Costume Institute Gala with Julia Roberts, Katie Holmes, Beyonce & more


The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art held it’s annual gala last night to celebrate the opening of the new show “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy” which runs from May 7 to September 1, 2008. Most of the dresses worn by celebrities at the event last night were surprisingly low-key and safe considering the subject matter. Katie Holmes dazzled in a beaded red strapless gown and bright blue shoes while Kimora Lee Simmons looked incredible in a patchwork stained glass style bold print dress. Christina Ricci was stunning in a red and pink dress with a bright red belt and a red swimsuit-type bodice. She looked like Wonder Woman dressed up for the ball. Almost everyone else wore beautiful and elegant dresses.

Gisele Bundchen really stood out in a tight low cut dress that with strips of silk covering her assets. I loved Julia Roberts’ champagne-colored scoop neck gown studded with beads. Naomi Watts looked incredible in a pure white v-neck dress with a bright beaded star under the bustline and pointed details. Victoria Beckham wore a beaded white see through dress with a long skirt that was cut too high up her leg. It struck me that she was trying too hard, but I usually have that opinion of her fashion.

George Clooney arrived with his girlfriend, and it was the second time they were spotted out together this week so I think it’s safe to assume they’re doing fine.

The real fashion blunder was Mischa Barton in a dress with a bodice studded with round holiday-type beads and adorned with fluffy gathered sleeves. The skirt was a pukey brown-orange color and the bodice dripped down onto to it, making her look like she was some sort of holiday fairy. I guess that’s in keeping with the theme of the night.

Beyonce could be pregnant based on how she looked in her dress, but it seems a little early still to tell. She did not wear a wedding ring that I could see and had on bright-colored rings with pink and green stones, one on each hand.

Thanks to WENN for these photos. Shown in order are: Julia Roberts, Georgio Armani, George Clooney, Sarah Larson, Christina Ricci, Victoria and David Beckham, Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou, Beyonce, Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady, Kate Moss and Stella McCartney, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Ashley Olsen, designer Christian Louboutin and Mary-Kate Olsen, Tilda Swinton, Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Claudia Schiffer and designer Garavani Valentino, Thandie Newton (she gets a pass for that outfit because of the theme), Mischa Barton and Naomi Watts.

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22 Responses to “Costume Institute Gala with Julia Roberts, Katie Holmes, Beyonce & more”

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  1. Geronimo says:

    Who are those people hogging the camera with Sarah Larson?

    Stella mcCartney – NO!!!
    Naomi watts – gorgeous.
    Colour of Katie’s dress fab but style a bit prom-ish. And blue shoes?
    Like Posh’s dress although her face looks a bit severe.
    Tilda just keeps on rocking although that’s some seriously strange make-up she’s wearing. Looks like she might be melting.

  2. Other Karen says:

    I think Mischa was trying to go for fantasy? Most of these outfits don’t remotely go with the theme.

    I’m really fascinated by Christina Ricci’s dress. The see through skirt seems naughtier than a mini-skirt to me. It’s definitely superhero-y.

    Kate Moss and Posh’s hair changes always make them look so different. I love Posh’s dress.

    Gisele’s showing too much.

  3. Jody says:

    Geronimo, I’m glad you said that about Katie’s dress– when I saw it, though it didn’t repulse me, it just seemed off (and not just because of the blue Barbie heels). There’s nothing wrong playing with the full color spectrum, but don’t wear a floor length gown with such contrasting shoes– they’re hidden just enough to look ridiculous. You’d think her stylist might mention something.

  4. headache says:

    Giselle needs to put her tit back.

    The olsen troll on the left looked amazingly young and fresh. The one on the right looked like Brooke Astor at a charity ball as did Stella McCartney and Kate Moss.

    KatE looked like a Kabuki doll or a blushed up version of her daughter.

    Tilda is Tilda and who is that troll with her? He looks vaguely family, lord of the rings maybe?

    Beyonce may be pregnant but she’s always been a bit thick around the middle.

    Mischa and rachel Bilson looked horrendous, Thandi was a hot mess from the neck down and Claudia looked in credibly washed out.

    I thought Naomi looked good but her make up didn’t work for her skin tone. Everything was just a bit off for me there and made her look older I think.

    Amazingly enough, Posh was my favorite.

    And mean as it is to say, it looks like J.Lo’s diet isn’t working as well as she would hope. hehe

  5. bros says:

    headache, spot on. j lo looked puffy, bilson was wearing the most dour winter dress ever, aging her about 50 years, katie looked either feverish with consumption or like a creepy geisha doll with clogs. the shoes and the dress are hideous and tacky. larson looked ridiculous. loved thandie’s neckline, hated the visigoth marauding shoes and i though stella was a designer? her dyed to match shoes and tenty dress were so gross. i liked posh’s outfit too, if only she could relax her face a little.

  6. Elle says:

    Posh looked, surprisingly, great and mostly covered up for a change! Very demure….

