On Monday evening, we got glamorous, glittering eyefuls of ridiculously over-the-top fashions as celebrities worked the red carpet at the Met Gala’s celebration of “camp,” a slippery concept defined by exaggerated, superficial style over substance.
Andrew Bolton, head curator of the Met museum’s Costume Institute, said that defining camp is like trying to sit in the corner of a circular room. But a whole flock of queer celebrities and allies definitely tried, giving us some of the most playful and unforgettable fashions we’ve seen all year.
We already mentioned Billy Porter appearing a a golden-winged Egyptian pharaoh being carried by six shirtless men in gold pants, bracelets, face-coverings and boots. But he was just the tip of the camp iceberg, darlings.
Let’s see how other celebs wore their own versions of “camp”:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Billy Porter
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVY5MguT1/
Lena Waithe and Kerby Jean-Raymond
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxJy0qWAUKn/
Lena Waithe
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKU0lNjBJG/
Laverne Cox
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVUjrh3ji/
RuPaul
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVE5Ol94j/
Janelle Monae
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVRPaHsVZ/
Lupita Nyongo
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUVxmpvYe/
Odell Beckham Jr.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKURdQB1cH/
Nicki Minaj
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUQK-Fdi7/
Cardi B
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVTUrn-tC/
Jared Leto
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxJ3eQbhA02/
Ryan Murphy
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVC9CAEIN/
Katy Perry
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKURRhFjTL/
Lady Gaga
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUZ-pH-Ck/
Ezra Miller
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUZP5nJdn/
Kendall and Kylie Jenner
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUXy_g3WL/
Jeremy Scott and Bella Hadid
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUvtIgQJD/
Lala Anthony
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUXrBnSiY/
Ciara
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUXLAFspx/
Harry Styles
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUTFXAl1k/
Sarah Paulson
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVOUIDIPM/
Anderson Paak
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVZDthABp/
Naomi Campbell
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVY5Rh0FI/
Gigi Hadid
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVYT-HSZo/
Thalia and Maluma
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVY1UFVpY/
Cara Delevigne
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVSZMpSHA/
Michael Urie
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVK0fDkAK/
Alessandro Michele
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVHdugB1l/
James Charles
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVAPulBe7/
Emma Stone
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKUrSDn8ZW/
Natasha Lyonne
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxJ5bSZjW-9/
Lay Zhang
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKibj-g6kU/
Tiffany Haddish
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKqhWCpRQN/
Lizzo
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKqhGPHUTO/
Madelaine Petsch
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKqgvNBrTZ/
Gisele Bündchen
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxI8xu7AOiu/
Benedict Cumberbatch , Sophie Hunter
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKqfbHgmBG/
Lili Reinhart, Cole Sprouse
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxJC29WFrGC/
Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKqeAolZgO/
Ava DuVernay
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKVjC0FNQk/
Kim Kardashian
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKs4ycjeVO/
Kylie Jenner, Travis Scott
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKs3P3g6bO/
Bella Hadid
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKs285A-Jq/
Alicia Vikander
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKs2tng8Ot/
Natasha Poonawalla
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKs1_2pHuc/
Kendall Jenner
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKs1zCg8uZ/
Zoë Kravitz
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKsgdAAYgQ/
Yara Shahidi
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKsiZmn5f_/
Zendaya
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKsvdMHCnp/
Gwen Stefani
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKsttHnvsj/
Lily Rose Depp
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKssyjHRs7/
Michael Urie
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKssrsHUXO/
Ella Balinska
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKssgFFmnk/
Serena Williams
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKsp9YAjDN/
Janet Mock
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKspMiFEEs/
Lucy Boynton
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKsoxGBsf0/
Camila Morrone
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKsnBNlOms/
Josephine Skriver
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKsm5uh8nA/
Violet Chachki
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxJaV2Xn4lB/
Aquaria
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxJK70qAmCt/
Emily Ratajkowski
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKslKtArQR/
Billy Porter’s ensemble
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxKsk0lAedQ/
Cara Delevingne
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxJUqsNglRK/
We’re sure to be missing a few, so if we left out your favorite, just scream about it in the comments.
mojoswngr
That’s not Chadwick Boseman. It’s designer Kerby Jean-Raymond. He made Lena’s outfit.
ingyaom
The word cringe-worthy comes to mind looking at these pictures. Isn’t this supposed to be a fund-raising event? I’m sure way more money was spent on these ridiculous outfits than was raised for charity.
