The Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has played host to a number of red-carpet rebels over the years. Katy Perry famously lit up the night with her dress of 3,000 LEDs in 2010, and who could forget Marc Jacobs’s outrageous chic Comme des Garçons lace look in 2012? And yet there is a sub-section of stylish dressers who subvert the rules in more subtle ways: Enter the theme rejectors.
Over the years, a number of stars have ignored the Met Gala’s dress code and marched to the beat of their own drum—like when Jennifer Love Hewitt wore a marabou-feathered ball skirt to the 1999 rock and roll-themed gala.
Kicking off from the 2010s, the American Woman exhibit in 2010 saw British star Emma Watson choose to fly her own flag, outfitted in an anglo-appropriate Burberry dress. A few years later, the theme rejectors came out in droves for 2014’s punk theme. Katy Perry’s byzantine ensemble by Dolce&Gabbana seemed to predate the punk movement by several hundred years.
There were plenty who also sidestepped 2014’s Charles James-themed gala, countering the couturier’s signature ball gowns with ultra-modern takes on evening wear. Lupita Nyong’o, for instance, sparkled in a Josephine Baker–style Prada look, and she was followed by a parade of chic minidress wearers, like Michelle Williams who wore Louis Vuitton. And few could top Erykah Badu’s sartorial act of rebellion as she entered the Great Hall in a Givenchy couture jumpsuit and oversize hat.
More recently, the 2019 camp theme—which encouraged attendees to go bold in feathers, sequins, and maximalist looks—saw select attendees take a shockingly-simple approach to red carpet dressing. Gwyneth Paltrow, for one, wore a yellow chiffon number by Chloé. It was elegant and whispered in a crown of gowns that screamed. Lily-Rose Depp also wore a chained, black Chanel dress that was hardly camp—but still chic, nonetheless.
Below, 48 of the Met Gala’s best theme rejectors in history.
![Jennifer Love Hewitt](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11143216/Jennifer-Love-Hewitt-credit-evan-agostini-getty.jpg)
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Jennifer Love Hewitt
The year: 1999
The theme: Rock Style
![dia Von Teese in Marchesa](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11143548/Dita-Von-Teese-in-Marchesa-credit-Stephen-lovekin-getty.jpg)
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Dita Von Teese in Marchesa
The year: 2008
The theme: Superheroes: Fashion And Fantasy
![Emma Watson in Burberry](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11143549/Emma-Watson-in-burberry-credit-larry-busacca-getty.jpg)
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Emma Watson in Burberry
The year: 2010
The theme: American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity
![Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior Couture](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11143550/Marion-Cotillard-in-Dior-credit-Stephen-Lovekin-getty.jpg)
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Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior Couture
The year: 2010
The theme: American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity
![Pixie Geldof in Moschino](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11144246/Pixie-Geldof-in-Moschino-credit-larry-busacca-getty.jpg)
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Pixie Geldof in Moschino
The year: 2013
The theme: PUNK: Chaos to Couture
![Linda Evangelista in Marchesa](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11144248/Linda-Evangelista-in-Marchesa-credit-Dimitrios-Kambouris-getty.jpg)
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Linda Evangelista in Marchesa
The year: 2013
The theme: PUNK: Chaos to Couture
![Katie Holmes in Calvin Klein Collection](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11144247/Katie-Holmes-in-Calvin-Klein-credit-Dimitrios-Kambouris-Getty.jpg)
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Katie Holmes in Calvin Klein Collection
The year: 2013
The theme: PUNK: Chaos to Couture
![Ashley Olsen in vintage Christian Dior](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11144246/Ashley-Olsen-in-Vintage-Chirstian-Dior-credit-Dimitrios-Kambouris-getty-.jpg)
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Ashley Olsen in vintage Christian Dior
The year: 2013
The theme: PUNK: Chaos to Couture
![Blake Lively in Gucci Première](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11144555/Blake-Lively-in-Gucci-credit-Larry-Busacca-getty.jpg)
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Blake Lively in Gucci Première
The year: 2013
The theme: PUNK: Chaos to Couture
![Hailee Steinfeld in Donna Karan Atelier](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11144558/Hailee-Steinfeld-in-Donna-Karan-credit-Dimitrios-getty.jpg)
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Hailee Steinfeld in Donna Karan Atelier
The year: 2013
The theme: PUNK: Chaos to Couture
![Gwyneth Paltrow in Valentino Haute Couture](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11144557/Gwyneth-Paltrow-in-Valentino-credit-Larry-Busacca-Getty.jpg)
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Gwyneth Paltrow in Valentino Haute Couture
The year: 2013
The theme: PUNK: Chaos to Couture
![Katy Perry in Dolce & Gabbana](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11144557/Katy-Perry-in-DG-credit-Dimitrios-Kambouris-getty.jpg)
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Katy Perry in Dolce&Gabbana
The year: 2013
The theme: PUNK: Chaos to Couture
![Lupita Nyong'o in Prada](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11144556/Lupita-Nyongo-in-Prada-credit-getty.jpg)
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Lupita Nyong'o in Prada
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Beyoncé in Givenchy Haute Couture](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11145219/Beyonce-in-Givenchy-credit-Getty.jpg)
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Beyoncé in Givenchy Haute Couture
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Gisele Bündchen in Balenciaga](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11145222/Gisele-Bundchen-in-Balenciaga-credit-getty.jpg)
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Gisele Bündchen in Balenciaga
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Rihanna in Stella McCartney](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11145222/Rihanna-in-Stella-McCartney-credit-getty.jpg)
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Rihanna in Stella McCartney
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Anne Hathaway in Calvin Klein Collection](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11145221/Anne-Hathaway-in-Calvin-Klein-credit-getty.jpg)
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Anne Hathaway in Calvin Klein Collection
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Emma Stone in Thakoon](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11145220/Emma-Stone-in-Thakoon-credit-getty.jpg)
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Emma Stone in Thakoon
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Cara Delevingne in Stella McCartney](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11151850/Cara-Delevingne-in-Stella-Mccartney-credit-getty-.jpg)
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Cara Delevingne in Stella McCartney
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior Haute Couture](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11151854/Marion-Cotillard-in-Dior-Haute-Couture-credit-getty.jpg)
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Marion Cotillard in Christian Dior Haute Couture
