Katie Holmes in mustard Marchesa at the Met Gala: whimsical or terrible?

Katie Holmes

Katie Holmes went all out at last night’s Met Gala. By “all out,” I mean that she decided to wear one of the most awful gowns in recent memory. She has a lot of competition from the other ladies in this post. Katie’s attempt to fit last night’s theme was this mustard-colored Marchesa ball gown. The dress has already spawned comparisons to Belle’s dress from Beauty and the Beast. I want to give Katie points for proudly wearing this dress. You can tell she really loves it. She’s glowing underneath this monstrosity. To be fair, she also once liked standing next to Tom Cruise. Yes, let’s blame this on some Tom PTSD. Something nice: her hair looks fantastic from the side.

Katie Holmes

Kate Upton proved that models don’t always have style. This dress … I don’t know how to summarize it. It’s see-thru, but it’s not. There’s a corset and stripey faux-panels. On top of all that, her girls are busting out. The statement necklace and earrings look plastic, and that headpiece rivals Madonna’s 1980s “Borderline” hairdo.

Kate Upton

Karolina Kurkova looked like a very bold, fun orgami game. This dress is Marchesa. Anywhere else, it would have been awful, but it works for this event.

Karolina Kurkova

Elizabeth Olsen wore a short, ice-blue Miu Miu dress. Very ice-capadey. The yellow and red strappy sandals are confusing, as is the turquoise clutch.

Elizabeth Olsen

Maggie Gyllenhaal was a contender in this Valentino gown that looked like 1960s curtains. Maybe she wanted to go mod and match her new pixie cut.

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Kristen Wiig wore a Balenciaga and Alexander Wang combo ensemble featuring a black sparkle-mullet dress with skinny tap pants. The halter neckline of the dress looks awkward, and her makeup is washed out. Kristen is actually the best of this bunch, but that’s not saying much.

Photos courtesy of Getty & WENN

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114 Responses to “Katie Holmes in mustard Marchesa at the Met Gala: whimsical or terrible?”

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  1. mia girl says:

    And here I thought Sandra Lee could not be outdone, but then along comes Katie Holmes… I’m speechless.

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      Me too. This is the ugliest bunch of dresses in a long time.

      • Ripley says:

        Jesus Christ. Don’t get me wrong, I have a soft spot for Katie Holmes and Belle, but this is fantastically awful.

      • fairy godmother says:

        For a second there when I saw Katie Holmes I thought it was Belle from Beauty and the Beast! IMO not a great red carpet look, but perfect for Disneyland!

      • Decloo says:

        Not to mention her hair. She looks like a wild west saloon hooker.

    • Liv says:

      Why? The MET gala is supposed to be fun and crazy fashionwise. You can’t compare the event to other formal events. I actually like that she took a chance.

      • Josephine says:

        Fun and crazy, but not unflattering. This seems more frumpy than fun.

    • zinjojo says:

      She must really want in one of Harvey’s upcoming films!

    • Brittaki says:

      What’s with all the brown whatsit on the front of the dress? Are those flowers? It looks like someone vomited on her.

      • Decloo says:

        Michael K over at Dlisted surmised that somebody projectile diarreahed on her.

  2. vylette says:

    I like katie’s gown. Not the color perhaos but the structure. She looks like mustard sauce.

    • zbornak syndrome says:

      She looks like Belle from “Beauty and the Beast”.

    • lana86 says:

      yeah, i dont hate it. She looks extremely cute.

    • honeybucket says:

      Katie’s hair is awful. She needs to put it up when dressing for a gala. The dress is awful by the way. Bad color and horrible design.

    • nikko says:

      I like Katie’s dress and she looks good in it. My favorite was the model Suki (Bradley girlfriend).

  3. QQ says:

    Her Hair is Fantastic? It Looks like Belle took a Nap Before a Ball… And wrinkled her dress and messed her hair Up… bet you money she is gonna regale us with how her daugther picked this mess

    kate looks like: If Frida Khalo and mae West had a Baby…. that died

  4. akivasha says:

    I like Kristen’s look and Katie’s dress looks much better in the side photo. the straight on flash does not help this dress and yes I too had shades of Belle, but she does love it

  5. Lindy79 says:

    Katie’s dress looks like a monkey threw some poo on her bodice.

