The 2022 Met Gala has come and gone with the theme ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’, and while there were multiple standouts, the queen of the Met Gala reigned supreme with her stunning look. Blake Lively, who was a co-chair for the 2022 Gala, has a stunning track record with her looks at previous galas. She has been known to match the carpet and theme almost perfectly in most years she’s attended, so now it’s time we show some appreciation to all of the looks she’s rocked by ranking them from worst to best.
10. Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy (2008)
Blake Lively’s first Met Gala was in 2008 and she wore a black dress by Ralph Lauren. It’s not that the dress is ugly, because it’s simple enough that it still holds up as pretty by today’s fashion standards, however it doesn’t really fit the theme. There’s nothing fantastical about the dress and it’s not giving any kind of superhero vibe either. It’s really just giving ‘little black dress’ vibes which was not the theme, it’s just too plain for the met gala, especially when compared to her other looks.
9. American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity (2010)
This theme was a bit easier to follow as a woman in America, however the choice of a short dress just seems kind of out of place. Using the royal blue against the red carpet works nicely, especially when taking into consideration the theme of the gala, but it’s just kind of underwhelming as a whole look. This is a Marchesa dress, but it’s giving more of a homecoming feel than something as exciting as the Met Gala.
8. Manus X Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology (2016)
While this Burberry dress is stunning and enhances Lively’s beauty, it also just isn’t on-theme. The age of technology had many opportunities and ideas to play off of, but it seems like Lively was dressed for something more nature-based with the flowers on the cape of her dress. It’s gorgeous without question, but part of the Met Gala is matching the theme, and this gown didn’t do that.
7. The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion (2009)
Yes, this dress is very 2009, but that’s okay because that’s when it’s from. Given the theme ‘The Model as Muse’, this dress is fitting enough. It’s not too flashy, but it gives off that ancient Greece vibe that the word muse is often paired with. The one sleeve is a nice modern touch while the straps around the waist and up onto the shoulder reminds us of old Greek statues of goddesses and toga fashion. It’s a good look for 2009 and for the theme.
6. Punk: Chaos to Couture (2013)
Next on the list is Lively’s look from 2013. In a Gucci dress, Lively managed to hit the theme, just not as boldly as we’ve come to know and love. The color scheme is on-point with the gray fading into black and it looks like the fabric of the train is a bit messy and chaotic, but the dress as a whole just feels kind of prom-y. It’s not her worst look by any means, but it’s definitely dated and just kind of feels like a lazy attempt at the theme when we’re so used to her big glamorous looks.
5. Charles James: Beyond Fashion (2014)
Another Gucci dress for Lively came in 2014 with this baby pink gown. It’s beautiful and feminine and looks gorgeous on her, but the problem is the theme is a little vague which makes it hard to dress to it. The theme of ‘Beyond Fashion’ calls to mind something futuristic, and, unfortunately this dress just isn’t it. However, it’s too gorgeous to be any lower on the list and simple enough to not clash too much with the theme at hand like 2016’s gown. It’s a solid middle-tier look due to the dress not being on theme.
4. Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art of the In-Between (2017)
This look of Lively’s is nothing short of stunning. The gold and blue go together beautifully in this Atelier Versace gown, the only problem is the theme of the Gala, ‘Art of the In-Between’. It seems like a hard theme to follow as it’s, again, rather vague compared to other years, but I think this dress did a good job at mastering being in-between two things. It looks like the blue feathers are moving up the dress and trying to take it over to create something new, but right now it’s in the middle of some sort of transformation, which puts it on theme. While the dress is gorgeous, had the Gala’s theme been more specific, we could’ve gotten something even better.
3. Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (2011)
In 2011, Lively arrived to the gala in a beautiful Chanel gown. This dress is very 2011, but also very much on theme even if it is simpler than some of her other looks. The flowing part of her dress is very feminine, which represents the beauty part of the theme whereas the silver overlayer can be represented as armor while still being feminine and dainty. The dress is the perfect mix for the Gala’s theme and while it isn’t as big and bold as some of her other looks, it still meets the requirements.
2. Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (2018)
In 2018, many celebrities stepped out and showed off their looks for the Met Gala. There are many iconic looks from 2018, and Blake’s is one of them. Considering the theme had to do with Catholicism, the colors on her gown are perfectly appropriate. Red for the blood of Christ and gold for the assumed golden gates at Heaven’s entryway. It took over 600 hours for this Versace gown to be created due to the intricate beading along the train, but it was worth it considering how stunning it all turned out. Lively’s headpiece could also be a nod to the halo we see featured in many pictures of Jesus. The dress is both gorgeous and on theme, which is all we can ask.
1. In America: An Anthology of Fashion (2022)
Although it is the newest look, it’s also the best. This dress lived in the moment, in fact it got two moments, from Lively’s entrance into the met in the gown on the right to when she undid the bow and revealed the rest of her gown as an homage to the statue of liberty and New York. It incorporates many different elements of the city, including the Grand Central Station constellation, the Empire State Building and, of course, the Statue of Liberty. The dress itself represents the Statue oxidizing from bronze to green over the years and her crown has twenty-five stones to represent the Statue’s twenty-five windows. A lot of thought and care went into this Versace gown and it really stole the show this year.
