Top 10 Best Met Gala Looks (2018)

Zendaya has become something of a Met Gala darling over the past few years, and in 2018, people were hotly anticipating her arrival. She surely didn’t disappoint, taking a wholly different direction than the majority of the guests. Her armor-like outfit evoked images of Joan of Arc, the Roman Catholic saint; her red locks were also cut and styled with the figure in mind. The ensemble was custom designed for the starlet by Versace, and her stylist Law Roach says that the concept came to him in a dream. She manages to look both elegant and militaristic, and that’s quite the feat.

While some stars decided to channel the more angelic side of the “Heavenly” theme, Nicki Minaj chose to stand out in another way. In fact, she said her choice to wear an almost ombre red Oscar de la Renta gown came from her wanting to embrace her sinful side. She said, “I’m the bad guy and I wanted to make sure the bad guy was here,” and with this look, complete with a headdress adorned with crosses, she surely delivered. Following in the footsteps of other Met Gala greats, Minaj’s gown featured an epically long train that stole the show on the red carpet.

Somehow, despite her tender age of 21, Hailee Steinfeld has managed to attend the Met Gala a whopping eight times. Her all white Prabal Gurung ensemble felt like a nod to youthful innocence while also giving off a decidedly sultry vibe. The gown appeared different from almost every angle, with its asymmetrical structure offering surprises at every turn. Following one of the most prominent trends of the night, and complementing the sparkling details of her dress, Steinfeld sported a crown fit for royalty. The original queen of pop, Madonna, took the same cue, opting for some regal headgear of her own.

Taking inspiration from art, which took inspiration from religion, Ariana Grande totally killed it at her first ever Met Gala appearance. The “No Tears Left to Cry” singer wore a Vera Wang gown printed with images of Michelangelo's seminal work, The Last Judgment, which appears inside the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. The outfit managed to embrace the theme while still keeping things lighthearted, and Grande of course paired the gown with one of her signature hair bows. She kept her hair and makeup simple in order to let the dress really shine.

Singer songwriter SZA was every bit the modern day princess at 2018’s Met Gala. Vogue even said that she “looked like an actual angel” which is pretty high praise! The Versace gown features a frothy tulle skirt and an embellished bodice with a plunging neckline. The cut of the skirt is unconventional, which makes it feel more modern than your typical ball gown. But what really makes the outfit is the celestial themed headpiece she wore atop it all. The oversized accessory made her look like a planet you want to orbit around. Lily Collins took a similar yet more understated approach, while Winnie Harlow put her own spin on the trend.

Choosing to take a more subtle approach when incorporating the night’s theme into her outfit, Gigi Hadid wore a Versace gown that evoked images of stained glass windows, or even angel’s wings, depending on how you interpret it. The multifaceted material used on the dress reflected the light in different ways depending on where it was hit. The tight bodice of the gown showed off the supermodel’s curves while an asymmetrical construction added some extra visual interest. Hadid is no stranger to wearing incredible dresses, but this is definitely one of her best.

Janelle Monáe is known for making statements with her clothing, and this graphic black and white Marc Jacobs number certainly got everyone’s attention. This actress and singer may not have attacked the night’s theme head on like some of her fellow attendees, but she still managed to stand out, pairing her look with a beaded headpiece and an oversized hat that almost looked like a halo – which given the theme, was probably the goal. On the red carpet, Janelle Monáe said “I try to say something as much as possible, say something that means something to other people outside of myself.”

Blake Lively never fails to look radiant, and this night was no exception. For the 2018 Met Gala, she went all out, wearing a custom made gown by Versace. She was an image of royalty in the velvety crimson hued gown with a cathedral length train. And like many others, she accessorized with a gold headpiece. The intricate details of the dress were even more stunning up close, with almost every color of the rainbow adorning the gold bodice – an effect that apparently took 600 hours to embroider. Well, the efforts were certainly worth it, as we have yet to pick our jaws up off the floor from seeing Lively!

Most of the time, all of the focus of an outfit is on the dress. And if we were judging just based on actual gowns, Priyanka Chopra may not have made our list today. Her deep velvet maroon Ralph Lauren dress is undeniably gorgeous, but isn’t necessarily a show stopper. But it was her beaded hood which really turned heads. The piece reportedly took over 250 hours to create, and is made from Swarovski crystals as well as gold beads. Cascading from her head over her shoulders, this look offered up a totally different perspective on the religious theme.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Jennifer Lopez

Kate Bosworth

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Who else could possibly be our number one pick this year? As a co-chair of the event, we knew RiRi would show up in something incredible, but even with our high expectations she still managed to blow us away. While many others on the red carpet chose to channel the religious theme or certain figures in a subtler way, Rihanna aimed right for the top by embracing the image of the pope for her outfit. This Maison Margiela ensemble took on the theme of the night like no other, with the silver and pearl detailing leaving us absolutely breathless.