  6. Mrs.Darcy says:

    There is nothing left to say, this year’s Met is the all time winner of fashion fuggery, hands down.

    • mia girl says:

      Yes. I said it on another thread, but this is due to the Kardashian taint. She walked the Met Carpet last year which clearly began a rampant fashion fug that infected almost everyone this year.
      A pox on all their fashion houses!

    • Josephine says:

      I agree. There was almost no real fashion at the event, and way, way too many d-listers.

  7. blue marie says:

    Oh wow, these are all bad.
    Holmes looks like Belle from Beauty and the Beast, no one should wear that dress.
    Some of these people are really pink, why is that?

    • V4Real says:

      The MET GALA where fashion goes to die. WTF to all of them. A red carpet full of piping hot messes.

      Hey Katie Holmes, Cinderella called she said you could keep that hot mess of a dress you stole from her closet.

      I can just see Belle and Cinderella standing in the corner when Katie walks into the Gala. They look at Katie, then they look at each other with a puzzled look on their face. They look back at Katie and then look back at each other again and break into this mean girl uncontrollable laughter.

  8. Josephine says:

    Katie looks like a hot mess. She is tall and has a thin upper body – she didn’t have to go with the messy (and perhaps tipsy) southern belle look. A fitted navy dress would be perfect for her.

    And I’ll get hate for this, but I kinda love Maggie’s dress. It suits her, makes her bod look great, and it’s something different without being tacky and vulgar.

    • Dubois says:

      I liked Maggie’s dress too.

    • Cecilia says:

      I love Maggie’s dress. Best one of the lot — totally suits her.

    • Esmom says:

      I love Maggie’s, too. It’s perfect for her. Might be my favorite of the entire bunch. Top 3-5 anyway.

    • Mouse says:

      I was coming on to say the same, Maggie’s dress is actually pretty cool. I do wish it was tailored a bit more from the hips down. Actually I vote for seeing a meticulously tailored jumper (coverall) version of this on her

    • mia girl says:

      I agree. I’m not 100% sold on the dress, but I do think Maggie looks great. Loving the bleached hair on her.

    • MacScore says:

      Yes, I agree – I love the fabric of Maggie’s dress, and the bodice part is really flattering.

    • Decloo says:

      I would knock Maggie down in the ladies room and steal that dress right off her body. Love love love it–and the coat that goes over it. Stunning. I’m not really a Maggie fan and I think her style leaves something to be desired but this dress is the bomb and she’s looking great with a tan and the blond pixie.

  9. Arock says:

    Katie Holmes dress looks like a four wheeler skidded mud on her. What are those things?
    I really like Maggie g’s dress- funanfit suits her.

  10. Kate says:

    What I like about Katie’s look is that she’s about the first woman who looks healthy and not like she’s starving herself into oblivion.

  11. don't kill me i'm french says:

    Ugly post

  12. PunkyMomma says:

    Katie needed a margarita to complete her Cinco de Mayo ensemble.

  13. paola says:

    i just can’t with Kate’s dress.
    She looks like Mammy in ‘Gone with the wind’ meets brothel mistress in Copacabana.
    DG go back to fashion school. Or at least stop the shots when you’re creating.

    • Tatjana says:

      She looks like an extra in a brothel scene from Three Musketeers.
      Kristen look okay.

      • Meredith says:

        Actually I think Kate Upton got the brothel look perfectly. When I saw the comment that her hat (?) looked like something from Madonna’s Borderline video, I misread it and thought it said Bordello.

  14. snowflake says:

    those are some ugly outfits

  15. Kiddo says:

    Katie Holmes: Remarkably, stupendously vomitous dress, but at least she committed and went all the way, instead of being ugly in the level of mediocrity.
    Kate Upton: Early bordello with a Pez candy necklace
    Maggie Gyllenhaal: Trippy shower curtains for when you want to bathe on acid.
    Kristen Wiig: Wearing a fart funnel so the air flows downward.
    Elizabeth Olsen: Elizabeth Taylor- top with a wayward bottom portion that is searching for belonging somewhere, anywhere.

