11 Years Ago, Anne Hathaway Wore A Sheer Gown To The Met Gala

Years before Anne Hathaway committed the biggest heist on Ocean’s 8 in the 2018 film’s fictional Met Gala, she’s already been a regular attendee of the famed fête IRL. In fact, her dress in the movie was rather tame compared to those she debuted on the red carpet. Thus far, she’s worn metallic hooded dresses, voluminous numbers with a crown of thorns, and a full-body slit connected by massive safety pins. Her wildest Met Gala look, however, was also arguably her best.

Back in 2013, she went full punk for a night — complete with a bleached blonde pixie. And it’s such an underrated Met Gala look that needs way more recognition.

Anne Hathaway’s typical style errs on the regal and sophisticated side, much like Mia Thermopolis, Princess of Genovia. In her decades-long tenure as an actor, she’s rarely strayed from her chic aesthetic — except for that one night in 2013. And a decade later, it’s still worth talking about.

Anne’s Sheer Punkcore LBD

On May 6, 2013, attendees flocked to the Metropolitan Museum in their respective interpretations of the year’s theme: “PUNK: Chaos to Couture.”

Hathaway leaned into the motif in its fullest form. Italian design house Valentino was behind the actor’s punk-inspired couture gown, a long-sleeved inky number that would have looked right at home on the cover of Runway magazine.

The ensemble’s “chaos” elements came courtesy of the dress's hodgepodge of accents: feathers spiking out from the wrists, mesh panels, and asymmetrical striped beading that resembled a tiger’s stripes.

Unlike more recent Met Galas, where sheer looks are ubiquitous, it was rare (almost unheard of, really) to spot ensembles this daring on the carpet a decade ago. Hathaway, however, leaned into her punk-meets-risqué look in an all-over see-through ’fit, which she wore sans bra. Because nothing is more punk than flouting conservative conventions.

The Sweet Story Behind Her Rings

Hathaway could’ve gone overboard with the spikes and studs on her accessories — that is punk, after all. Instead, she went the pared-back route with a tiny clutch. The item was also from Valentino and came equipped with its signature rock studs, which were blinged out with tiny stones.

Her most iconic accessories, however, were her letter-a-finger rings. And apparently, there was a sweet story behind them, too. In a 2019 interview with Access Hollywood, Hathaway shared how her husband, Adam Shulman, contributed to her Met Gala number. “My husband made me the coolest rings that night. It was kind of graffiti-style letters,” she said. Spelling PTFO, the actor explained that they stood for, “Peace the f*ck out.”

The finishing touch was her manicure, which featured leopard print art on top of a neon orange, yellow, and green gradient.

Her Platinum Blonde Pixie

Hathaway first debuted a pixie cut the year before when she was filming Les Miserables (where she famously got her real-life hair chopped off in a take). And while growing out short hair can be awkward for most people, Hathaway found the perfect event to play up the look. She debuted a platinum blonde dye job just for the soirée and styled it pushed back. It framed her face and let her smoky eye shadow pop.

Forever iconic.