EXPLORING “CAMP” AND ITS RADICAL INFLUENCE ON SELF-EXPRESSION
BY LAUREN STIDHAM ILLUSTRATION BY CASSIDY WOODS
PHOTOS BY PROVIDED
An extraordinary statement in fashion goes beyond mixing patterns and clashing color palettes: Challenging the conventionality of fashion with transformative choices is the essence of “Camp.” Though a singular definition of Camp is uncertain, expressing yourself in a way that is obnoxiously adventurous, often gaudy and theatrical, is the general interpretation of the word. Whether Camp-y fashion is used as a means of political rebellion or simply an experimental endeavor, its inventive identity is constantly pushing the envelope in the fashion industry.
The origins of Camp date back to the 1800s when gay entertainers in the U.K. created the language Parlyaree. Now referred to as Polari, the language was used by the community to conceal themselves amongst the anti-LGBTQ+ activity that persisted at the time. The word is thought to have derived from the Italian word “campare” meaning “to make something stand out,” according to Revivalist.
The Black community has also been integral participants in the history of Camp-y fashion, shown not only in cultural references such as “Black '70s funk, Caribbean Carnival costumes, and Blaxploitation movies” but also in their opulent clothing worn to exhibit grandeur outside white affluent communities. The drag community is among the most notable participants in the abstraction of Camp, often portraying an exaggerated perception of gender.
While historically Camp has been a sense of style motivated to challenge political and social transgressions, it has been adopted by Generation Z to label the act of making absurd and unorthodox clothing choices fashionable. Flashy bedazzled jeans, Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress, and 2010s plaid fedoras all fall on the diverse spectrum of camp’s interpretations in pop culture.
Taking old fads labeled as “atrocious” and incorporating them into creative ensembles is a reinventive approach to Camp-y fashion. Creating visionary outfits that introduce cuts and silhouettes unexplored in the fashion industry is the side of Camp that explores unprecedented waters in couture. Daring to wear something others will gawk at, whether it is vintage or ultra-modern, is Camp.
To fully narrate the entirety of Camp’s existence it’s vital to mention its role in the 2019 Met Gala theme, “Camp: Notes on Fashion.” The theme took influence from a 1964 essay, “Notes on ‘Camp’” where Susan Sontag described the expression as a “love of the unnatural, of artifice and exaggeration.”
While many agree most attendees missed the mark in their attempts at the theme, Cardi B’s elaborate dress silhouette, Billy Porter’s abundance of opulent gold jewels, and Lady Gaga’s theatrical display of outfit changes all incorporated aspects of Camp that stuck out to those who watched the event.
The inability to satisfy the theme’s intent reflects that often the true idea of Camp lies outside the constraints of high fashion. Camp is fun, it’s ironic, it’s fabulous and extravagant- it’s whatever it wants to be. It has taken the experiences of radically creative people, many far from fame, to truly embody the idea of Camp and its adventurous spirit.