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      I don’t mind Maggie’s look at all-I feel like it suits her quirky style.

      The rest of it just awful though.

      Wiig’s fart funnel might be practical, but wtf is going on with her hair?

      • PunkyMomma says:

        +1 on the “fart funnel”.

      • Kiddo says:

        I don’t really mind Maggie’s dress either, but I don’t like the super bleached hair and make-up with it.

      • Annie says:

        Whoah, with the new bleach blond hair, was I the only one that mistook Maggie G. for a younger Ellen Degeneres!?

    • blue marie says:

      ha, fart funnel, you’re awesome Kiddo

    • mia girl says:

      Fart funnel gets you the illustrious
      “Comment of the Day” award! Don’t forget to thank the folks in Craft Services in your speech.

      Question – Can you allow others to borrow your fart funnel? If so I’m sure Bradley Cooper was stalking Wiig. Dude had that intense look in his eyes and the tight lips associated with “I’m holding in my farts” face all over the Met carpet last night.
      He needed a release.

  16. GeeMoney says:

    Katie Holmes’ dress is FUG.

  17. Sabrina says:

    A lot of the fashion this year was terrible and this post proves it. Do celebs not look in the mirror and realise how awful some of these choices are? I don’t consider myself a fashionista but even I have enough sense to not wear some of the awful outfits that were worn at this event.

    Perhaps if they actually had to pay for these outfits they might think twice as to how they look in them.

  18. Milla says:

    You know it is bad considering Kim K. isn’t among the worst dressed. The whole evening was a disaster.

  19. InVain says:

    Katie’s dress looks like a mess of curtains got sucked up into a vacuum and pulled back out. What the wha??? Her hair too. French’s spicy brown mustard DISASTER.

    Kate Upton? Wow. That’s some serious hot vom.

  20. Mia4S says:

    Katie fell asleep in the limo on the way over?

    Elizabeth Olsen?! WTF?! You have a mega-blockbuster opening next week and they give you that dress? Who hates you?!

    Maggie is Maggie.

  21. Dani2 says:

    Katie looks so dishevelled somehow?

    And Kate’s look is courtesy of hotmess.org

  22. LadyRay says:

    Tragic.

  23. Tig says:

    Maggie G’s isn’t half bad- clearly the best out of this bunch.

    Katie’s is just tragic- it’s as wrinkled as old ton foil.

    Kate U got her wish- folks are now talking about her butt and everything else with this monstrosity of an outfit!!

  24. Abby_J says:

    “Tale as old as time….True as it can be….Barely even friends….Then somebody bends…unexpectedly.”

    I think Katie Holmes dress looks like a Belle rip off. Not even a good one. The black one and polka-dot one are kind of gross. Was the theme “ugly dress?”

    That said, I actually like the dress on Elizabeth Olsen. It isn’t something that I would wear, and I’m not feeling the shoes or purse, but she is young and can pull it off. Besides, in a sea of suck, it looks lovely. 🙂

  25. Mylene - Montreal says:

    She look like Belle, the Disney Princess.

  26. wolfpup says:

    I love the dress. Any dress that can make a woman glow is a dress that makes her beautiful!

  27. Beatrice says:

    Katie’s dress looks like something Helena Bonham Carter would wear–hair style, too.

  28. QQ says:

    yall… do yourselves a favor Google Karolina Kurkova and Liu Wen Gowns: That Is MET!

  29. Ag says:

    Marchesa needs to be stopped.

    i actually really like maggie’s look, kill me, but i do. 🙂

  30. minime says:

    Elizabeth Olsen was dressed to perform ice skating.
    Upton..well…it’s too weird to comment. Looks like she went to the wrong party.

    I think Gyllenhaal actually looks nice. It’s very much in her style and I think she can rock it..but might as well be the effect of the infinity of badly dressed people.

  31. shellybean says:

    Katie’s hair looks great, and she doesn’t look bad in this color, but the dress itself is atrocious. Just awful! Why is it crinkly??

