group chat: notes on the met ball
FURTHER NOTES, added post-Met Gala: You must read Ira Madison’s Notes on Camp in Crooked. Yes, you!
Sarah Crawford: WELCOME TO THE MET BALL, CAMPERS!
I’m going to keep adding people to this chat as we go.
Taylor Mikiska: Guys this is so embarrassing but I don’t even know the theme 😅
Sabrina Benmoha: Does anyone?
SC: CAMP
SB: Like summer camp? Bermuda shorts / farmers tans?
SC: Jesus, Sabrina. Camp as in queer / drag culture. “Campy.”
Tavis Gray: https://faculty.georgetown.edu/irvinem/theory/Sontag-NotesOnCamp-1964.html
SB: Omg bye. #cultured
SC: But also I did have the same thought as you
SB: Ashley Graham
SC: BILLY PORTER omg THE NUMBER OF TIMES I HAVE LOUDLY WISHED TO BE CARRIED AROUND BY A LITTER OF MY ADMIRERS!
… Tavis, as usual, is mad that Harry Styles is there tonight instead of him. And I feel the same way about Maggie Rogers who is rocking my dream Meg Ryan / Rainbow Disco Queen hair.
TG: I am mad. Why shouldn't I be!
SB: [Karlie Kloss outfit]
How u mean? Looks like my Bat Mitzvah party dress.
SC: Yeah lol not a fan of Karlie’s look.
Also, will state the obvious now: it pisses me off when people go off-theme.
TM: Taylor - and I agree about disliking when people don’t commit to the theme.
SC: Serena 👏💖
I could be crazy but in this photo it looks like her shoes are a slightly more highlighter shade of yellow than her lemonade dress and it’s bothering me. But she can do anything she wants, it’s fine.
Here’s The Twitter Moment!
TG: Gaga is camp; the color pink is camp.
SC: In the Vogue “Ask Anna” CAMP video —
Interviewer: What should Ru Paul wear?
Anna: I wouldn’t dream of telling Ru Paul what to wear, I think nobody understands making an entrance better than he does.
SB: Okay Jared Leto
SC: Not quite as CAMP as I’d like but Awkwafina looks great
TG: Is the new royal baby coming to this
SC: The royal baby was born on this day for a reason, his name is Ru Paul CAMP Markle Windsor, long may he reign. (*Editor’s note — it wasn’t until after this conversation that the world discovered the baby’s name is ARCHIE which is the best and most camp thing that has happened to the monarchy in quite some time).
CELINE’S ON HER WAY
Okay Sabrina I just found the photos of Ashley, I like it!
… Hey guys remember when two minutes ago I said to text “minimally” OOPS SRY i’m too excited everyone do what you want but also know I will post all your thoughts on the internet hehe.
Honestly y’all I love Harry and he looks great but again.... NOT ENOUGH CAMP where is the color?!
Ryan Murphy wow I’m impressed.
Been thinking about making my bday party rainbow-themed and I would like to wear this pls.
SB: Anna Wintour looks fire for once.
SC: Yes, for once!!! I love that she’s basically just in a campier version of a pink Chanel suit though.
SB: Waiting for Blake Lively.... Where art thou?
SC: Everyone pls welcome Kendall Little, Queen of Met Ball Twitter.
Kendall Little: SAOIRSE AND FLORENCE
SC: YES. The Brits are onto something.
...Y’all.
SB: How u mean!
Yara Shahidi…So simple but so her.
Omg
Taylor Hill
Looks like a princess
SC: Yes and why would you show up to the Camp Ball looking like a princess???🙄💤Also who is Taylor Hill?
JANELLE!
KL: Janelle is amazing!!!!!!!!
TG: Tracee thank youuuu
KL: Traceeeeeee!
SC: Honestly kind of love Benedict’s look haha! 💖🕊
KL: Ashton Sanders is so amazing I’m still not over it.
SC: SAME, goddess bless.
TG: Russian BALL.
SC: Love it. The Olsens and Shawn Mendes are really pissing me off should I start a blacklist of people who don’t stick to the theme? Taylor Hill’s on it too, sorry Sab lol.
