I am well aware of the Met Costume Institute and I always hoped that one day I’d see an exhibit. I did, and you wouldn’t believe it but the theme was so perfect for someone like me to see. It was all about CAMP.
Camp as in tacky as hell clothing. How great is that? It’s like they knew I was coming and put out all the best stuff just for me.
Although I describe camp as “tacky” the Met has chosen to use a better description via their website, in which the exhibit “examines how the elements of irony, humor, parody, pastiche, artifice, theatricality, and exaggeration are expressed in fashion.”
See? Basically, it’s extreme tackiness.
This exhibit is pretty extensive and had pieces of fashion camp all the way from the mid-17th century. Unfortunately, space was limited and I missed out on a lot of that. That only means that I didn’t give everything away and you now have a reason to see it!
No worries though, I did get quite a few snaps in if you can’t actually go.
Check these out, you have one dress that looks like it can’t decide whether it’s a very posh wedding gift, or a bed skirt that’s been turned upside down. I quite like the simple dress on the right and I’m baffled as to why it was in a collection labeled “Camp”. It seems a wee bit too classy and put together, especially next to that ruffled disaster.
I really want to meet the people who would wear these out in public. Badly. I need to learn from them how to be confident enough to rock this get up on a night out. That butterfly puffball is everything this world needs. It’s just so… so… much. Wow, that was an anticlimactic sentence.
I honestly think Moschino showed up the most in this camp-fest. They literally made a dress based on paper dolls, even going so far as to include the fold down tabs. The printed on legs are SO LEGIT, that I CAN’T EVEN. And can we bring the giant bows back? Not that I think they’re particularly fashionable, I just figure they will make me look skinnier. Kind of like how the giant tote purse was used to create an optical illusion of tiny torsos in the 2o10 era.
This presents one way to ruin the little black dress concept and one way to represent Venus. Could you imagine if you were at an awards show and had to sit next to someone wearing that? “I’m sorry Ma’am, but your flounce is in my lap.”
That carousel dress is AMAZEBALLS. I don’t even care that it’s gaudy and in your face. I’m wondering if it’s even possible to sit in that? Flags would get crushed and carousel horses would meet an untimely demise!
This gave me serious Madonna vibes from when she performed “Material Girl” on the VMAs way back when. Which makes me wonder why *that* dress wasn’t featured in this exhibit!
No Camp exhibit would be complete without the infamous swan dress Bjork once rocked. And what is with the hairnet on the mannequin’s face in the background? Someone HELP HER.
Bob Mackie bringing the bling and the headwear. Tell me why no one has worn that hat to a royal British wedding.
The guy literally has a banana where his junk is. That’s not even subtle. And the girl is wearing undies that are telling him to keep his banana off her melons. I do like the stem and leaves sticking out of their heads though.
And hands down the most tackiest thing I saw there was these outfits made out of stuffed animals. It’s so atrocious that it’s the best thing you will see in the whole exhibit. It’s… It’s… so bizarre and miraculous all at the same time!
The Camp Fashion Exhibit is open until September 8th if you want to drop in and visit. It’s $25 if you’re an out of towner like moi but I believe New Yorkers get in free? Maybe? Either way the Met as a whole is incredible, and this exhibit was merely the cherry on top of a fantastic museum!
Wow, camp-themed fashion sounds so cool! I’m so glad you were able to attend this exhibit.
I nominated you for the mystery blogger award. https://astridetal.wordpress.com/2019/08/02/mystery-blogger-award/
It was very cool and totally fun!
Wow, camp-themed fashion sounds so cool! I’m so glad you were able to attend this exhibit.
I nominated you for the mystery blogger award. https://astridetal.wordpress.com/2019/08/02/mystery-blogger-award/
It was very cool and totally fun!
You mean you wouldn’t wear any of that??
I’d be all over those banana drawers like white on rice!
So maybe I secretly want that swan dress as my Halloween costume.
The banana drawers? You don’t want that chic face mask the scary mannequin is wearing?
Oh that’s hot!!! Your boyfriend would be impressed!
Yes, I’ll take that too!
Wouldn’t he be though?
I guess..
We will never know anyways
You mean you wouldn’t wear any of that??
I’d be all over those banana drawers like white on rice!
So maybe I secretly want that swan dress as my Halloween costume.
The banana drawers? You don’t want that chic face mask the scary mannequin is wearing?
Oh that’s hot!!! Your boyfriend would be impressed!
Yes, I’ll take that too!
Wouldn’t he be though?
I guess..
We will never know anyways
I would love to have seen this. I always love a good laugh! lol
It was pretty fun!
I would love to have seen this. I always love a good laugh! lol
It was pretty fun!
Oh my gosh, thanks so much for sharing this!!! I never really knew what CAMP fashion was but, I totally get it now. Remember Lady Gaga’s meat dress? LOL. Nothing beats that but a lot of these are cutting it close. The paperdoll one is so freakin’ cool, what the heck!! & why is that butterfly puffball so cute to me?!
I loved this exhibit, it was so fun with all the wacky outfits!
Oh god, the meat dress from Lady Gaga! Thank god they couldn’t preserve *that* dress!
To be fair, I think the CAMP fashion exhibit could’ve been composed entirely of Lady Gaga outfits and outfits from 1980’s music videos.
Isn’t the paper doll dress incredible? I still can’t get over the legs that were added to that dress!
I missed this post! You don’t show up on my feed anymore and the email notifications also don’t seem to be working 🙁 I LOOVE so many things here. I’m a drag queen trapped in a woman’s body and that exhibition is a version of heaven. That butterfly fur ball gives. Me. Life.
“Drag queen trapped in a woman’s body” is the best description ever!
Isn’t it the best thing ever?! I was thrilled when I realized that this was the exhibit they were putting on while I was in New York. Best timing ever. And that fur ball is nothing short of glorious!
I don’t know what is going on with the notification. Some people get them and some people don’t. I’ve heard people have had to unsubscribe and resubscribe to get my posts. Maybe that will work for you too?
I tried the resubscribe thing, and you still don’t show up on my reader :/ but I’m subscribed also by email and those I get! It’s all good now!
It’s so weird how the WordPress reader works. Some people see me, some people don’t. I have no idea what the X factor is!
I’m glad you get the emails though!