    Why was Mischa even there? Why is she still famous? It ain’t her work and it ain’t her fashion sense…

    I don’t get it.

  7. Cassie says:

    Wow: The star of the movie, PRETTY WOMAN, meets the real-life “Pretty Woman”!!!
    Though Sarah’s trying too hard: too thin, too tan, too much ego…(And Julia does not look too happy about being in the same picture w/her, let alone the same room.

  8. Carrie says:

    I agree with Celebitchy,Posh takes trying too hard to a whole other level. It makes her look way older than early 30’s….does anyone else think she looks like Vanessa Williams in Ugly Betty in that picture?

  9. rlr260 says:

    You should post a picture of Anna Wintour. She was in an outrageous gown. I just hope she was trying to stay with the theme.

    I want to see what the fug girls have to say about Christina Ricci, Thandie Newton, and Katie’s blue shoes. Of course, this event is always an example of head-scratching, what-were-they-thinking fashion.

  10. Sasha says:

    Katie Holmes was there?

    Was she being awarded for her “Obedient dead-eyed wife to a crazed Scientology control freak” costume? 😆

  11. sam says:

    Look at the contrast of the olsen twins for a change! I kinda like the ‘fresh face’ version

  12. I choose me says:

    Ugh! Misha’s gown looks like someone sicked up glitter or are those beads on her chest. Love Naomi’s gown and Posh’s too. But WTF does Mary- Kate look like the walking dead?

  13. Other Karen says:

    Huh. Apparently Holmes gown is supposed to be orange. That helps slightly.

  14. All the world's a stage says:

    Katie looks like the lesbo Eve Ensler from the Vagina Monologues. The make-up actually worked in some photos/lighting, but not others. The shoes looked like they came from a gumball machine. The dress would have worked if it was shorter on the bottom and maybe hemmed up in a sexy “v” in the middle paired with some wicked boots – maybe even thigh highs. She would have had a little of a naughty vixen appeal. But this look just didn’t work … it looked like her mom picked the hemline for an 11 year old girl.

    Olsen twins look way better au natural and without the pounds of eye make-up for a change. Their eyes are big and dolly enough to knock take a black marker around them like that awful idiot, avrile lavigne.

    J.Lo and Mark – so nice to see a Hollywood couple that’s actually in love.

    Julia is pretty, but a little “stuffed” looking. Where’s her wonderful hubby that was so irresistible that she had to cheat with him on his ex-wife? Catch that “good” should be with her at her beck and call.

    Speaking of beck and call, the call-girl turned charity model turned paparazzi-hounded “star” of her own little world, Sarah Larson, looks like she must have sent Clooney another “Take Me Or Else I Will Tell” letter to George. 5 or 6 weeks without and she’s back with a vengeance. She actually looks half-way decent though very much out of place in a room of interesting intelligent people. Notice how George stated to ET that he’d be “the guy in the corner getting drunk”. Ever notice he must be loaded to be around the prostitute, which he announces to ever reporter? Ugly Laura from the Insider – yeah, the one with the really long head – asked very brazenly, shifting her mic Sarah’s way asked “And what are YOU doing here?”. HAHAHA!!! George gave a comical but unmemorable answer, once again sloughing off the upper cut thrown at him by yet another reporter that knows she’s on his payroll. No wonder they threw at Extra for her “exclusive”. This was ET’s way of throwing it back at the big boy who once boycotted their show. He looked so-so last night. He needs a funky hair cut, a little Just For Men, and a real woman, not some dish rag stinky bitch who can’t even speak right.

    Hollywood is sooooooo amusing!!

  15. All the world's a stage says:

    ps – I now know why Tilda usually choses not to wear make-up. She looks like a total angry transvestite with it on. 🙁

  16. breederina says:

    Tilda, three words invoked just for you this night: hot tranny mess.
    Posh: How can any gal look bad wearing Beckham? She ruled as did Ms. Watts.
    Everyone else here looks over done, under done, ill fitted. ill advised, and just plain uninspired.
    These gals at this event have every resource at their beck and call, there is really no excuse.

  17. coconut says:

    i think tilda looks like Martian meets Mamie Eisenhower. i’m okay with some different makeup but at least make the colors flattering to your face.

  18. ButterCream says:

    Everyone looked stunning! Kimora Lee had the most unexpected dress of the night. It was lovely–with Aztec-looking patterns and bright colors… Soooo Life In The Fab Lane darling.

  19. Ada says:

    Vicky B. looks great! With that dress and that face she makes a perfect femme fatale villainess 😈 …although I don’t think she was trying to give that impression.

  20. Chark says:

    Katie is gorgeous.I saw some cool videos about her on B L A C K W H I T E K I S S .C O M, maybe they just joking. but those couldn’t be true and she does not care.

  21. elle says:

    kimora’s dress was absolutely gorgeous! the stained glass was amazing! her and her boy are adorable!

  22. Prettyy interesting stuff here. Pretty cool if I dont say so myself.