7 Met Gala looks that became instant memes

The Met Gala has never been just another red carpet event. It’s fashion’s wildest night where couture meets chaos, and no one really knows what to expect. Sure, it’s technically a fundraiser, but let’s be honest: most of us are here for the memes.

Over the years, what started as high fashion has often ended in high comedy. As celebrities strut in dramatic gowns and confusing concepts, the internet sharpens its screenshot fingers and gets to work. Within minutes, bold fashion becomes bold fodder, and we can’t help but laugh.

When Met Gala Meets meme culture

Each year, a few brave (and sometimes bewildering) Met Gala looks take an unexpected detour from “iconic” to “internet legend.” These aren’t just outfits, they’re viral moments in fabric form. So what exactly turns a designer masterpiece into a meme magnet?

It’s often a mix of ambition, confusion, and just the right amount of internet chaos. A headless accessory here, a fast-food reference there, and boom, the outfit becomes a digital phenomenon. The post goes up, the group chats explode, and Twitter/X descends into a glorious mess of edits and jokes.

Here are seven looks that did just that.

Jared Leto’s Spare Head Moment (2019)

Let’s start with peak surrealism. Jared Leto rocked up in a crimson Gucci gown… while holding a realistic replica of his own head. It was fashion, sure, but it also felt like performance art. Or horror. Or both.

The post immediately went viral. People joked that he brought a +1 (himself), compared the look to Halloween décor, and photoshopped the head into Zoom meetings. Someone even captioned it “When you're your own worst enemy.”

The internet loves weird, and this was gloriously weird.

Rihanna’s Giant Yellow Dress (2015)

Rihanna never disappoints, but this time, she broke the meme machine. Wearing a stunning Guo Pei creation with a train so long it needed its own postcode, she lit up the carpet and the breakfast menus.

Users compared the look to an omelette, a pizza, and an egg yolk. A few went full culinary and added forks and plates around her train. Rihanna’s grace made the look iconic, but the memes made it legendary.

Kim Kardashian’s Floral Couch Gown (2013)

Back when Kim K was still making her Met Gala debut, she showed up in a high-neck, floral Givenchy gown with built-in gloves. The fit was tight, literally and digitally. She was pregnant at the time, and the internet was brutal.

The memes were instant. People said she looked like a couch. Some compared her to your grandmother’s drapes. But oddly enough, over time, the look grew on people. Now, it’s considered a classic case of “misunderstood fashion.”

Katy Perry’s Chandelier and Hamburger Combo (2019)

Only Katy Perry could arrive as a chandelier and leave as a cheeseburger. Yes, that happened. Her first look, designed by Moschino, was a fully-lit chandelier dress, complete with hanging crystals. For the afterparty? She transformed into a hamburger costume.

It was campy, ridiculous, and wildly entertaining. The memes were relentless. “Katy Perry’s lights are on, but no one’s home,” read one caption. Another had her burger look photoshopped into fast food ads. It was a Met Gala performance art, the edible kind.

Frank Ocean’s Alien Baby (2021)

Frank Ocean is usually a man of mystery, but this time he brought… a neon green robotic baby. That blinked. And waved. And looked straight into our souls.

Reactions were mostly confusion, quickly followed by pure delight. Twitter named the baby “Shrek Jr.,” “Yoda’s cousin,” and “Frank Jr.” Others speculated it was a deep metaphor. Was it AI? Was it art? Or was it just a Wednesday for Frank?

Either way, the post went viral, and the baby now lives forever in meme history.

Lil Nas X’s Gold Evolution (2021)

Lil Nas X pulled off not one, not two, but three outfit changes on the Met Gala carpet. Starting with a regal cape, he revealed golden armor underneath, and finally peeled it off to show a shimmering bodysuit.

The internet saw it and immediately yelled: “Pokémon evolution!” Others compared him to a fabulous Russian nesting doll. One meme showed the transformation as “Monday morning to Saturday night.”

He gave fashion, he gave flair, and he gave meme editors a week’s worth of content.

Doja Cat, But Make It Meow (2023)

Doja Cat became a cat. She wore prosthetics, purred in interviews, and responded to serious questions with “meow.” The look was a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved cat, Choupette, but the commitment? Oscar-worthy.

Her entire vibe was part haute couture, part theatre, and 100% memeable. Clips of her meowing were remixed into songs. Someone edited her face onto every cat GIF ever made. Interviewers struggled to keep a straight face, the internet didn’t even try.

In a world where fashion is fleeting but screenshots are forever, the Met Gala gives us moments that transcend the Met Gala. These meme-worthy looks may have started as artistic statements, but they ended as cultural snapshots.

And honestly? That’s part of the fun.

So next time you see a Met Gala look that makes you pause, laugh, or tilt your head sideways, just wait. The memes are already on their way.