All Of Melania Trump's Met Gala Looks, Ranked By How Well She Nailed The Theme

Each year, the Met Gala is one of the most anticipated red carpets. Celebrities and socialites gather to wear innovative fashions made by the biggest designers in the world. Of course, the Met Gala has a specific theme that designers are asked to signify in their creations — who could forget the 2019 theme "Camp: Notes on Fashion" that gave us Zendaya's iconic Cinderella gown? — but for every stunning Met Gala look, there are some that would be considered more surprising, to put it kindly. Not everyone can be best-dressed, and there are times when a celeb's interpretation of the theme is a total miss.

Before their turn in the White House, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were regulars at fashion's biggest night. Donald would keep it simple in a black suit, while Melania drew eyes in couture gowns, though most of her choices felt like personal preferences rather than odes to the themes. During the years in which Melania attended the Met Gala, the themes ranged from tributes of famous designers to celebrations of different countries, and on only a few occasions did Melania appear to understand the assignment. The Met Gala is the fashion event of the year, so ensembles that ignore the theme aren't only risky but also often tacky. Here, we're taking a look at all of Melania's Met Gala outfits, ranking them from worst to best on how well they matched each year's theme.

The 2004 Met Gala became highly memorable for Melania Trump because it's where Donald Trump proposed to her. But she didn't wear blushing bridal white — in fact, she wore the complete opposite. The theme was "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century," and the lovebirds were twinning in matching black outfits. Melania wore a floor-length black gown with cutouts around the bodice. It didn't deliver on the 18th-century aesthetic as much as it felt like an outdated prom dress with a hint of Catherine Zeta Jones in "Chicago."

This year was Melania Trump's worst attempt to pay homage to legendary designers. The 2012 theme was "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations," and Melania let down both icons with her wardrobe. It was a failed attempt to highlight two distinct names in fashion by not including signature styles of either. This look felt uninspired and relied too heavily on trends that were exclusive to 2012. The pointy shoulders felt too heavy on the asymmetrical skirt of this minidress. Quite frankly, it resembled a boring party dress with zero ambition. 

The 2006 Met Gala had a theme that could've been avant-garde and over the top: "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion." Melania was noticeably pregnant at this Met Gala, so we can't blame her for picking a subtler look. She went with an elegant and classic strapless dress with a slimming fit and flair silhouette that was accentuated by a black sash belt. It didn't deliver on the theme, but hey, in terms of maternity fashion, this isn't a bad look! The addition of a diamond necklace helped the look fit with the event's tone. 

At first, it sounds like the 2009 Met Gala theme, "The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion," would be ideal for Melania Trump. She used to be a model, so this theme should've been a slam dunk. Instead, Melania didn't take much risk with her dress choice and ended up looking rather plain. Her styling was simple with wavy hair, minimal makeup, and a lack of jewelry. Melania used this theme to highlight her body, and the strapless black gown she wore certainly did that. But we could've done without the huge, cheugy gold belt across her waist.

Melania Trump's first year at the Met Gala — 2003 — had a "Goddess: The Classical Mode" theme. Back then, she was still Melania Knauss, and she appeared to take inspiration from the goddesses of Greek mythology. The material and color of her peplos gown felt a bit tired, and the dress' tailoring, including the plunging neckline, looked sloppy. Luckily, the peach shade popped against her tan skin, and her straight, sleek ponytail and dangling earrings provided balance. It's a reserved take on the theme, but some elements are at least there. 

The 2007 Met Gala theme, "Poiret: King of Fashion," celebrated Paul Poiret, who transformed corset fashion into less constricting, more dramatic silhouettes. This should've inspired outfits that were freeing and less traditional, and Melania Trump seemed to take that into consideration. She wore a gold, flapper-style dress with matching heels and long, straight hair. While definitely not the most exciting outfit, her wardrobe does fit the theme, albeit with a heavy 1920s influence. The breathable, sparkly number was cute and feminine, perfect for dancing during a fun night on the town.

This was another example of Melania Trump celebrating the theme of a specific designer by wearing a different designer. The theme of the 2011 Met Gala was "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty," and Melania wore a long, gold gown by Reem Acra, though paired with a gold Alexander McQueen clutch. The dress itself is beautiful and makes her figure look statuesque; plus, wearing blunt bangs and a ponytail felt chic. Today, this might feel like one of Melania Trump's most outdated outfits to some, but at the time, it would've landed a Hollywood darling on the best-dressed list.

The theme of the 2005 Met Gala was "The House of Chanel." It's hard to judge when a theme is dedicated to one design house, but Melania Trump didn't even wear Chanel! She wore Alexander McQueen, but the gown did plainly pay homage to Chanel's classic little black dress (and not in any casual style). Plus, Melania carried a Chanel clutch as she wore a black mermaid gown with white tulle underneath the skirt. It's too bad that the dress was so similar to her outfit from the previous year.

Of all the outfits Melania Trump has worn to the Met Gala, this one works pretty well — whether intentionally or not. The 2008 Met Gala's theme was "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy," and Melania's dress felt whimsical. She wore a mermaid style (which would become a Met Gala go-to of hers) in bright fuchsia and had pleated details on the skirt. Colorful and slightly cartoon-ish, the dress was different for her and felt like a pop-up graphic in a comic book.

Six years before she would become first lady, Melania Trump may have manifested her political role with her 2010 Met Gala outfit. The theme was "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity," and Melania wore a navy-blue satin gown. This outfit absolutely fit the theme with its spectacle of frills and color that's synonymous with Americana motifs. We'll even give the 1960s-inspired pouf hair with side-swept bangs a seal of approval because it ties the look together and makes a bold statement. 

When putting together this list, each year's Met Gala theme was researched. Since former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has served as chair for the Met Gala since 1995, we looked at how Vogue defined each theme and what the inspiration for each theme was. If themes were dedicated to a specific designer or fashion house, creations by said designer or house were used as reference points.

From there, we analyzed each Melania Trump look, and her outfit, styling, and accessories were all taken into account. Each outfit was judged based on how it signified the year's theme, with the list proceeding in descending order from worst to best. Melania's current style choices and political affiliation had no baring on this ranking.