Met Gala 2022 best dressed: the 11 dramatic fashion looks we can't stop thinking about

When it comes to the Met Gala 2022 best dressed, we're looking for the stars that nail the theme and bring fashion alive on the red carpet.

The Met Gala is fashion's biggest night of the year. While the best Oscars dresses are largely focused on the awards, with a healthy dose of added style, the Met Gala is the only true event dedicated to the artists behind the outfits. 

While many stars opt for runway looks for the Met Gala, the evening is not about the latest fashion trends and is instead a homage to creativity. With the theme being announced months in advance, the biggest stars will work with some of the most well-known design houses to create bespoke pieces that interpret and celebrate the theme. A showcase for all involved, making the Met Gala best dressed 2022 list is as big a deal as having one of the best Golden Globes dresses and reserved for those who have really embraced the mood of the evening. 

About more than just the best dresses, the annual Met Gala has an ever-changing theme, with the costume brief always taken from the Met's big new fashion exhibition for each year to help mark the opening of the show. To make the Met Gala best dressed 2022 list, stars were asked to reflect the theme: 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion', with an emphasis on 'Gilded Glamour', a period in the late 1800s in America of rapid prosperity amongst the upper classes that paved the way for grand dressing.

Met Gala 2022 best dressed

1. Blake Lively

Co-chair of this year's Met Gala, Blake Lively absolutely nailed the brief. The theme of the evening was 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion', and Lively turned to New York to inspire her show-stopping gown. Created by Atelier Versace, Blake's gown literally transformed on the steps of the Met. At first glance, the dress was covered with detailed embellishment and featured a statement oversized bow—already a winner in our eyes, but the bow was then unrivaled by a waiting team of dressers to reveal a whole new layer, transforming the dress from rose-gold to aqua, creating a dramatic new train. 

Speaking about the design, Lively explained the finer nuances behind the dress that might have been missed as she walked the red carpet. Drawing inspiration from the architecture of NYC, the dress train actually depicts the constellation of Grand Central station, while the bodice drew its design elements from the Empire State Building. Lively who topped off her look with a crown, explained that the headpiece was a nod to the Statue of Liberty, featuring seven tiers, reflective of the statue's seven rays. 

It's this level of commitment to the theme and the outstanding execution by the house of Versace that makes Blake Lively, our Met Gala best dressed 2022. 

2. Anna Wintour

The queen of all things Met Gala and editor in chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour dazzled in a Chanel Haute couture dress by Virginie Viard. The column-shaped dress was covered in sequin and bead embellishment, a suitable choice to embody the Gilded Glamour theme of this year's event. The ankle-grazing gown was topped off with a feather-trimmed poncho, that ensured Wintour was one of the Met Gala's best-dressed attendees. Known for her statement bob haircut and trademark oversized dark sunglasses, Wintour shed her frames in favor of a delicate tiara. A strong accessory choice for a number of guests that evening, it seems that Wintour heeded one of the most well know Coco Chanel quotes, by removing one accessory (her sunnies) before leaving the house. 

3. Alicia Keys

We already know that Alicia Keys is a big fan of New York, having once dedicated an entire song to the 'concrete jungle', making her Met Gala dress choice absolutely spot on. The songstress wore a dazzling ensemble by American clothing brand, Ralph Lauren. The silver embellished strapless dress framed the star's curves beautifully, but it was the asymmetrical black cape, draped over Key's slender shoulder that really stole the show. In heavy black silk, the cape was bejeweled with the New York City skyline, evoking the grandness of the theme perfectly. 

4. Jessica Chastain

One of the Oscars 2022 best dressed, Jessica Chastain once again opted for Italian clothing brand Gucci for her Met Gala look. Head to toe in ruby red sequins, Chastain looked incredible in a draped sequin gown. Ruching in the center, the dress created an incredibly curvaceous hourglass body shape, and while many guests opted for tiaras for this year's Met Gala ball, Chastain channeled old-school glamour in a sequined turban. Gucci has long been inspired by the return to the yesteryear of Hollywood and Chastain's outfit perfectly embodied this aesthetic. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, Gucci and Chastain together nailed the In America: An Anthology of Fashion, Gilded Glamour theme. 

5. Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian often has the best Met Gala looks and is always one of the most anticipated guests. While the Skims founder has often courted controversy with her outfit choices, Kim ruled on the 2022 red carpet. Evoking one of the most iconic Hollywood stars of all time, Marilyn Monroe. Wearing the exact dress that Marilyn Monroe wore when serenading President John F Kennedy with her infamous rendition of 'Happy Birthday', the latte-colored, jeweled gown clung to Kim's incredible curves. The dress, originally made from a Bob Mackie sketch, by the French-born Hollywood costume designer Jean-Louis, Kim borrowed the dress from an archive and dyed her hair platinum blonde, fully committing to the transformation. After her controversial appearance in a full black bodysuit by Balenciaga last year, Kim felt that Marilyn Monroe, truly embodied the In America: An Anthology of Fashion, Gilded Glamour theme and we wholeheartedly agree.

6. Sarah Jessica Parker

One of the Met Gala's biggest fans, Sarah Jessica Parker recently revealed to Vogue that she spends up to 10 months planning her Met Gala look and it's this commitment that has helped the actress to the Met Gala best dressed 2022 list.

For 2022, Sarah Jessica Parker worked with fashion designer Christopher John Rogers to pay tribute to Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, who was the first Black female fashion designer in the White House, becoming the official dressmaker to the first lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Researching Keckley's designs, the pair came across a white and black, caped gingham gown that formed the basis of the inspiration for Sarah Jessica Parker's Met Gala dress. Always fully committing to a theme, the Sex and the City star looked suitably dramatic in an oversized monochrome plaid dress with button fronted bustier, which was topped off with a dramatic headpiece that Carrie Bradshaw would certainly have approved of. 

7. Janelle Monae

Another star in Ralph Lauren, Janelle Monae gave the theme a futuristic edge. While the Gilded Glamour era started in America in the 1870s, Janelle proclaimed she had opted for the Gilded Glamour of the future and her backless black gown with dazzling hood certainly gave a nod to a more space-age feel. Despite giving the theme her own twist, Monae still made our Met Gala best dressed 2022 list as the slinky gown, which featured a silver beaded encrusted design on the bodice and cuffs certainly embodied the high-fashion feel of the evening. With a train that pooled behind the singer, Janelle made a truly showstopping entrance.

8. Kaia Gerber

Daughter to supermodel Cindy Crawford, Kaia has grown up around fashion, so we're not surprised that she absolutely nailed the Met Gala assignment. A model in her own right, Kaia opted for a cutout, silver gown with delicate embroidery by British clothing brand, Alexander McQueen, nailing a host of trends in the process. The fragility of the dress teamed with Kaia's show-stopping, super volumized hair ensured that Kaia did not go unnoticed on fashion's biggest night of the year. 

9. Glenn Close

Dopamine dressing is one of this year's biggest trends and Glenn Close looked amazing in a runway Valentino look. The bold pink ensemble comprised of a tailored pink top and trousers, topped with a statement, oversized pink, embellished cape and paid tribute to this season's love of bright color clothing. Although the best pink dresses are one of fashion's hottest looks right now, Glenn Close reminded us all that red carpet dressing does not have to mean a floor-sweeping gown. Topping the look off with coordinating pink earrings, gloves and clutch bag, Glenn's outfit really delivered on red carpet joy. 

10. Kris Jenner

Kris Jenner looked utterly glamourous and every inch a Hollywood star in Oscar de la Renta. The one-shouldered, lemon yellow gown with dazzling trim was effortlessly elegant and Kris looked utterly regal. The outfit had a distinct Jackie Kennedy feel to it and while the main theme of the evening was Gilded Glamour (which started in the 1870s), Kris's Oscar de la Renta dress gave a suitable nod to the first part of the brief 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion'.

11. Precious Lee

Plus size model Precious Lee has graced the runway for some of the world's biggest designers and looked utterly brilliant for the Met Gala 2022. Modernizing the concept of Gilded Glamour, Precious Lee was one of a number of stars who opted for sheer black dresses for the evening. Wearing an Altuzarra see-through fishtail skirt with a silk corseted bodice, the train of the skirt featured over 10,000 gold paillette sequins. Accessorizing the look with a black hood and statement gold necklace, Precious helped to fulfill our need for Met Gala fashion drama for another year.