    However, Kate Upton and Maggie look even worse. Maggie looks terrible, from head to toe. Kate looks like she works in an old-timey brothel.

    Elizabeth seems under-dressed for the occasion, as does Kristen (and all mullet dresses/skirts/shirts need to be burned).

  32. Dawn says:

    Well I sort of like Katie in that dress. I think she can handle that color better than most. I’m not crazy about the hair. I hate what Maggie is wearing truly but I love Elizabeth Olsen’s dress!

  33. poppy says:

    maggie g looks GREAT.
    eliz. olsen looks like dynasty up top, and it is aging her terribly.
    i like the yellow color but the dress is hi-anus.
    upton’s dress is so bad we get no designer ID? all sorts of wrong.
    wiig looks terrible, the hair, the makeup.
    the marchesa, almost but not quite.

    beadhead, i think tap pants are actually shorts. those appear to be cigarette pants 😉

  34. Helvetica says:

    I like Katie’s hair but that dress is awful

  35. Marlene says:

    Karolina Kurkova is one of the only people who could have pulled her dress.

    • mercy says:

      She has the stature to pull off grand outfits, but that pattern on a huge dress is just awful, imo.

    • lucy2 says:

      It’s interesting as an image and she models it well.
      The rest of them are disastrous.

  36. smee says:

    Kate Upton looks like she whipped them underpants off and put them on her head. Who ever dressed her like this seriously does not like her.

    I’ve said it before – she’s one of those people who truly look best in a bathing suit or naked. She just isn’t a fashion girl.

  37. mercy says:

    All of these are head-to-toe atrocious, except for Maggie’s gown, which I find kind of fun and offbeat and fits her personality to a T.

    Katie’s dress just overwhelms her. It is a good colour on her, but there’s just too much of it. And I like messy, unstructured hairstyles, but it’s also too much with the big, messy, unstructured gown.

    Kristin’s outfit looks like it could work, but it doesn’t.

  38. lunchcoma says:

    Didn’t Katie used to be a Fashion Girl for a time after marrying Tom Cruise? I mean, I could understand if she’d had that life and lost interest in it, but she seems to still turn up at a lot of these things and often looks horrible. Did Tom get her stylist in the divorce?

  39. aquarius64 says:

    Wow. Where to begin?

    Katie Holmes – HOT. MESS.

    Kate Upton – she went to the Smithsonian and lifted that outfit from the Mary Todd Lincoln exhibit.

    Maggie G. – test pattern eye sore.

    Elizabeth Olsen – Ice Capades.

    Kirsten Wiig – designer ice cream scoop.

    Karolina K. – people could get under her dress if it rained last night.

    (Dis)honorable mentions go to – Taylor Swift (prom night); Solange Knowles (bridesmaid); Kristen Stewart (three sectioned materials stitched together = one fug outfit) and Cynthia Nixon (channeling the Kartrashian’s 2013 couch dress).

    All these women need to fire their stylists ASAP. This year’s MET Gala looked like the stylists and glam squads conspired to make their clients look hideous on the red carpet, opening them up to be slammed by practically every fashion writer, blogger, and thread poster on the planet. It should be in the contract when celebs hire these people: if the client gets universally trashed for the fashion choices of the stylists, the celeb gets a refund. However, if the celeb picks the awful ensemble against the sound advice of a stylist the Fashion Police tear-downs are on the celebs.

  40. JenniferJustice says:

    None of them are particularly appealing dresses, but I give Katie Holmes props for being daring. However, Kate Upton cannot not show her mushy bloobs. I have to accept this about her and just tell myself “of course she did.”

  41. Tiffany :) says:

    I know this will sound insane…but I really like Kate Upton’s make up for this event. In a lot of the pictures, if you can get past the dress, her face looks so soft and glowing and fresh.

    I think I might have better feelings about Katie’s dress if her hair was up. As it is, it just looks very sloppy overall.

  42. phlyfiremama says:

    Karolina Kurkova’s dress is INSANELY beautiful!! Wow, that is my favorite of the night. (It pains me SO MUCH to admit that a Marchesa dress was actually incredible. It REALLY hurts to type that.) Katies dress was awful at first view, but I love the textures of it from the side view posted here. I still think Michael K from Dlisted wrote it up the best.

