Met Gala 2019: The campest outfits on the red carpet

met gala 2019
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

It was always going to be tricky to outdo the Met Gala 2018 red carpet, thanks to its religious theme which led Rihanna to dress like the actual Pope.

However it's safe to say the celebs have outdone themselves again, taking the Camp: Notes on Fashion and running with it.

Met Gala Camp theme

First off, a bit of context. Like previous years, the theme was an extension of the Met’s exhibition, curated by Andrew Bolton and Wendy Yu, around Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay Notes on “Camp” which amongst other things describes it as a love of exaggeration. Gucci was the official sponsor, so the fact there would be extravagant and fabulous outfits was a given.

Met Gala 2019 Lady Gaga

She pulled off not one, not two, not three but four Brandon Maxwell looks on the red carpet. All within five minutes of arriving on the pink carpet. She arrived in a hot pink ballgown, which she took off to reveal a slightly smaller black ballgown which she took off to reveal a pink column dress, and finally stripping to her black underwear, all whilst using props such as a giant Barbie-style phone, an umbrella (ella) and then a cocktail trolley. What a performance.

Met Gala 2019 best dressed

When the Met Gala red carpet opened, we thought for sure that Lady Gaga was the new Met Gala queen seeing as her four outfits were even better than that Golden Globes dress, but then Celine Dion went and blew everything out of the water in a full Las Vegas showgirl outfit, feather headdress and all and does the woman ever age??!!

Serena Williams came to serve (sorry), in a bright yellow Versace gown with matching neon Off-White Nike trainers, and Mrs Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan also went pink in a floaty Erdem gown.

As for the mean, they weren't too shabby either. Harry Styles teamed his Gucci pussybow blouse with patent heels, whilst Taron Egerton chose a very Elton-esque beaded tuxedo jacket and his Rocketman co-star Richard Madden looked dapper in black. Benedict Cumberbatch wore all-white. Oh, and Jared Leto also carried his own head down the red carpet.

Met Gala 2019: Emma Roberts

Met Gala 2019: Emma Roberts

Wearing Simone Rocha
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Wearing Simone Rocha

Met Gala 2019: Naomi Campbell

Met Gala 2019: Naomi Campbell

(Image credit: 2019 WireImage)

Met Gala 2019: Cara Delevingne

Met Gala 2019: Cara Delevingne

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Emma Stone

Met Gala 2019: Emma Stone

Wearing Louis Vuitton
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Louis Vuitton

Met Gala 2019: Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez

Met Gala 2019: Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez

Wearing Versace
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Versace

Met Gala 2019: Kendall Jenner

Met Gala 2019: Kendall Jenner

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas

Met Gala 2019: Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas

Nick Jonas wears Dior
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Nick Jonas wears Dior

Met Gala 2019: Kylie Jenner

Met Gala 2019: Kylie Jenner

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Lily Collins

Met Gala 2019: Lily Collins

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Gwen Stefani

Met Gala 2019: Gwen Stefani

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Janelle Monae

Met Gala 2019: Janelle Monae

Wearing Christian Siriano
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Christian Siriano

Met Gala 2019: Gigi Hadid

Met Gala 2019: Gigi Hadid

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

Met Gala 2019: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West

Wearing Mugler
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Mugler

Met Gala 2019: Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart

Met Gala 2019: Cole Sprouse and Lili Reinhart

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Bella Hadid

Met Gala 2019: Bella Hadid

Wearing Moschino
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Moschino

Met Gala 2019: Zoe Kravitz

Met Gala 2019: Zoe Kravitz

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Regina King

Met Gala 2019: Regina King

Wearing Oscar de la Renta and Lark & Berry jewellery
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Oscar de la Renta and Lark & Berry jewellery

Met Gala 2019: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Met Gala 2019: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Hailey Bieber

Met Gala 2019: Hailey Bieber

Wearing Alexander Wang
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Alexander Wang

Met Gala 2019: Alexa Chung

Met Gala 2019: Alexa Chung

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Elle Fanning

Met Gala 2019: Elle Fanning

Wearing Miu Miu
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Miu Miu

Met Gala 2019: Zoe Saldana

Met Gala 2019: Zoe Saldana

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Miley Cyrus

Met Gala 2019: Miley Cyrus

Wearing Saint Laurent
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Saint Laurent

Met Gala 2019: Katy Perry

Met Gala 2019: Katy Perry

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Lucy Boynton

Met Gala 2019: Lucy Boynton

Wearing Prada
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Prada

Met Gala 2019: Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter

Met Gala 2019: Benedict Cumberbatch and Sophie Hunter

(Image credit: 2019 WireImage)

Met Gala 2019: Emily Blunt and Sienna Miller

Met Gala 2019: Emily Blunt and Sienna Miller

Emily wears Michael Kors
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Emily wears Michael Kors

Met Gala 2019: Jared Leto

Met Gala 2019: Jared Leto

Wearing Gucci
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Wearing Gucci

Met Gala 2019: Kris Jenner

Met Gala 2019: Kris Jenner

Wearing Tommy Hilfiger
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Tommy Hilfiger

Met Gala 2019: Mindy Kaling

Met Gala 2019: Mindy Kaling

Wearing Moschino
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Moschino

Met Gala 2019: Florence Welch

Met Gala 2019: Florence Welch

Wearing Gucci
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Gucci

Met Gala 2019: Saoirse Ronan

Met Gala 2019: Saoirse Ronan

(Image credit: 2019 John Shearer)

Met Gala 2019: Wendy Yu

Met Gala 2019: Wendy Yu

Wearing Giambattista Valli Haute Couture
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Giambattista Valli Haute Couture

Met Gala 2019: Charli XCX

Met Gala 2019: Charli XCX

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Richard Madden

Met Gala 2019: Richard Madden

Wearing Dior
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Dior

Met Gala 2019: Celine Dion

Met Gala 2019: Celine Dion

Wearing Oscar de la Renta
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Oscar de la Renta

Met Gala 2019: Karlie Kloss

Met Gala 2019: Karlie Kloss

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Rachel Brosnahan

Met Gala 2019: Rachel Brosnahan

Wearing Ermes
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Ermes

Met Gala 2019: Laverne Cox

Met Gala 2019: Laverne Cox

Wearing Christian Siriano
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Christian Siriano

Met Gala 2019: Billy Porter

Met Gala 2019: Billy Porter

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Met Gala 2019: Sofia Sanchez de Betak

Met Gala 2019: Sofia Sanchez de Betak

Wearing Mango
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Wearing Mango

Met Gala 2019: Ashley Ggraham

Met Gala 2019: Ashley Ggraham

Wearing Gucci
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Gucci

Met Gala 2019: Harry Styles and Alessandro Michele

Met Gala 2019: Harry Styles and Alessandro Michele

Wearing Gucci
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Gucci

Met Gala 2019: Serena Williams

Met Gala 2019: Serena Williams

Wearing Versace
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Versace

Met Gala 2019: Lady Gaga

Met Gala 2019: Lady Gaga

Wearing Brandon Maxwell
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Brandon Maxwell

Met Gala 2019: Lady Gaga

Met Gala 2019: Lady Gaga

Wearing Brandon Maxwell
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Brandon Maxwell

Met Gala 2019: Lady Gaga

Met Gala 2019: Lady Gaga

Wearing Brandon Maxwell
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Wearing Brandon Maxwell

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.