards? It has its own Wikipedia page!
The point here is pretty clear — Lopez knows how to serve some serious lewks. And the star's appearance at the 2018 Met Gala certainly followed in that tradition. The sexy songstress arrived to the red carpet in a gorgeous Balmain gown featuring sequins for days, a dramatic high-neckline, an oversized cutout cross, a thigh-high slit, and a fun, feathery train. She posed for photographers both alone and with her famous beau, baseball star Alex Rodriquez. The pair, who made their red carpet debut at the 2017 Met Gala, looked totally in love — and Lopez looked absolutely heaven-sent.
Zendaya serves total Joan of Arc vibes
If you thought Zendaya looked like a total warrior-princess on the 2018 Met Gala's red carpet, you wouldn't be too far from the mark. Fresh off the success of The Greatest Showman, the actress and "Rewrite the Stars" songstress took to the red carpet in a custom Versace ensemble looking like she was ready for battle.
"Zendaya's look was inspired by the power of Joan of Arc and the opulence of Versace, who dressed her this evening," said her hairstylist, Ursula Stephen, who says that one of the things she most remembers about Joan of Arc's incredible story is that the now-saint cut off all her hair in her effort to lead the charge as a soldier. "[Zendaya's Met Gala look] was a mix of Joan of Arc, Catholicism and Versace, all put together," Stephens told The Hollywood Reporter.
The bold, warrior-inspired look was perfect for Zendaya, a star known for standing her ground and speaking out when it matters most.
Kim Kardashian has the Midas touch
Figure on full display, Kim Kardashian West stepped onto the 2018 Met Gala red carpet looking like a piece of art herself. Dressed in a custom chainmail Versace dress, the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star seemed as though her famous figure had been poured into the seriously flattering gown.
She was noticeably alone (for the second year in a row) — but, thankfully, the reality star and beauty mogul knows how to make a grand entrance all by herself. However, Kardashian West did take to Twitter to explain her husband, Kanye West's, Met Gala absence, writing, "Love you babe wish you were here with [me] but you're only finishing up 5 albums."
With five albums on the way, Kanye West has certainly soaked up enough spotlight lately for both himself and his wife, but the 2018 Met Gala red carpet was Kardashian West's time to shine — quite literally.
Emilia Clarke is gold and black and regal all over
Mother of Dragons? More like Mother of Fashion!
Emilia Clarke, best known for her portrayal of Game of Thrones' Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, basically floated onto the 2018 Met Gala's looking every bit the part of a queen. Dressed in a dramatic, floor-sweeping Dolce and Gabbana Alta Moda gown, the pint-sized star looked not only absolutely beautiful, but absolutely confident. A queen, indeed!
Perhaps even more talked about than Clarke's incredible Dolce and Gabbana gown was her bold makeup (complete with super rosy cheeks), courtesy of celebrity makeup artist (and wife to Patrick Dempsey), Jillian Dempsey. McDreamy's wife proved she knows how to bring celestial dreams to life through her work with Clarke's striking look. "I focused on generously applying blush to both her cheeks and eyes for an especially gilded angelic look," Dempsey explains to Harper's Bazaar.
One thing's for sure — the stunning Clarke knows how to set a red carpet on fire, dragons or not.
Cardi B dresses for two
There's no doubt about it — Cardi B is the definition of #goals.
The "Bodak Yellow" songstress has been inspiring fans and keeping it real since she caught the collective eye of audiences everywhere in 2017 with her raw talent, unabashed honesty, smokin' hot body, and that forever-immortalized laugh (at least, we think she's laughing). And after the 2018 Met Gala, the rapper and mom-to-be has solidified her place in red carpet history.
The Bronx-born beauty blessed the 2018 Met Gala's red carpet with a custom, gem-encrusted, Moschino by Jeremy Scott gown that flattered her very pregnant, incredible figure. The mega-star looked like some sort of queen straight out of ancient history as she struck poses for photographers and chatted it up with a fellow fierce, female rapper, Nicki Minaj.
Baby bump on full-display, the mom-to-be was absolutely glowing as she strutted her stuff down the red carpet, proving that "pregnancy glow" is a very real — and very beautiful — thing.
Katy Perry is an actual angel
Is that a bird? A plane? An angel? Oh, no — it's just superstar Katy Perry, of course.
The American Idol judge and "Chained to the Rhythm" songstress completely stole the show as she glided on the 2018 Met Gala's red carpet donning an enormous pair of feathery-white angel wings. Perry looked like a magical creature from your favorite childhood fairytale — or, of course, a newly-minted Victoria's Secret angel.
The star is neither of those things, however. Instead, Perry is simply proving once more that she's a fashion icon in the making. Though her sparkling-gold mini Versace dress was a stunner, the internet was unable to get over Perry's dramatic angel wings (that nearly knocked over a poor, unsuspecting bystander). "Katy Perry overdid it with the Red Bull," Lily Allen joked on Twitter.
Laugh if you must, but there's no argument that Perry knows how to dress for a theme, baby.