In 2019, Cher skipped the red carpet and served as the night's surprise musical guest.
"Believe" it or not, Cher is back for fashion's biggest night!
The singer and actress, 79, walked the steps of the 2026 Met Gala tonight -- something she hasn't done since 2015 (well, technically 2019, when she skipped the carpet but performed inside).
For her return, Cher wore a black silk tulle twisted dress, leather corset belt and leather cropped jacket with crystal embellishments by Burberry.
Speaking with Lala Anthony for Vogue, the musician looked back on her first Met Gala in 1974. "...I was naked, and so many people were upset about it, but now people wouldn't even give it a thought. I was real skinny so there was nothing really showing," she said.
And as for her favorite part of the night? "I love to see people expressing themselves and it gives me ideas and encouragement about the generations that are coming up."
Despite Cher's A-list celebrity status and history of iconic style, 2026 only marks her fourth Met Gala appearance.
As mentioned, her first -- and arguably most unforgettable -- was back in 1974 when she showed up with designer Bob Mackie in a completely sheer long-sleeve jumpsuit finished with feather and sparkle details.
The look still makes headlines to this day, and served as the inspiration behind Kim Kardashian's Roberto Cavalli Met Gala look in 2015.
"The place went crazy," Mackie recalled, reflecting on Cher's 1974 look in a 2025 chat with Interview magazine. "I've never seen so many photographers just come out of the shadows at the Met and take her picture. And, of course, she was in every newspaper the next day, and they've been printing it in the last 50 years, over and over again."
For her second Met Gala appearance in 2015, Cher continued her tradition of arriving arm-in-arm with a legendary designer -- swapping Mackie for Marc Jacobs. She wore a V-neck sequin gown in shades of maroon, black and grey, paired with black fishnet tights on display thanks to the dress’s sexy slit.
Most recently, in 2019, Cher skipped the red carpet and surprised guests with a musical performance inside the event. She performed some of her most iconic songs -- like "Believe" -- in a sheer black jumpsuit, black leather jacket, and bright blue hair.
Luckily for the masses, Gwen Stefani posted snippets of Cher’s performance to her Instagram story, disregarding the Met Gala’s no phones rule.
While Cher’s Met Gala appearances don’t come around very often, she’s always on-theme, with her lacy look this year pairing perfectly with Curator in Charge Andrew Bolton’s spring exhibit titled “Costume Art.”
After the exclusive first Monday in May comes to an end, the public can explore the relationship between clothing and the human body at the Metropolitan Museum of Art anytime from May 10, 2026, through Jan. 10, 2027.