Celebrities' First Met Gala Looks You Probably Forgot About

by Gina Marinelli

Everyone remembers their first time at the Met Gala (we’re speaking from assumptions, not experience). It’s quite a huge deal to be invited to the annual benefit for the Costume Institute, be personally dressed by a designer, walk the iconic carpeted steps into one of the biggest—and arguably most mysterious—fashion parties of the year. But in case Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kate Moss have forgotten that special night, we’re here with a little reminder.

In honor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s most well-dressed event of the year, we hunted down some of our favorite guests’ first-time looks. Plus, we’ve paired them with recent outfits as well. It’s a testament to not only how personal style can change (see Victoria Beckham swapping early-aughts sparkle for her most signature minimal aesthetic) but also how others evolved into quite the enthusiastic theme-party dresser (i.e., Rihanna in her jaw-dropping Guo Pei ensemble from 2015).

Keep scrolling to reacquaint yourself with many of the best looks and biggest style evolutions before 2021's September Met Gala. 

Gwyneth Paltrow

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 1995

Theme: Haute Couture 

On Gwyneth Paltrow: Calvin Klein

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Gwyneth Paltrow: Calvin Klein by Appointment custom dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2019

Theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion

On Gwyneth Paltrow: Chloé dress; Jimmy Choo shoes; Jewels by G jewelry

Anna Wintour

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 1988

Theme: From Queen to Empress: Victorian Dress 1837–1888 

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Anna Wintour: Chanel dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2019

Theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion

On Anna Wintour: Chanel S/S 19 Haute Couture

Beyoncé

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2008

Theme: Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy

On Beyoncé: Armani Privé dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2016

Theme: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology

On Beyoncé: Givenchy dress

Blake Lively 

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2008

Theme: Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy

On Blake Lively: Ralph Lauren dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Blake Lively: Atelier Versace dress 

Rihanna

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2007

Theme: Poiret: King of Fashion

On Rihanna: Georges Chakra dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Rhianna: Comme des Garçons 

Kate Moss

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 1995

Theme: Haute Couture

On Kate Moss: Calvin Klein dress 

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2008

Theme: Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy

On Kate Moss: Stella McCartney dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2019

Theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion

On Kate Moss: Marc Jacobs gown; Jimmy Choo clutch

Victoria Beckham

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2003

Theme: Goddess: The Classical Mode 

On Victoria Beckham: Dolce & Gabbana

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2014

Theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion

On Victoria Beckham: Her own design 

 

Gisele Bündchen

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 1999

Theme: Rock Style

On Gisele Bündchen: Versace dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Gisele Bündchen: Stella McCartney dress

Jennifer Lopez

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 1999

Theme: Rock Style

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Jennifer Lopez: Valentino dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2019

Theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion

On Jennifer Lopez: Versace dress; Judith Leiber clutch; Harry Winston Jewelry

Kate Hudson

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2003

Theme: Goddess: The Classical Mode 

On Kate Hudson: Stella McCartney dress (designer pictured)

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Kate Hudson: Stella McCartney dress

Selena Gomez

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2014

Theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion

On Selena Gomez: Diane von Furstenberg dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Selena Gomez: Coach custom dress

Naomi Campbell

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 1990

Theme: Théâtre de la Mode—Fashion Dolls: The Survival of Haute Couture

On Naomi Campbell: Versace jacket and dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Naomi Campbell: Alaïa dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2019

Theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion

On Naomi Campbell: Valentino dress; Bulgari jewelry

Sarah Jessica Parker

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 1995

Theme: Haute Couture

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2016

Theme: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology

On Sarah Jessica Parker: Monse jacket; SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker heels

Katy Perry

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2009

Theme: The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion

On Katy Perry: Tommy Hilfiger 

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between Costume Institute Gala

On Katy Perry: Comme des Garçons

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2019

Theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion

On Katy Perry: Moschino dress made with 7000 crystals and crystal lighting components from Swarovski

Mandy Moore

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2004

Theme: Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century

On Mandy Moore: Proenza Schouler dress

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Mandy Moore: Michael Kors

Kim Kardashian West

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2013

Theme: Punk: Chaos to Couture

On Kim Kardashian West: Givenchy dress and shoes

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2017

Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

On Kim Kardashian West: Vivienne Westwood Couture

See What 16 Celebrities Wore to Their First Met Galas

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Year: 2019

Theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion

On Kim Kardashian West: Mugler dress; Yeezy shoes

This post was published at an earlier date and has been updated.

Up Next: A Look Back at Our Favorite Met Gala Looks Ever

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