To all of my friends who texted me last night, "I don't get the Met Gala Camp theme [1]," I said this: "Camp is you x100,000. Camp is you — on another level." Camp is you on your best, most fabulous evening, decked out in everything obvious and over-the-top that defines you. And that's when it's at its best. A look that's also just super literal and rooted in pop, art, or drag culture (where much of the camp aesthetic originated) is how we define camp. But there's a difference between dreaming up your own elaborate outfit and choosing any old costume. If your look also works to make a personal political statement or shows how you see the world based on the current zeitgest, that's camp at its finest.
Accessories are important [2]. They're "equal in status" to the dress or the rest of the look, according to curator Andrew Bolton. Vogue also helped to define the meaning for younger people as "both the filter and the selfie you take with it." Susan Sontag's 1964 essay "Notes on 'Camp'" was the foundation for the entire exhibit, but the stars who arrived at the ball tried to bring it meaning in their own ways. Some understood it completely, and clearly were on the same page as Anna Wintour as she approved their looks [3] one by one, and others were just a little . . . plain.
We're breaking it down and showing you our favourite moments from the 2019 pink carpet [4] and the celebs whose looks fell short; the people we would've encouraged to "DREAM BIG!" Because when it comes to camp, no one should miss out on the fun.
So Camp: Lady Gaga Changing Into 4 Different Looks That Define the Stages of Her Music
Wearing custom Brandon Maxwell [6].
So Camp: Kacey Musgraves Transforming Into a Life Size Barbie, Pink Convertible and All
Wearing Moschino by Jeremy Scott [7].
So Camp: Kim Kardashian Redefining Her Sex Appeal in a "Dripping" Dress
Wearing a custom Thierry Mugler dress [8] designed after Sophia Loren's dripping-wet look in 1957's Boy on a Dolphin [9].
So Camp: Zendaya Saying Goodbye to Her Disney Days in an Over-the-Top Tech Cinderella Ballgown
Wearing Tommy Hilfiger [10]. (P.s. she even lost a glass slipper on the way up the stairs!)
So Camp: Celine Dion In a 22-LB Dress Inspired By the Ziegfeld Follies Costumes From the '30s
Wearing Oscar de la Renta [11].
So Camp: Lizzo Literally "Drippin' So Much Sauce" on the Pink Carpet
Wearing Marc Jacobs [12].
So Camp: Jared Leto Accessorising His Outfit With His Own Head
Wearing Gucci as a reference to the Fall 2018 runway [13].
So Camp: Billy Porter Owning His Own "Sun God" Outfit With 10-Foot Wings and a 24-Karat Gold Headpiece
Wearing a Cleopatra-inspired theatrical look by The Blonds [14].
So Camp: Hailee Steinfeld in the Satirical Ball Gown of the 21st Century, With a Camera of Course
Wearing a Viktor & Rolf dress with a Judith Leiber camera clutch [15].
So Camp: Jemima Kirke and Lena Dunham in Matching Fetish T-Shirt Dresses
Wearing Christopher Kane [16].
So Camp: Cara Delevingne in Pride Platforms With a Headpiece Made of "Body Parts"
Wearing Dior Haute Couture [17].
So Camp: Lupita Nyong'o in an Exaggerated Rainbow With Drag-Inspired Makeup and Afro Picks
Wearing a rainbow Versace dress [18] with a meaningful beauty look [19].
So Camp: Janelle Monáe Referencing Art and Her Own Exaggerated Camp DNA With a Wink — Literally
Wearing Christian Siriano [20].
Could've Been Campier: Penélope Cruz in Chanel
The tiered silhouette was nice, but hardly eye-catching in the midst of the rest of the chaos.
Could've Been Campier: Hailey Baldwin in Alexander Wang
Aside from the makeshift g-string [21], are we missing a reference here?
Could've Been Campier: Karlie Kloss in Gucci x Dapper Dan
The pouf sleeves were the most eccentric part of Karlie's outfit.
Could've Been Campier: Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton
We love Emma in Louis Vuitton, and she's nailed every look since becoming brand ambassador. But we could also see this '80s-inspired jumpsuit on her at a movie premiere.
Could've Been Campier: Gisele Bündchen in Dior Haute Couture
We don't need to tell you Gisele looked beautiful, but do we ever have to tell you Gisele looks beautiful?
Could've Been Campier: Gwyneth Paltrow in Chloé
It's pretty! It's bohemian! I'd totally wear it to a daytime wedding this Summer.
Could've Been Campier: Solange Knowles in Salvatore Ferragamo
It's not that we don't appreciate Solange's ability to pull off a leather snake-print romper. We just also appreciate her ability to pull off colorful, avant-garde designs that are essentially works of art, as she has so many times in the past [22].
Could've Been Campier: Adwoa Aboah in DVF
Adwoa's glowing pink makeup was awesome, but if she was going with leopard print, we wish she would've gone all out in a more striking silhouette.
Could've Been Campier: Demi Moore in Saint Laurent
The all-black look was flattering on the actress, but we think she could've pulled off something more wild than a deep plunging neckline. Demi can work it!
Could've Been Campier: Constance Wu in Marchesa
We loved the 1920s reference here, but we think Constance is playful enough to own tremendous colour or wild makeup.
Could've Been Campier: Shawn Mendes in Saint Laurent
This is the dude that balanced out Hailey Baldwin in pink hair with plum suiting in 2018 [23]. "There's nothing holdin' me back," you say?