  43. Jayna says:

    I’m happy to see all the love for Maggie’s dress on here. I agree. It really suits her, and the Met Ball is when you are supposed to take risks. I think that gown looks fantastic on her and I love her hair with it.

    I think Katie’s gown looks fantastic on her, and I rarely think she’s looked good since she left Tom when glammed up. Leaving Tom was the healthiest thing for her to save her kid and get out of that kooky life, but she did have great style and hair when with him. But that gown and the color is one of my favorties. She’s tall enough to carry it off.

  44. Jayna says:

    Kate Upton looks like one of those saloon girls in old Westerns I’ve seen on AMC.

  45. Marianne says:

    Katie looks awful. She looks like she is being eaten alive by that dress.

  46. raindrop says:

    I love it. It’s weird, and fun, and very Belle.

  47. LazyMom says:

    Eeeeh. I hated Katies look. The color is bleh and the way the gown drapes seems a little messy to me. Though I will give it to her that at least she tried to go with the theme!

  48. Pinky Rose says:

    That mustard dress is the worst of the night by a large margin. There were A LOT of horrible ones (a green dress in particular) but this just reeks in desperation.

    The only one who look good are Karolina Kurkova in a surprisingly theme accord and interesting dress by Marchesa and my favorite from this bunch is Kristiin Wigg. That reinterpretation of an original Cristóbal Balenciaga design is very attune to the theme without being to in your face. One of the best of the in a messy night.

  49. db says:

    I think yellow’s a hard color to wear — there were a couple of yellow frocks at the gala and they did no one any favors. As for Katie I do love her hair

  50. Kerrboom says:

    These are some of the ugliest dresses I’ve ever seen.

  51. buell says:

    Maggie’s dress looks like something I’d play Twister on.

  52. GlimmerBunny says:

    I actually think Kate Upton’s dress is the worst one of the evening. She’s so gorgeous and she chose to wear THAT?!?

    I love Karolina Kurkova’s dress. Perfect for the theme and beautiful.

    Katie Holmes looks great from the waist up.

  53. Kosmos says:

    Ditto on what everyone has said about Katie’s dress…..it is spectacular, just not the color of mustard that works for me. The black number on Kate Upton looks unflattering. Even though she has a big bust line, the rest of her body isn’t that slim, so I think this dress just draws attention to that area, not to mention the fugly hat, ugg. Elizabeth Olson’s dress is just wrong for this event, plus it’s ugly, too. Kristin’s dress is interesting, but overall, I would not give it high points. I’m okay with Maggie’s dress, at least I see it working well on her, love her hair, too…..

  54. whateveryouwantittobe says:

    I don’t understand how she manages to be so consistently a fashion trainwreck.

  55. SK says:

    Okay just a few notes about the commentary on this year’s Met Gala:

    1. White Tie does not mean “black and white”; not does it mean “white jacket for men”. White tie is the most formal of dress codes and actually means tails (usually black), a specific type of wing-collared white shirt, a white vest, white cravat and gloves. Think Wills & Kate’s wedding. One of the reasons so many of the men failed to do this is that you can’t buy these suits off the rack; they are only bespoke and they are PRICEY! Unless a designer chose to make one for you, it’s unlikely you’d be wearing one. Women can absolutely wear colour.

    2. The Met Gala is not a typical fashion event. Many of the models and actresses there are being dressed by a fashion house / designer. This means they have much less say in what they are wearing. It varies depending on the star and the design house; but once you agree to be their muse for this event; you are in their hands. It’s not like an awards show where you could switch designers at the last minute.

    3. The Met Gala is supposed to be about daring, edgy, risk-taking fashion. It is supposed to push boundaries and show fashion that is art. This means that there is much more of a hit or miss effect. It also means that Karolina Kurkova in her Marchesa gown is being hailed by many in fashion and many fashion observers as the best dressed woman last night. She fit the theme, she looked magnificent, her dress pushed the limits and it looked like a piece of art. No, this wouldn’t work at the Oscars; but it’s not the same event. Karolina and (gasp) Marchesa got this spot on. Katie Holmes on the other hand is a good example of gambling and missing.