TG: Nice save.
SB: Whatever Sarah
It’s not on theme yet.
But she’s gorg.
Hannah Hopkins: Hello YES was on the phone with my grandmother. She says hi!
THIS IS ALL TOO DAMN MUCH!
SC: OR IS IT NOT ENOUGH💖💖💖
Hi Grandma!
KL: Rami Malek so boring why ?
SC: Adding him to the list. Not sry, Rami.
TG: Tiffany Haddish is handing out fried chicken from a plastic bag.
SC: She also has the best outfit of everyone far!
TG: She's wearing what Harry Styles should be wearing (still mad).
SC: You mean to tell me this whole clutch is full of fried chicken?
She wins today and every day.
TG: Waiting for someone to show up with a live animal
SC: Jake Gyllenhaal should bring his cat.
TAVIS HERE SHE IS w your favorite animal pls remember you asked for this! I LOVE SOLANGE I LOVE SNAKES. This outfit sans snake is not Camp but Solange is not and never will be on the Met Ball Naughty List.
SB: She’s so gorgeous.
TG: We have no choice but to stan .gif
SC: Okay so Billy Porter is Camp God, Tiffany Haddish is Queen Camp, and Darren Criss is Camp Prince.
Acceptable ways to wear an all black outfit at Met Camp (take notes, Harry):
SC: Wait my brain is on overload bc of CIARA!!!!!, Katy Perry, Cole Sprouse, and even the Jenner sisters ALL ON THEME AND THRIVING. Also pls excuse my middle school sense of humor guys but I am CHORTLING:
SB: Show the Jenners!
SC: Coming sry LUPITA JUST SHOWED UP ON MY FEED TOO I’m crying.
HH: Oh MY.
SC: Do we like?! I think it’s fun?
SB: Wait. I really like it.
HH: I really love it!
SC:Okay me too. Is it Camp enough? Does it matter?
SB: So retro!
HH: Sort of Sharon Tate/Farrah Fawcett/Care Bear.
The little pockets just do it for me — and her sleeves are full batwing!
SC: CARE BEAR. Perfect.
Also wait I have questions about KACEY I love her !!!!! But is Barbie Camp enough? Am I judging everyone too hard? I LOVE it but I also would love for her to just show up to a random normal event in this…
OMFG the Barbie Mobile helps!
SB: Here for it.
HH: I think it is — subtle, sure, but even Camp is a spectrum/kaleidoscope
KL: I love Kacey as Barbie!!! I think Barbie is is camp, especially w the oversized zipper and hair dryer purse lmao.
HH: Yes to the fur, purse, etc.
It read Elle Woods to me at first!
SC: Yes okay cool cool I’m over-analyzing, I love Kacey always forever.
HH: ALSO I love a good historiography of the relationship between TM and Kacey in the marketplace, and the blonde is not-not a nod to that.
SC: OMG THANK YOU HAN.
Here is Diet Prada on that for anyone who missed:
HH: The CMAs had to give TM LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS to make space for Kacey! It was nuts!
Like Taylor HAD to gtfo of country!
SC: I did some stalking myself and this has basically ALWAYS been Kacey’s aesthetic like for at least over a year, but TM started only a couple moths ago.
Moths or months lol.
HH: YES!
SC: But that is stupid that two women couldn’t exist in country together.
Is Taylor invited to this? She’s sure as hell corny idk about camp though.
TM: I actually thought that Kacey v Taylor pic was one grid at first glance lol
KL: Cara!!!!!!!
IMAGE
SB: CARDI B SLAYING MY ENTIRE EXISTENCE
Chichi Offor: Cardi B is giving me a “Mr.Krabs but make it ~fashun~” vibe
TG:
SC: Queen Lizzo.
CO: I’m just going to go on public record and state that I genuinely thought CAMP meant like sleepaway camp theme. I would like you all to know that I now know this has nothing to do with kayaks and campfire songs.
SC: Hahaha yes a lot of people were initially confused, including Celene Dion apparently! Which is hilarious bc as Twitter has stated, the woman eats, sleeps, and breathes Camp.
