Kim Kardashian cried “the whole way home” after her first Met Gala, and nine appearances later, she’s a mainstay on the red carpet — for better or for worse. Every year hasn’t been a fashion hit for Kim, but you can’t say she isn’t a risk taker (or scared of controversy). In 2022, people lost their shit when Kim wore Marilyn Monroe’s iconic gold dress designed by Jean Louis, with help from Bob Mackie, for the theme “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.” The dress is owned by Ripley’s Believe It or Not, who purchased it at auction in 2016 for $4.81 million, and Kim’s extreme journey to the Met was documented on Keeping Up With the Kardashians because of course it was.
Ripley’s repeatedly said no when it became clear that the dress, which was custom made for Marilyn in 1962, wasn’t going to fit. However, between a “groveling” email from Kim and Kris Jenner’s magical powers, Ripley’s was convinced to loan the dress to Kim — and she agreed to lose more weight.
If potentially damaging a piece of American history wasn’t enough to spark outrage, Kim talked openly about losing 16 pounds in three weeks in order to wear the Marilyn dress. Kim shrugged off the criticism and defended her decision to crash diet by explaining that she did it for the plot.
“To me it was like, ‘OK, Christian Bale can do it for a movie role and that is acceptable,'” she told The New York Times. “Even Renée Zellweger gained weight for a role. It’s all the same to me.”
In the end, Kim wore Marilyn’s dress to walk the red carpet at the Met. She was allowed to wear it for a few minutes for photos before changing into a replica at the top of the Met steps. Oh, yeah, and Pete Davidson was there.
This was far from the first time Kim upset people with her Met look — or how she achieved it. For 2019’s “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” Kim wore a memorable Thierry Mugler dress that was made of silicone and organza, giving the effect that she was soaking wet. It was a pretty unbelievable illusion, and she also used drastic measures to create her tiny waist for the look.
She had to get “corset breathing lessons” because the garment was so tight and she was willing to pee on herself instead of … wearing a dress that allows you to breathe and use the bathroom independently??
Kim is nothing but committed to her craft. She said she “never felt pain like that in my life” after wearing her “proper corset.” Keep in mind, this woman has given birth two times. When she wore Marilyn’s dress, she dyed her hair for 14 hours straight to achieve the right shade of blonde. I’m literally scared to see what she does next.
Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala Looks Ranked
2017: “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between”
It’s a simple look — especially for Kim — but this Vivienne Westwood dress is soooo good. This is the year Rihanna wore iconic 50-pound yellow Rei Kawakubo gown, so the fact Kim went simple was such a smart move.
2018: “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”
Kim’s custom chainmail Versace dress fit her like a glove and the ‘90s glam was bold enough to not get upstaged by the standout gown. The cross embellishments were a nice nod to the theme without going too literal.
2015: “China: Through the Looking Glass”
This Roberto Cavalli gown, which Kim wore while pregnant with her son Saint, is underrated. It doesn’t really fit with the theme, but the beading and feathering is gorgeous.
2019: “Camp: Notes on Fashion”
Controversial or not, the effect of this “wet dress” by Thierry Mugler really hit the mark for the Camp theme.
2023: “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”
The Schiaparelli gown featured 50,000 pearls and 16,000 crystals, taking 1,000 hours to make by their team. It’s not the most exciting outfit Kim’s pulled out at the Met Gala, but she looked great and it fit with the theme.
2022: “Gilded Glamour”
Kim, of course, was beautiful in Marilyn’s dress, but was it worth the hassle? Meh.
2013: “PUNK: From Chaos to Couture”
This outfit resulted in Kim crying the whole way home (relatable!), but it’s bold and memorable, which is the whole point for a Met dress.
2016: “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology”
The hair and glam are a no-go, but the Balmain ensemble is impressive and hit the nail on the head with the theme. Kim had a completely different sequined gown she planned to wear, but they swapped it out last minute with this top and skirt to make it more “metal.”
2021: “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”
I get this is a commentary on “celebrity” or whatever, but it’s not it.
2014: “Charles James: Beyond Fashion”
This Lanvin dress hits the bottom of the list because it’s flat and boring. It looks like something worn to junior prom.
