Met Gala 2013: Pictures From The Red Carpet At The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Benefit Ball [PHOTOS]

Fashion heavy hitters and Hollywood's finest were in attendance for the 2013 Met Gala Monday night in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art -- some dressed in their best interpretations of punk -- for the annual Costume Institute Benefit ball.

For an event nicknamed the "Oscars of the East Coast," the outside of the Met was a swarm of photographers and spectators, whose frenzied flashes nearly blinded the guests as they ascended the grand steps.

Everyone from Beyonce to Vivienne Westwood to Lena Dunham was in attendance for the Met Gala, some dressed in punk garb for the event hosted by co-chairs Rooney Mara, Givenchy Creative Director Riccardo Tisci, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and Moda Operandi co-founder Lauren Santo Domingo.

The theme for 2013 was punk ahead of the Met’s “Punk: Chaos to Couture” exhibit, which opens on Thursday. The exhibition documents punk’s presence on the runway since the days of the Sex Pistols, Blondie and Vivienne Westwood to its continuing influence today. The exhibit has seven galleries with 100 designs for men and women, music videos and audio. “Punk: Chaos to Couture” opens for the general public on Thursday and runs until Aug. 14.

This year, many of the fashion glitterati traded their formal wear for safety pins, spikes and mohawks. Among them were Miley Cyrus in a black fishnet Marc Jacobs dress, Elle and Dakota Fanning in edgy Rodarte dresses, Kerry Washington in a purple and leather Vera Wang dress and Sarah Jessica Parker in an ornate Giles gown with a giant Philip Treacy hat and custom Christian Louboutin boots to match. Anne Hathaway, wearing vintage Valentino, was inspired by punk icon Debbie Harry to dye her natually dark hair blonde and, according to the Oscar winner, she may just keep it that way.

Speaking of Debbie Harry, the Blondie singer showed up looking like a 1980's version of herself in a studded jacket, spiked shoes, feathered headpiece, accordion skirt and see-through top. Another illustrious singer who showed up in her best punk uniform was Madonna in Riccardo Tisci, wearing a tartan dress with fishnet and chain-detailing, thigh high stockings, a black wig and pink pumps. Queen of the post-modern punk movement Gwen Stefani got extra-glam for the night in Margiela, which for this red carpet stunner, is a brazen, punk move. Most surprising, though, was Gisele Bundchen, who was caght throwing down punk moves all night. The Brazilian beauty donned Anthony Vacarello as she flashed her best interpretation of the signs of the horns.

But of course, not all celebrities played along with the theme. Anna Wintour, who wore a pink flowered Chanel dress, said on the red carpet, "The color of punk is pink, that's why I'm wearing pink." I'm not so sure about that, but honestly, who is to argue with Anna Wintour?

Moving on…

Another confusing "Is it punk?" moment happened when Katy Perry strolled the red carpet alongside designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana wearing a creation from their Spring 2013 collection. Was the crown she paired with the gilded dress punk or poser?

Kate Upton certainly did not pull out her punk threads for the evening, though she did look stellar in a mint green Diane von Furstenberg gown paired with a clock-shaped purse. Katie Holmes also didn't play along in her white Calvin Klein gown, though if an expertly tattered train is punk, then I stand corrected. Meanwhile, Ashley Olsen interpreted "punk" as an opportunity to wear a neon orange sari, which was apparently vintage Dior and not from her own collection, The Row. Then there was Gwyneth Paltrow in a pink Valentino Couture gown, who said going "totally classic on a punk night" is actually punk. It seems fellow Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence, who wore a black Dior gown with a simple lace veil, got the same memo. After all, she did say she was a "cheerleader" type in her high school days rather than a punk.

Someone who certainly did not look punk, but rather likely engaged in some mischievous activities in order to score an invite, was uber-pregnant Kim Kardashian. While her Riccardo Tisci gown gave us deja vu of Adele's at the 2013 Grammys and screamed more "bad sofa" than "Bad Religion" (it raised a "red flag" rather than a "Black Flag," a real "Clash" on the red carpet, pick your pun), to even attend (after she was reportedly snubbed an invite from Wintour) is slightly punk in and of itself.

Some ladies skipped the sartorial influence altogether and instead opted for punk adornments, like Ivanka Trump, who dyed strands of her hair green for the occasion to match her green Juan Carlos Obando dress. Nicole Richie followed suit and dyed her hair ghostly white to match her Topshop gown for the evening, while Karlie Kloss pulled the polar opposite, dying her hair black. Ginnifer Goodwin ditched her usual pretty makeup for a look resembling a hooligan, which paired well with her sequined Tory Burch dress. January Jones did the same with heavy eye makeup and a faux hawk to balance her sequined Chanel dress.

Then there was vbeauté CEO Julie Macklowe, who pulled off the trifecta of punk fashion: pink hair, punk accessories and a studded gown by Zang Toi. After all, the theme of the night was to mix "chaos" with "couture," right?

What did you think of the punk fashions for the 2013 Met gala? Any best- or worst-dressed nominees stand out in your mind? Check out the photos in the slideshow then sound off in the comments below.