Just recently, the Met Gala 2024 theme was revealed; Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. This is not a celebration of the Disney princess, as reported by Instyle, “the exhibit will bring together 250 items drawn from the Costume Institute’s permanent collection that are normally too delicate or fragile to be on display.” As always, the Met Gala will occur on the first Monday of May.

Here are some of the best Met Gala looks from the past to get us ready for 2024.

2023, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty

For the 2023 Met, Cardi B’s dress was an homage to Karl Lagerfeld, the famed designer himself. The top half of her dress was corseted and evoked a suit and tie. The skirt, constructed of camellia flower structures, is a motif often seen on Chanel bags, per People. The outfit was fitting because Lagerfeld led fashion houses Fendi, Chloé, and Chanel, according to InStyle.

She also accessorized with a gray wig, another tribute to Lagerfeld, adding a headband and black latex gloves, Popsugar says. Cardi finished the look with pearl and diamond earrings, echoing the classic Chanel look. 

2022, In America: An Anthology of Fashion

What inspired Blake Lively, according to Town and Country, was the recognizable architecture of New York, like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. As she climbed up the gala’s stairs, she revealed a side of blue on the train, solidifying the association with the Statue of Liberty.

2021, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion

Billie Eilish’s first-ever Met Gala gown drew inspiration from familiar American icons- Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Holiday Barbie. The fluffy, nude-colored gown was a departure from her earlier style. Previously, she mostly wore androgynous clothing, according to Buzzfeed News. 

2019, Camp: Notes on Fashion

For Camp, Lady Gaga wore four outfits, making big reveals on the red (pink) carpet. Beginning in a dramatic fuschia gown, she changed into a corset dress and posed with an umbrella. From there, she slipped into a slinky pink dress and then stripped to underwear and fishnets. She did all of this while wearing crystals as eye makeup.

 Lady Gaga had also been previously known for her campy style in her performance art.

2018, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination

The inspiration for Zendaya’s Heavenly Bodies look was Joan of Arc. The dress, made of chainmail, and according to Business Insider, also had an overlay of armor topping it off. 

The dress, worn with platforms and Tiffany jewelry, was fully completed by a bobbed red wig, according to WWD.

2017, Rei Kawakubo/Commes des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

Rihanna took the inspiration for the 2017 Met Gala seriously; she wore the designer being honored herself. The flower petal is from a collection from 2016 and was described by the designer as being inspired by 18th-century punks, according to Glamour.

But the dress wasn’t the only star of the night. Riri wore vivid, liberally applied blush, which elevated the color of the petals on her dress, as reported by Fashion Magazine. She says it took her an hour to put herself in her shoes. 

Pay attention in May! These fashion icons will surely stun on the carpet.