Beyoncé's Crystal-Dripped Skeleton Look Makes Her Queen of the Met
Why yes, Cardi B, you are the drama—at least when it comes to making jaws drop upon arrival at the Met Gala.
The "Costume Art" theme and complementary "Fashion Is Art" dress code for the May 4, 2026, event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has—as this year's co-chairs Anna Wintour, Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams expected—resulted in a veritable cornucopia of eye-popping looks.
But the rapper born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar is never one to just blend into the mix. (See all the 2026 Met Gala fashion right here.)
On this occasion, her seventh Met Gala appearance, Cardi B wore her most shocking look yet: a giant sheer Marc Jacobs dress—with black lace overlay—that seemed to resemble an abstract form of the human body.
"I need to hear more from the designer because right now all I see is lace covered intestines…" one person wrote on X, while another compared her to a "human colon."
As another social media user quipped, "It’s giving lymphedema. I live ya Cardi but no."
And if you're under the impression that every little detail of her red carpet looks, from the diamonds around her neck to the tips of her bejeweled nails, is intentional, you would be right.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
"We always try to make sure that everything goes right, that everything be iconic," Cardi told The Hollywood Reporter in 2024. "I know people sometimes be like, ‘Oh, it’s not about who is there and who is not,’ but it’s like, no, you need to remember us forever.”
She proceeded to hit the steps that year with a nine-person entourage, every bit of manpower needed to help arrange the massive train of her flowing Windowsen gown for full effect—even if she was a tad tardy for the "Garden of Time"-themed party.
Last year's theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," also suited Cardi just fine, with the "I Like It" artist crushing it in a green velvet ensemble crafted by Burberry designer Daniel Lee.
"She loves clothes and dressing up, which makes the process a lot of fun," Lee told Vogue. "Cardi knows what she wants from a look and comes with ideas."
So, even if getting ready for the Met Gala means "months and months of hard work for a five-minute payout," as Zendaya's stylist Law Roach put it to E! News recently, every second has been worth it.
See all the celebrity fashion worth your time at the 2026 Met Gala:
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Jennie
in Chanel.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Sarah Paulson
in custom Matières Fécales.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Elizabeth Debicki
David Fisher/Shutterstock
Jaafar Jackson
in Polo Ralph Lauren.
Matt Baron/Shutterstock
Coco Jones
Matt Baron/Shutterstock
Kate Moss
in Saint Laurent.
David Fisher/Shutterstock
Rami Malek
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Steph Curry & Ayesha Curry
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Teyana Taylor
in Tom Ford.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Kris Jenner
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Beyoncé
in custom Olivier Rousteing.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Blake Lively
in Atelier Versace.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Madonna
in Saint Laurent.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Kim Kardashian
in custom Allen Jones and Whitaker Malem.
Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Babyface
in Laquan Smith.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Misty Copeland
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Lily-Rose Depp
in Chanel.
David Fisher/Shutterstock
Karlie Kloss
David Fisher/Shutterstock
Gracie Abrams
in Chanel.
David Fisher/Shutterstock
Suki Waterhouse
in Michael Kors.
John Salangsang/Shutterstock
Dwyane Wade & Gabrielle Union
Photo by Theo Wargo/FilmMagic
Doechii
in custom Marc Jacobs.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Keke Palmer
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Hudson Williams
in Balenciaga.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Cher
in custom Chrome Hearts and Swarovski jewelry.
Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images
Grace Gummer
in custom Gabriela Hearst.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Joe Alwyn
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Kendall Jenner
in Gap Studio by Zac Posen.
Photo by Julian Hamilton/Getty Images
SZA
in Bode.
David Fisher/Shutterstock
Eileen Gu
Tune in to E! today, May 4, starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT for every must-see moment from the Met Gala 2026.

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