CO: Yeah makes sense now. I saw Lena Waithe’s jacket and was like Ohhhhh!!!!!
SC: YES. Also, what are gators? Their boots?
CO: I honestly have no clue my friend.
SC: Oh yes I think she’s just talking about their boots. SO COOL.
CO: I like them tooooo.
Did y’all see Princess Zendaya?
This is the Disney I want 24/7!
SC: YES and who is her fairy godmother? I’ve only seen their back! Apparently whoever made her dress has been working on the technology for years?!
KL: YES the same Zac Posen tech that Claire Danes wore a few years ago but now like above and beyond perfected.
CO: The fairy godmother is her her stylist! Ughh brings back this iconic black Cinderella that Brandi blessed us with! This was from 1997 btw folks and Prince Charming was a POC tooooooo.
HH: Dream of the ’90s!
SC: Okay I am ASHAMED that I have never seen the Brandi Cinderella but I know Tavis is obsessed!
HH: WHITNEY HOUSTON PRODUCED IT AND IS ALSO THE FAIRY GODMOTHER.
CO: Lol I’m not surprised at all Sarah.
HH: Top of the Summer Movie Syllabus.
SC: I literally know all about it and have no idea why I haven’t seen it haha will watch TONIGHT!
HH: Ugh I have the worst crush on Victor Garber.
CO: Orrr the BEST crush!
SC: Who has been everyone’s favorite so far? I am obsessed with Janelle Monae, Ciara, and obviously Billy Porter wins the whole damn world.
CO: How do we feel about this Harry Styles number? I honestly loved my boi in this! Idk about favorite though. It’s def not campy enough now that I know the definition.
Image credit: Vogue
OMG BILLY! I need to check out more fits.
Image credit: Time
SC: Also Lupita!!!, Solange (not rly camp but she can do anything), and Darren Criss.
KL: I feel like Gaga and Billy Porter were like indisputably the BEST but my favorites were definitely Tessa Thompson, Ashton Sanders and Ezraaaaa.
SC: Yes to all 💖💖💖
KL: Also Harry didn’t go all in like he could have but I’m proud of our bb lmao.
SC: And yeah Chich, Harry was so cute I loved his heels but We Want More!
CO: WE WANT MORE HARRY.
Yeah I agree he just cute all the time to me but his tour outfits were more campy than this lol.
TESSA! I just saw her fit… I’m playing catch up y’all because I’m back home in Georgia lololol
KL: If Harry had done a bold fuschia lip to match Alessandro’s look—😭
CO: ^^^^^^
SC: Lol:
TM: Omg yes that lime green Marie Antoinette!!
SC: Apologies for the late add but everyone pls welcome Prairie King Darrin Clayton to the convo. Pls share your faves, I’m so excited!
Darrin Clayton: Bonjour bishes.
Okay so let’s get a lay-down here on the now clinically straight camp aesthetic.
The menfolk were a disappointing as they are in bed.
Like let me applaud your bravery for wearing lace, Mr. Styles. You show them just how strong your convictions of yourself are.
CO: Honestly I agree with ur statement on the guys, pretty underwhelming over all.
DC: Kacey Musgraves can run me over with Barbie’s dream car and I won’t even press charges.
CO: Lolololololol KACEY 4 Lyfe!
DC: Lizzo’s boobs were the clear showstopper in her Marky Marc Jacobs.
We Love Gaga. Yass Gaga. I don’t know a better woman and even tho the look wasn’t the most campy, she won us over in performance.
SC: Yes and yes. Did we ever talk about Frank Ocean.........?! Hahah. Trevor Noah too. Kanye I was not surprised by but the others I was like... I see what you’re trying to do and I don’t think it’s working. Love them both to death but come on, gentlemen.
DC: OMG THO WE ARE GONNA GLAZE OVER THEM BC A WINDBREAKER IS NOT CAMP OR ACCEPTABLE PERIOD.
Miuccia Prada needs to be gob-smacked so hard that her dentures go flying for the pieces she had Prada send out.
TM: I thought Cole Sprouse and the Jo Bros were cute, but some glam makeup would’ve made it a look.
