14 of the biggest celebrity fashion faux pas in Met Gala history

The Scottish actor wore a metallic-silver lamé blazer and slouchy pants with a T-shirt in a darker shade of silver to the 1998 Met Gala, more formally known as the Costume Institute Gala. Cumming paired the highly reflective look with casual blue-and-white sneakers.

According to Vogue, the theme for that year was "Cubism and Fashion," but Cummings, as well as many other attendees, did not seem to incorporate the theme into their outfit choices. Grazia reported.

Among the A-list attendees for 2001's "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years" gala was then-senator Hillary Clinton. Her gold leopard-print gown was a sleeveless taffeta number with a crinkled bronze shawl.

Clinton accessorized the gown with a chunky gold chain necklace and bracelet while wearing bright red lipstick. The outfit is now viewed as a rare choice for Clinton who, according to The Guardian, turned down a Vogue magazine shoot in 2008 for "fear of looking too feminine."

Despite this, the look did not age well and landed Clinton on The Cut's 2018 list of biggest Met Gala fashion misses.

With Jake Gyllenhaal, her partner at the time, Dunst was seen on the 2003 Met Gala red carpet in a black sleeveless midi dress by Marc Jacobs, Highsnobiety reported.

She paired this with a layered silver gemstone necklace, a wrist cuff, a small black clutch bag, and an out-of-place blue beanie hat. The unusual accessory was not in keeping with the goddess theme of the event, nor the glamour of the red carpet.

Attending the 2006 Met Gala, "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion," the British fashion designer walked the red carpet with Charlize Theron. Galliano wore a red-and-white polka dot waistcoat with sequined blue jeans, a black coat with an embroidered hem, animal-skin cowboy boots, and a fedora atop permed hair.

The busy ensemble, which was not an obvious interpretation of the theme, was dubbed one of the most memorable Met Gala menswear looks of all time by GQ Magazine, who wrote that it "might be the riskiest fit ever to hit the red carpet."

Rita Ora dazzled at the 2014 Met Gala, walking the red carpet in a nude, embroidered Donna Karan gown with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry, and gold wrap-around gladiator heels, Cosmopolitan reported at the time. Due to the gown's high slit, Ora's dress rode up and she had to adjust herself on the red carpet, according to Mail Online.

In 2015, the Met Gala faced criticism for its "China: Through the Looking Glass" theme that many celebrities interpreted in a racially insensitive way, Insider previously reported.

Among those criticized was Sarah Jessica Parker, who wore a custom H&M black, asymmetrical gown with one long sleeve, a thigh-high slit, and a floor-length skirt with a small train, according to Cosmopolitan.

She wore a red-and-silver Philip Treacy headpiece that some called out as a racist imitation of the "Asian Dragon Lady" stereotype which has villainized Asian women as far back as the 1930s, according to Mashable. Parker did not publicly address the criticism surrounding the outfit.

Rihanna observed the 2015 theme in a yellow-and-gold Guo Pei Chinese couture gown-coat hybrid with fur trim. The circular trail on her outfit inspired a wave of memes including an omelet cooking in a pan, as reported by Vogue.

She reflected on the look in a video interview with Access Holywood in July 2020. The singer and entrepreneur said she arrived at the event and saw everyone else in simpler gowns and felt scared to get out of the car.

"I was like, 'Oh my god, I'm a clown. People are going to laugh at me. This is like, too much,'" she said. Despite this, Rihanna was able to laugh at herself and said the memes of her in a frying pan were "legendary."

According to Vogue, both Kate Hudson and Lady Gaga attended the 2016 Met Gala in Versace designs. Husdon opted for a futuristic white dress with a sweetheart neckline and mesh train which was reminiscent of bridalwear.

Meanwhile, Gaga wore a Versace sequin leotard and a blazer embroidered to look like an electric circuit board, with fishnet tights and 10-inch heels that led her to accidentally stand on Hudson's dress. According to Cosmopolitan, Gaga's dramatic shoe choice caused the pair to collide on the red carpet, though they resolved the faux pas by posing for an awkward photo.

The fashion designer and stylist attended the 2017 event alongside her husband, Pharrell Williams, sporting an unusual ensemble.

Observing the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between" theme of the gala, Lasichanh wore a red Comme des Garçons look. She wore the structured bright-red jumpsuit, which had a wider silhouette at the shoulders and hips, with black open-toe flats and her hair in a top knot.

Lasichanh's look was a miss with fans who likened the outfit, among other things, to a gummy bear and the Mr. Krabs character from "Spongebob Squarepants," according to Pop Crush.

Jaden Smith also had an unexpected red-carpet moment at the 2017 Met Gala when he wore a sleek all-black Louis Vuitton look and carried locks of his own hair that had been cut off earlier that year for his role in "Life in a Year," Harper's Bazaar reported.

According to an interview with Vogue's André Leon Talley, Smith said he was aiming for a "Dracula look" when he wore a black T-shirt tucked into skinny pants with a long trench coat and leather boots.

Smith's accessories included a silver-and-gold chain, gold teeth, and a collection of bleach-blond hair, which he held in his hand. Smith told Talley the unusual choice was because he couldn't bring his sister, Willow Smith, likely alluding to her 2010 debut single "Whip My Hair."

Jenner attended the 2018 "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" gala wearing an Alexander Wang minidress with a stomach cut-out, a high back, and a train. She added sunglasses and tights with the designer's name written in silver up her leg with black and transparent heels.

According to Buzzfeed, fans noticed Kylie had not observed the event's theme but what they didn't know was that the zipper on the side of her understated dress was a last-minute addition after she burst out of the LBD.

The publication reported that Jenner took to her Instagram stories in 2020 to reveal the story behind her dress.

She reportedly wrote: "It ripped as I was squeezing into it so we added it on the way out the door. But it worked out. I loved it."

Observing the "Camp: Notes On Fashion" theme, Jared Leto attended the 2019 gala in red Gucci robes with puff sleeves and cascading silver embellishments. He also wore sheer gloves and carried a replica of his own head, which looked like it had been severed.

According to HuffPost, the singer and actor's choice was a nod to Gucci's nightmarish "Cyborg" Autumn/Winter 2018 during Milan Fashion Week, where models also carried their own heads down the runway.

While fans thought the look was a touch too obscure, it was certainly in keeping with the extravagance of camp fashion.

Kim Petras attended the 2021 Met Gala, which was the first of two events with the theme "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," as a real-life horse girl. Vogue reported that the pop star walked the red carpet in a Collina Strada pale-blue dress with a colorful floral pattern and widened hips, complete with a 3D horse-head bustier.

She wore her bright-orange hair in a long, partly-plaited ponytail and added a pop of blue eyeshadow to her eyelids. According to The Independent, the highly talked about look was loved and disliked in equal measure, leaving many fans confused about the choice.

In what became the most talked-about Met Gala outfit of 2021, and perhaps ever, Kim Kardashian wore a faceless all-black Balenciaga tight minidress with a long train and leggings that extended into heeled boots. Kardashian was only recognizable by her silhouette.

Insider previously reported that the look caused a meme frenzy, with some fans comparing her to dementors from Harry Potter and others remarking that she symbolized their sleep paralysis demons.