Blake Lively might be known as ‘bestie’ to Taylor Swift, and ‘mom’ to her children James, Betty and Inez, but to us, she will always be the Queen Of The Met Gala.
The star first attended the event in 2008 and has been making our jaws drop (almost) annually ever since.
As we take a stroll back through her Met Gala pedigree, you can see Lively’s style evolution, and her continued (and increasing) commitment to nail a theme, without ever slipping into tacky Halloween-esque territory.
So, without further ado, scroll on for every time she perfectly matched her outfit to the Met Gala theme.
2008: Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy
About The Theme: At this Met Gala we saw everything from superhero to supervillain, and many comic book references, although attendees did eschew capes and super-suits for the occasion.
Lively’s Look: Lively went more ‘villain’ than ‘hero’, walking the steps of the met with her Gossip Girl costar and then-boyfriend Penn Badgley. Her strapless Ralph Lauren gown featured a mermaid style with feathered flare. It was more ‘Batman’ than Captain America, but was more on-theme than other attendees to the 2008 event.
2009: The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion
About The Theme: Sometimes Met Gala themes are very obvious and other times, they’re a little more vague. The ‘Model as Muse’ theme was more obscure, with some celebrities choosing to reference by-gone models, while others went for more classic red-carpet style dresses.
Lively’s Look: Lively went for a skin-baring Versace dress, featuring asymmetrical sleeves and thigh-high slit, which certainly screamed both ‘model’ and ‘muse’.
2010: American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity
About The Theme: New York was painted red, white and blue for this Americana theme designed to celebrate the ingenuity of American design.
Lively’s Look: Blake Lively took notes on this theme, choosing to wear American brand Marchesa (based in NYC, no less) in a royal blue colour that perfectly complemented the red carpet.
The mini-dress, with asymmetrical sleeve, is one of her most memorable Met Gala looks, and it’s possible the floral detailing was in reference to The Mayflower, an English ship that transported pilgrims from England to the US.
2011: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
About The Theme: With Alexander McQueen’s passing, the Met Gala honoured the late designer’s sartorial prowess in the 2011 theme. Some wore archival McQueen designs, while others opted for looks from different brands that were inspired by his signature style.
Lively’s Look: Blake Lively attended the ball in Chanel, on the arm of none-other than Karl Lagerfeld himself. She looked stunning in a silver embroidered ‘nude dress’, with a level of detail that was reminiscent of McQueen’s intricate designs, complete with flowing asymmetrical drapery, adding movement to the look.
2013: Punk: Chaos to Couture
About The Theme: The distinctive nature of punk dressing was an exciting prompt for the 2013 Met Gala, with celebrities donning smokey eyes and plaid, fishnet and metal designs.
Lively’s Look: Lively looked like a woman transformed for the 2013 Met, in a classic blue-grey Gucci Première strapless gown that melted into a black organza-style layered skirt. It felt very Black Swan, with the layering in the black skirt almost resembling feathers.
2014: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
About The Theme: English-American designer Charles James was known for his gorgeous ballgown designs, mixing structure and silhouette with expertly draped fabrics. However, many stars eschewed the ‘full-skirt’ style, with ‘mermaid’ styles the look of choice.
Lively’s Look: Lively attended the Met Gala alongside her husband Ryan Reynolds, which was their first red carpet appearance as a couple. She wore a Gucci Première rose-gold ballgown that was a modern take on Charles James’ famous 1955 ‘butterfly dress’.
2016: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
About The Theme: It was time to get techy-with-it for the 2016 Met Gala, which focused on the intersection between manus (hand) sewn creations and the machina (technology and new-age design). The theme saw celebrities take ‘tech’ seriously, with metallic colours, architectural cuts and new-age fabrics (including latex), and some thematically – donning clothing that had both manus and machina elements.
Lively’s Look: Matching the blush-and-red Met Gala steps, Lively donned a Burberry gown that was a perfect mix of manus and machina, with extremely technical blush pink fabrics blended with beautiful red floral applique.
Lively’s glow had a little help from her eldest daughter James, who she was pregnant with at the time of walking the red carpet.
2017: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
About The Theme: This year celebrities honoured the work of fashion designer Rei Kawakubo, and her unconventional approach to aesthetics, particularly her work in womenswear for Comme des Garçons from the 1980s.
Lively’s Look: Lively was the picture of juxtaposition and the essence of avant-garde in a gold Atelier Versace dress which has an ombre tone from gold down into a bright blue feathered train.
2018: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
About The Theme: In 2018, the Met displayed some of the most beautiful, ornate religious garments from the Sistine Chapel, so celebrities took to the red carpet in looks in grandeur, religious motifs, and Rihanna even dressed as the Pope.
Lively’s Look: No surprise that Lively nailed this aesthetic, wearing a custom Versace ballgown with deep red and gold detailing, and a gold halo reminiscent of the depictions of Christ in religious artwork.
2022: In America: An Anthology of Fashion
About The Theme: This was a theme that spanned both 2021 and 2022, with the 2022 year focusing on “Gilded Glamour” and opulence throughout America’s fashion history.
Lively’s Look: Lively nailed this year’s theme, posing alongside Ryan Reynolds the couple were actually co-chairs for the event. She wore an Atelier Versace copper-coloured metallic gown with huge bustle, that when unfurled revealed a turquoise train.
The dress was designed to pay homage to the Statue of Liberty, a copper statue that has grown a turquoise patina over the years. All we have to say is, theme on point.
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