Blake Lively's Best Met Gala Outfits Over The Years

The Met Gala is the fashion event of the year, and there are a few contenders for the unofficial title of Queen of the Met. Some say it's Sarah Jessica Parker, who always nails the theme to a T, while others believe it's Kim Kardashian, at least as far as bodycon silhouettes are concerned. But a large camp is in favor of bestowing the title on Blake Lively, who continues to make headlines with her Met Gala looks. 

The "Gossip Girl" alum first scored an invitation to the exclusive event back in 2008, when she was in her early 20s. Her journey began with safe and classic gowns, both short and long, that aimed to please rather than ruffle feathers. But as Blake Lively went through her stunning style transformation, graduating from teen-drama actor to a certified movie star with hits like "The Age of Adeline" and "The Shallows" under her belt, her choices developed a different flavor. Around 2017, she stopped playing it safe and set out to make a statement with show-stopping looks that could only be surpassed by the following year's getup. The inevitable pinnacle of this was her 2022 ode to the architecture of New York City. Courtesy of Versace, we saw her dress appear to oxidize on the red carpet to emulate the aging landmarks of the Big Apple.

While we haven't seen Lively at the prestigious event since that year, her history has cemented her as a Met Gala icon. All of her looks have been gorgeous, but in our book, the following frocks stand out in her CV as her best at the Met Gala.

Each year she's attended the Met Gala, Blake Lively has caused more of a stir with her fashion. But 2022 took the cake when Lively, who was a co-chair of the event that year, graced the red carpet in a remarkable and evolving Atelier Versace gown. Initially a metallic copper hue, the train that began bunched against the strapless bodice of the dress was let loose on the red carpet, tumbling down the stairs to reveal the oxidized steel-green of the Statue of Liberty. The tribute to New York landmarks fit perfectly with the theme "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" and even stole the show from Kim Kardashian, who donned a Marilyn Monroe dress.

In 2014, when the Met Gala's theme was "Charles James: Beyond Fashion," Blake Lively turned up in an eye-catching Gucci number that paid clear tribute to Old Hollywood. The blushing dress featured a plunging neckline, skin-tight bodice, and mermaid hem with a whimsical Watteau train flowing from her shoulders. Despite not being the most iconic look, this objectively beautiful gown was intentional for Lively, who told Extra that she wanted to work with Gucci because "they're so immediately identifiable with their charity and their philanthropy." She also revealed that her first stop after the Met was Serendipity for a hot fudge sundae! 

It's a far cry from her groundbreaking gown in 2022, but the Ralph Lauren dress that Blake Lively wore to her first Met Gala in 2008 will forever be iconic. Strapless and body-hugging, the dress evoked true red-carpet glamor with its clean silhouette and dramatic, feathered bottom. Though this one might have been difficult to walk in, the addition of embellished black gloves gave this elegant look the edge that it needed. The theme was "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy," so the gloves may have been Lively's nod to the Marvel and DC universes — in the most sophisticated way possible. 

At the 2016 Met Gala, which had the theme "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology," Blake Lively was pregnant with her second child, but she didn't let morning sickness stop her from gracing the red carpet in this baby-pink, goddess-like gown from Burberry with crimson floral appliqués. This one had several characteristics that the "A Simple Favor" star tends to look for in her gowns: a strapless corset neckline, blending of sheer and satin fabrics, and another show-stopping Watteau train. A closer look at Lively's Met Gala looks over the years shows that, where possible, she aligns the hue of her dress to the shade of the carpet, and this year was no exception. 

Before her breathtaking dress in 2022, the most head-turning Blake Lively Met Gala gown was probably the sprawling Versace number she wore in 2018. You might have guessed the theme just from looking at her: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." This regal, textured dress has all the splendor of a cathedral's stained-glass windows, and Lively perfectly fits the bill with a saint-like halo crafted by Lorraine Schwartz. Prior to walking the carpet, Lively told Vogue that this was her favorite Met dress so far. "They've already worked on it for 600 hours, and it's not done," she said, hinting that the gown was going to be epic.  

The 2017 Met Gala was an important one in Blake Lively's fashion evolution, as it marked her first true departure from her safe (but stunning) aesthetic, rerouting into bolder territory. There are certain Met Gala rules that every attendee must follow, including following the attire theme to some degree, and Lively's Atelier Versace gown she wore to answer the theme of "Comme des Garçons's Rei Kawakubo: Art of the In-Between" did just that. It also followed Lively's tradition of matching the carpet, this time with layers of azure feathers on its fishtail train. The dramatic juxtaposition of the colorful hem of the dress against the sheer metallic gold of the bodice had all eyes on the actor.

One of Blake Lively's earliest forays into creative Met Gala fashion came all the way back in 2010, when she turned up in a mini Marchesa number dusted with Lorraine Schwartz jewels. Following the theme "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity," Lively stunned in a royal-blue, textured one-shoulder mini. Short dresses aren't regular occurrences at the Met, so Lively won points for the element of surprise in addition to the intricate detailing on the dress itself. 

Not ready to leave Met Gala memory lane? Here are Jennifer Lopez's most stunning Met Gala looks we'll never forget.