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Naomi Watts in Givenchy Haute Couture](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11151852/Naomi-Watts-in-Givenchy-credits-getty.jpg)
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Naomi Watts in Givenchy Haute Couture
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11152518/MIchelle-Williams-in-LV-credit-getty.jpg)
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Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Erykah Badu in Givenchy Haute Couture](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11152521/Erykah-Badu-in-Givenchy-credit-getty.jpg)
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Erykah Badu in Givenchy Haute Couture
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Lena Dunham in Giambattista Valli Haute Couture](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11152520/Lena-Dunham-in-Giambattista-credit-getty.jpg)
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Lena Dunham in Giambattista Valli Haute Couture
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Rosamund Pike in Louis Vuitton](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11152519/Rosamund-Pike-in-LV-credit-getty.jpg)
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Rosamund Pike in Louis Vuitton
The year: 2014
The theme: Charles James: Beyond Fashion
![Beyoncé in Givenchy](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11153457/Beyonce-in-Givenchy-credits-getty.jpg)
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Beyoncé in Givenchy
The year: 2015
The theme: China: Through the Looking Glass
![Kim Kardashian West in Roberto Cavalli](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11153500/Kim-Kardashian-West-in-Roberto-Cavalli-credit-getty.jpg)
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Kim Kardashian West in Roberto Cavalli
The year: 2015
The theme: China: Through the Looking Glass
![Jennifer Connelly in Louis Vuitton](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11153458/Jennifer-Connelly-in-LV-credit-getty.jpg)
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Jennifer Connelly in Louis Vuitton
The year: 2015
The theme: China: Through the Looking Glass
![met-gala-rejectors-jenna](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220448/met-gala-rejectors-jenna.jpg)
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Jenna Lyons in J.Crew
The year: 2015
The theme: China: Through the Looking Glass
![met-gala-rejectors-solange](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220455/met-gala-rejectors-solange.jpg)
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Solange Knowles in Giles Deacon
The year: 2015
The theme: China: Through the Looking Glass
![met-gala-rejectors-dakota](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220444/met-gala-rejectors-dakota.jpg)
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Dakota Johnson in Gucci
The year: 2016
The theme: Manus X Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
![met gala rejectors blake](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220441/met-gala-rejectors-blake.jpg)
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Blake Lively in Burberry
The year: 2016
The theme: Manus X Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
![met gala rejectors sjp](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220454/met-gala-rejectors-sjp.jpg)
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Sarah Jessica Parker in Monse
The year: 2016
The theme: Manus X Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
![met-gala-rejectors-mka](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220453/met-gala-rejectors-mka.jpg)
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Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen
The year: 2016
The theme: Manus X Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
![met-gala-rejectors-jessica-chastain](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220449/met-gala-rejectors-jessica-chastain.jpg)
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Jessica Chastain in Prada
The year: 2016
The theme: Manus X Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
![met-gala-rejectors-zendaya](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220457/met-gala-rejectors-zendaya.jpg)
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Zendaya in Dolce&Gabbana
The year: 2017
The theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
![met-gala-rejectors-celine-dion](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220443/met-gala-rejectors-celine-dion.jpg)
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Celine Dion in Versace
The year: 2017
The theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
![met-gala-rejectors-jlo](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220450/met-gala-rejectors-jlo.jpg)
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Jennifer Lopez in Valentino
The year: 2017
The theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
![met-gala-rejectors-zoe](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220458/met-gala-rejectors-zoe.jpg)
39 / 48
Zoë Kravitz in Oscar de la Renta
The year: 2017
The theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
![met-gala-rejectors-elle](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220445/met-gala-rejectors-elle.jpg)
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Elle Fanning in Miu Miu
The year: 2017
The theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
![met-gala-rejectors-gisele](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220446/met-gala-rejectors-gisele.jpg)
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Gisele Bundchen in Versace
The year: 2018
The theme: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
![met-gala-rejectors-kendall](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220451/met-gala-rejectors-kendall.jpg)
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Kendall Jenner in Off-White
The year: 2018
The theme: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
![met-gala-rejectors-ter](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220456/met-gala-rejectors-ter.jpg)
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Tracee Ellis Ross in Michael Kors
The year: 2018
The theme: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
![met-gala-rejectors-amal](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220439/met-gala-rejectors-amal.jpg)
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Amal Clooney in Richard Quinn
The year: 2018
The theme: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
![met-gala-rejectors-sarah-paulson](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220454/met-gala-rejectors-sarah-paulson.jpg)
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Sarah Paulson in Moschino
The year: 2019
The theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion
![met-gala-rejectors-gwyneth](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220447/met-gala-rejectors-gwyneth.jpg)
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Gwyneth Paltrow in Chloé
The year: 2019
The theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion
![met-gala-rejectors-bella](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220440/met-gala-rejectors-bella.jpg)
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Bella Hadid in Moschino
The year: 2019
The theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion
![met-gala-rejectors-lrd](https://voguesg.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/11220452/met-gala-rejectors-lrd.jpg)
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Lily-Rose Depp in Chanel
The year: 2019
The theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.