    • aquarius64 says:

      Sorry, Karolina still looks like an umbrella. Art doesn’t necessarily mean look ridiculous. If they choose to do this then they can’t cry when they take a pounding by the media. The design house calling the shot is not the get-out-of-jail-free card for the celeb’s bad judgment.

      • SK says:

        I didn’t say it was. However a lot of people are saying: “who is their stylist??” When in this case they have agreed to be directly in the hands of a designer. That is how they get their invitation!

        As for Karolina, sorry, but I disagree. So does most of the media. She’s not getting a pounding because this is fantastic. Of course fashion as art has an edge of the ridiculous at times! Otherwise it would just be normal fashion! Couture shows often have models in completely ridiculous outfits; but the clothes are still amazing and works of art. Us plebs are not expected to wear or want to wear it. Yes KK’s dress pushes boundaries and it’s not something I would ever want to wear; but it is magnificent and entirely appropriate for the event; especially considering that it was to honour Charles James who created some very “crazy” dress shapes.

    • SK says:

      Sorry, I meant to say “think the night time version of Wills and Kate’s wedding.” Essentially a dress code that no one has worn since the 30s.

  56. thenag says:

    I had a crushed silk bridesmaid dress.. in the 90s..but blue.. similar style.. cant call it ugly

  57. rlh says:

    Katie, girl, if you have a stylist, fire them. NOW. If you don’t have a stylist, hire one. NOW.
    I am angry at her for the dress AND the hair. Lordy.

  58. rlh says:

    Kate Upton looks like she’s channeling Frida Kahlo: big miss for this event.
    I want to thank Karolina Kukova: the dress is right for her body and the event, the makeup, hair and jewelry all work. She is perfection in what is a pretty messy turn out.

  59. DrFunkenstein says:

    Overrated is as overrated does.

  60. janet says:

    I thought Katie Holmes dress was ugly but man when you see a close up of it….It is a disaster! Looks like a rag! As for the other dresses pictured here….what the heck is happening to fashion?!

  61. Jarredsgirl says:

    Katie, why, why, why?

    The only ones who look “OK” are Karolina and Maggie. But even then…

  62. d says:

    I think Katie looks nice, if somewhat hot-messy, in this gown. I wouldn’t ever want to wear it, and it’s an odd choice for the MET (on part of the designer). I think the overall presentation could have been improved by a different hairstyle and makeup. Although, this fabric always looks wrinked. The more I think I about it, the more I think this dress was too try-hard. If they’re going to go with the bold colours choice and flowers, I’d like to see the same colour but a more daring and clean design (the closeup of it is horrid). Now it’s too western-belle and frou-frou. Were the designers trolling her? In my opinion b/c what do I know.

    I love, love, love Kurkova’s dress. It’s my favourite, handsdown. Everything about that presentation was excellent.

    Poor Elizabeth Olsen.

    I don’t understand why Maggie allows her boobs to always present so poorly. Horrible design/structure of the dress. I like the fabric’s design and colouring, but I would have designed a different more exciting dress with that fabric. She’s got an interesting look and it’s too bad they didn’t design a fun dress for her with that.

    Wiig: Why?

  63. Mrs. Ari Gold says:

    Elizabeth Olsen looks like Meadow Soprano.

  64. Anne says:

    Love everything about Kate Holmes – her die-for dress, hair, makeup, jewelry, smile and natural beauty. Lighten up folks!

  65. alex says:

    How come nobody comments on the absolute awfulness of Shailein Woodleys dress.

    • Decloo says:

      I was too busy being amazed at her bare feet on the NYC pavement. My dog pooped in that exact spot a few days ago.

  66. Maritza says:

    I’m guessing these were the worst dressed ladies at the gala.

  67. Abby says:

    Absolutely love Karolina’s dress for this event! Kate Upton is my homegirl, but this is NO.

  68. Fan says:

    Katie looks like she has not showered for weeks. She looks different now. I wonder what’s going on with her life. A pastor had said that “what’s going on in the spiritual world will manifest in the physical world” Something like that.