Hits and misses when stars wore their versions of punk at the New York museum

What is punk fashion?

Is it a gravity-defying mohawk hairstyle, clanging chains and metal studs or loud, garish make-up? Or is it sturdy leather jackets, bold statement T-shirts and heavy-duty boot

The signature togs of the punk subculture covers a broader spectrum than we think.

So we don't entirely blame the throng of stars who took a stab at interpreting what it meant and failed, when they attended The Metropolitan Museum of Art's (Met) Costume Institute Benefit on Monday in New York.

We even sympathise. It must be hard when you leave home thinking you look fab and end up looking downright drab.

The glitzy event - held to celebrate the opening of the PUNK: Chaos to Couture exhibition at the museum - saw celebrities putting their own spin on punk and incorporating it into their outfits.

But it seemed as if whatever restraint was exercised during outfit selections for the Oscars and Grammys earlier this year was gone, and the stars and their stylists unleashed their creativity, with mixed results.

Compared to some of the other stars, the usually over-the-top Nicki Minaj almost looked perfectly proper - and that's saying something.

We take a closer look at stars who killed it or nailed it at the recent Met gala.

GOT THE MEMO, BUT...
Punk wasn't dead until Madonna and Miley Cyrus killed it. Sticking to the theme is one thing.

Butchering it is something else.

For the well-known Material Girl, there sure wasn't a lot of it to speak of. She was dressed in a fishnet bodysuit, a studded plaid blazer, chains, leather gloves... and little else. Maybe no one told the 54-year-old it wasn't age-appropriate to leave home without her pants.

We get that she's psyched about the new Star Trek movie release, but the Spock-inspired bob is a terrible idea.

The same goes for the large crucifix dangling near her rear end.

But does she care for your opinion? Punk taught her to be anti-mainstream, it seems.

"It's not caring what people think," she said in a Daily Mail report, when asked on the red carpet what punk meant.

Cyrus, 20, took a leaf out of Madonna's book with regards to fishnets, but a long full-sleeved dress, even if it was by Marc Jacobs and suffocatingly tight, is taking it a tad too far.

Also, what's up with the hair? A blonde, spiky do screams 90s boy band more than punk chic.

SKIPPED THE MEMO AND...
Maybe the true punks were the likes of Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Kristen Stewart, who ignored the dress code and went in whatever they pleased.

These rulebreakers were the reigning queens of the night, putting their absurdly dressed counterparts to shame.

Perry, 28, was a picture of royalty in her regal attire of a gold crown and shiny Dolce&Gabbana cathedral- inspired mosaic dress.

Never mind that she actually thought she was sticking to the theme. "... I am channelling the (original) queen of punk, Joan of Arc", she had said on Twitter. In any case, her possible misinterpretation of the concept had worked in her favour.

Stewart, 23, had set herself apart from her gownclad peers, settling on a sexy deep crimson Stella McCartney pantsuit that had her looking sizzling hot.

She was there with her best accessory, too (no, not Robert Pattinson) - her trademark smirk-slashgrimace.

Then there was Swift, 23, whom we grudgingly admit looked drop-dead gorgeous in a classy allblack J. Mendel dress which featured glistening diamanté and sexy mesh cut-outs.

MISSED, PERIOD.
We weren't short of candidates for the Worst Dressed trophy, so much so that we were hardpressed to decide on only one unfortunate winner.

The title has to be shared among Beyonce (shocker!), Kim Kardashian and Elle Fanning - women we usually applaud for their discerning fashion picks.

We were slightly more understanding with Kardashian, 32, but only just.

She's probably still recovering from the backlash after the recent whale-like outfit she wore last month when she stepped out of her Beverly Hills home and it's a mammoth task trying to squeeze a fast-ballooning bottom into any semi-presentable frock.

But seriously, looking like a flower bush should be a punishable crime, heavily pregnant or otherwise.

Her look didn't go down well with many, it seems.

One disapproving member of the public posted a photo on Instagram of the soon-to-be mother at the gala, comparing her to three floral couches.

Beyonce and Fanning, what's your excuse?

The usually immaculate Beyonce went dressed in a gaudy, printed Givenchy strapless dress coupled with matching gloves and boots, while Fanning failed to rock a Rodarte tie-dye dress or her ghastly horror movie eye make-up.

The fashion police will be having a field day with these three.

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