A lot of straight men apparently don’t understand Camp (I’m looking at you Taron Egerton, Rami Malek, and Seth Myers). However, there were a few contenders for the Best Dressed Genderbender which makes what I’m about to say super controversial, but I’m here to say it anyway.
I didn’t like Harry Styles’s outfit at the Met Gala last night.
Before you crucify me, hear me out. I didn’t like Harry Styles’s outfit…for the Met Gala. Dressed in Gucci, he wore a sheer top, and high waisted trousers that were paired with black heels, an earring, and coloured nails. It’s a great outfit. The top, with the front ruffles, and the flared doily cuffs are trendy and fashion forward.
My problem with Harry’s outfit is that instead of campy, it makes him look f-ckable. Harry Styles was already f-ckable before he wore this outfit. I won’t lie, this outfit, with those visible tats, does things for me. A lot of things. But unfortunately, this year’s theme wasn’t “Notes on F-ckability”, and as one of the hosts, I expected more from Harry. The problem with many of the outfits from last night was that they didn’t go far enough. Camp is a “love of the exaggerated.” Nails, heels, some see-through fabric, and an earring are moderately “epicene”, but do not constitute over the top.
When Ezra Miller walked onto the carpet, I gasped. Which was embarrassing, because I was at work and definitely hiding the fact that I was watching the red carpet. I don’t even know where to start with Ezra’s outfit. It is High Camp, introducing elements from a variety of Camp’s signifiers. It’s androgynous, with details like a bright red lip, feminine styled hair, a pinstripe suit, pinstripe train, and a jeweled corset. It plays at the idea of artifice using a mask in the likeness of Ezra, that covers the mystery layer below. Ezra even epitomizes exaggeration with multiple eyes that evoke an absurdity that refuses to let you look away. It’s sheer genius!
In his red-carpet interview, Harry Styles defined Camp as “having fun with clothes.” That’s a pretty good description of it, but while people like Gaga and Billy Porter’s outfits looked like they were having the time of their life, Harry looked as amused as he would reading a joke on Twitter. Harry is the face of Gucci and a burgeoning fashion icon. I love Harry’s style, which has been praised for toying around with gender. But if Harry Styles toys with gender, Ezra Miller drop kicks it into the sun.
In the past, Ezra has turned heads at red carpets and fashion events, especially during the press tour for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Ezra Miller is a genderbending master and a fashion warrior. At the red carpet Paris Premiere for FB:CoG, they shocked the world. Ezra Miller was even part of Vogue’s photoshoot for the “Notes on Camp” exhibition, paired with Keiynan Lonsdale in a dress by Thom Browne.
Ezra truly embodied the theme and used their history of non-binary fashion to execute it. According to Oscar Wilde, Camp’s official mascot, “one should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.” Last night Ezra did both, which is why Best Dressed Genderbender goes to them.
Editorial Note: Article updated to reflect Ezra’s preferred pronouns and non-binary identity
