From Floral Heels to Pearl Sandals: A Look Back at Kim Kardashian’s Bold Met Gala Footwear Through the Years

Nikara Johns
·3 min read
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One of Kim Kardashian’s most-criticized Met Gala looks came in 2013. She made her Met Gala red carpet debut with then-husband Kanye West wearing a floral dress by Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy. Kardashian, who was also pregnant at the time with daughter North West, walked the Met steps in a pair of floral, strappy heels that were made to match the pattern of her gown.

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 06: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian attends the Costume Institute Gala for the "PUNK: Chaos to Couture" exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Rabbani and Solimene Photography/WireImage)
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian attends the Costume Institute Gala for the “PUNK: Chaos to Couture” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2013 in New York City.

In another major Met Gala shoe moment, Kardashian hit the carpet with West once again in 2016. The couple coordinated in silver Balmain ensembles, with Kardashian wearing a silver, metallic t-strap sandals.

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 02: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian attend the "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Huffington Post)
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian attend the “Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City.

For one of her most-intricate footwear choices, Kardashian matched her latex Mugler dress (that took eight months to make) with a pair of PVC sandals. The shoes were detailed with the same drop-crystals seen on her dress, which she said was inspired by a girl stepping out of the ocean, wet and dripping in water.

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 06: Kim Kardashian West attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes On Fashion - Arrivalsat The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Rabbani and Solimene Photography/WireImage)
Kim Kardashian West attends the 2019 Met Gala celebrating “Camp: Notes On Fashion.”

For the Skims founder’s most-recent appearance at the 2023 Met Gala, she wowed in a Schiaparelli ensemble that was made out of 50,000 pearls. When it came to the footwear, Kardashian wore white sandals detailed with matching pearl embellishments.

US socialite Kim Kardashian arrives for the 2023 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2023, in New York. - The Gala raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. The Gala's 2023 theme is "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty." (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian arrives for the 2023 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2023, in New York.
Kim Kardashian, Met Gala, Met Gala 2023, red carpet, celebrity red carpet, heels, high heels, sandals, white sandals, pearl sandals, pearls, pearl necklaces, bodysuit, cutout bodysuit, satin, silk
Kim Kardashian, Met Gala, Met Gala 2023, red carpet, celebrity red carpet, heels, high heels, sandals, white sandals, pearl sandals, pearls, pearl necklaces, bodysuit, cutout bodysuit, satin, silk

Keep scrolling for more of Kardashian’s Met Gala looks through the years.

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 01: Kim Kardashian attends 'Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons:Art of the In-Between' Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Jackson Lee/FilmMagic)
Kim Kardashian attends ‘Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Gar?ons: Art of the In-Between’ Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017, in New York City. She wore Vivienne Westwood and nude, strappy sandals.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 02: (Exclusive Coverage) Kim Kardashian arrives at The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue )
Kim Kardashian arrives at the 2022 Met Gala celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022, in New York City. She wore a vintage Jean Louis dress, which was once worn by Marilyn Monroe.
US socialite Kim Kardashian arrives for the 2021 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 13, 2021 in New York. - This year's Met Gala has a distinctively youthful imprint, hosted by singer Billie Eilish, actor Timothee Chalamet, poet Amanda Gorman and tennis star Naomi Osaka, none of them older than 25. The 2021 theme is "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion." (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian arrives at the 2021 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 13, 2021, in New York, wearing Balenciaga.
Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West attend "China: Through the Looking Glass" 2015 Costume Institute Benefit Gala - red carpet arrivals at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. �� LAN (Photo by Lars Niki/Corbis via Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West attend “China: Through the Looking Glass” 2015 Costume Institute Benefit Gala. Kardashian wore a Roberto Cavalli gown that hid her heels.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 07: Kim Kardashian West attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter)
Kim Kardashian West attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018, in New York, wearing head-to-toe Versace.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West arriving at the Met Gala event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA. (Photo by Dennis Van Tine/PA Images via Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian, in head-to-toe Lavin, and Kanye West arriving at the Met Gala event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

On Monday, the 2024 Met Gala will take place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in celebration of the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” The evenings co-chairs include Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny and Chris Hemsworth, along with Anna Wintour. Shou Chew, CEO of TikTok, and Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Loewe, will serve as honorary chairs.

The star-studded guest list is encouraged to adhere to this year’s theme, “The Garden of Time,” which was inspired by the 1962 short story by J.G. Ballard. In it, the author explores the concept of preservation using flowers as a symbol of beauty, youth and innocence.

According to The Metropolitan Museum, the exhibition — on view from May 10 through Sept. 2 — will showcase approximately 250 garments and accessories that will be connected visually through nature, which also serves as a metaphor for the transience of fashion.



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