OzJosh
This is true of even the most modest fundraising events in the US, if you really care to think about it. But so long as you have a political system that does not think government should fund proper healthcare, medical research, care for the disabled and underprivileged, etc. this is what you get.
Brian
Tickets are $35,000 apiece. Plenty of funds were raised. It is possible to do something for a good cause and have fun doing it you know.
justgeo
BTW Black drag Queens did NOT invent camp. Ru etc may have popularized it but was around since late 1800’s
dwes09
Absolutely true. The first appearance of the word was in England, and was used to refer to exaggerated behavior of gay men.
And it is believed to come from the french se camper, meaning “to pose in an exaggerated fashion”.
Camp as an aesthetic evolved slowly among gay men. It most certainly was not invented by black drag queens regardless of how well they express the sensibility. Modern American culture (both high and low) owes a ton of stuff to black people. But not the concept of camp.
OzJosh
Camp also has nothing to do with drag. It’s a sensibility that was largely honed in the UK.
toddlicious
That’s not what Kim Kardashian wore to the Met Galla. It may be what she wore later or after, but she looked like a deep fried turkey in what she arrived in. Don’t believe me? Check my Instagram: toddlicious for the proof.
theafricanwiththemouth
She looked like jewelry in her MET outfit. Beautiful.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Ezra Miller certainly was an eye full……
sputnik53
REAL ” camp ” comes from old Hollywood black and white movies from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Movies with a lot of double entendre and men who acted gay. I don’t know what you’d call that style-free mess at The Met Gala but camp wasn’t anywhere to be seen. It was nothing more than a photo op for a bunch of insecure glitterati.
Thank God I’m old.
ingyaom
I think they mistook kitsch for camp (or the other way around).
OzJosh
The actual use of the word “camp” goes back to 1909 – well before any Hollywood movies indulged in a camp sensibility. And notions of camp (including the origins of the word) go back to 1870s London, before movies were even a thing.
theafricanwiththemouth
Ezra Miller, Janelle Monae, Liza Koshy, Lupita N’yongo, Ella Balinska (don’t know her but that Metallic outfit!!), Zendaya, Katy Perry and Miss Laverne were, in my opinion, the best. They looked fantastic in different ways.
Billy porter, i liked only in photos of him being carried, but while standing alone, wings spread (or not), he looked horrible/lame/funny??..
Lady Gaga, three outfits… The pink massive one was lovely. The other two? Yeah let’s forget those unnecessary things.
Finally, HOW DARE YOU? I mean how dare you queerty!! That’s not Chadwick Boseman in the photo with Lena!! Get your eyes checked. Sometimes you guys can be so lackluster, ugh.
dwes09
Zendaya looked incredible. And she was one for the few who looked like she was having a carefree great time.
Monae never doesn’t look great, so it was like a normal night out for her.
theafricanwiththemouth
I agree 100% @dwes09
muscl954
I was under the (mistaken) impression that the Met Gala was an elegant affair. I didn’t realize that it was actually a bad costume party.
Brian
There’s always a theme, so it’s always a bad costume party. It’s the one place celebs can wear the ridiculous outfits that used to be awards show staples.
Itsonlythetruth
Such a waste of money. One outfit more horrible then the other.
Brian
Man, some of these people didn’t even fake an attempt to do something close to the theme.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
have always beyond hated that those no talented whores, the entire Kartrashian band of abhorrent whores are multi millionaires simply for being non talented whores…
Serena Williams is a miserable ungrateful crunt. A few years back during the US Open this MULTI MILLIONAIRE was comped a $400 meal at a NYC restaurant. She then proceeded to leave and not leave the waitstaff A SINGLE DOLLAR!