DC: How did nobody take camp literally and go as a glam Boy Scout?
SC: Honestly though! There was only one reporter wearing a Scouts sash.
DC: That’s just a disappointment. Dsquared2 would have thrived under that, for they’re queer as fuck AND do a scary amount of Boy Scout themed ready to wear.
DC: Bc Pattiegonia ain’t got 30k to spare.
OKURRRRR so final verdict: Camp was a fail and we should all agree that it should never happen again.
SC: Hahaha oh no. We had a few winners for sure but overall I agree.
DC: We really did! I can count them on my two hands. I feel like this was just to weed out the people who should never be invited back to the Gala.
SC: 100%. Leave and never come back Shawn Mendes.
DC: Honestly. Bye bye Shawn.
Miley Cyrus has proven that she’s just another boring married lady now.
SC: Yes lol where was Wrecking Ball miley ??
WINNERS:
Billy Porter
Lupita Nyongo
Cardi B
Lizzo
Tessa Thompson
Kacey Musgraves
Lena Waithe
Tiffany Haddish
Cara Delevingne
Katy Perry
SB: Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Zendaya
DC: LADY GAGA IS A WINNER TOO. She is the mother we all deserve.
SC: OMFG how could I forget Gaga my apologies!!
TM: Unpopular opinion but I loved Hailey Bieber and her exposed wang thong and pink highlight/high pony.
DC: But it wasn’t camp. Like it could have been camp if she had Justin wearing a matching dress x thong.
SC: Agreed! For me, Hailey would’ve been cute on another carpet. But I wasn’t blown away in comparison to all the other on theme looks. Y’all know how I feel: Go Big and On Theme or literally I will escort you home.
SB: Also didn’t realize it was a thong until you said it lol. I thought it was apart of the dress...
SC: I also missed the thong thing!
TM: Agree on missing the mark a bit on theme - I think if she had more of a defined personality it might have amped things up- but I was def into the look. 100% wish Justin was there in matching dress/thong.
SC: Are we missing any other winners?!
CO: I could safely say that Cardi was top 5 for me!
DC: Laverne Cox (like yes let me wear this to the funeral of my ex) and Lily Collins (Marina and the Diamonds Electra Heart was being SERVED).
Consolation prizes:
Ezra Miller (it was just okay but it was on theme so I’m gonna give him a consolation prize)
Gwen Stefani
Serena Williams
Lucy Boynton (I just loved her cotton candy fairy look for literally any other event)
Emily Ratajowski (solid Cher ensemble)
Priyanka Chopra (fuck u, Nick, for being a basic ass boi™️)
Florence Welch
Jared Leto
SC: Agree with all and also I would award runner up/consolation prizes to Gigi Hadid (Elton/Liberace inspo and great lashes!) and Benedict Cumberbatch. Jordan Roth was a winner too! And I liked DVF’s self portrait Lady Liberty look and Ryan Murphy’s Liberace shell situation too. Omg also Aurora James - she is the founder of my favorite ever shoe brand, Brother Vellies. Thanks for forwarding this, Tav! (Caption!!!)
DC: I mean, I love the dissection of it—like yes, we love an analytical global analysis, but also, camp is in essence, over the top, eccentric glamour as invented by black drag queens.
I feel like florals, raffia, and naturally occurring phenomena like fall into a completely different school of design aesthetic.
Like, the influence being driven was the queer narrative of larger than life theatricality.
Of course we straight washed that and people were confused by what exactly that meant.
But she’s right, the focus is on cultures with access to synthesized materials.
SC:Yeah I think it’s a really thoughtful take! As opposed to others who didn’t even bother to think about it or attempt to express it at all
DC: I think they might have tried but needed a sassy queer friend to help
Like the majority of the nation was also confused
SC: Yeah, blessing and curse that the long-standing phenomenon gets national attention it deserves but then is also misinterpreted and/or ignored by a lot of the privileged, straight guests. Takes the whole “not getting the memo on the theme” issue to another level.
Thanks for joining our Group Chat! Tell us in the comments below—or on our Instagram, Twitter, Facebook—what you thought of this year’s theme. And your favorite Camp looks!