These 10 Stars Actually Got Camp Right, Here's Why

“But why is it Camp?” That became the question that erupted in group chats and on Twitter in the milliseconds following the first entrances at Monday’s Met Gala. A whole meme farm emerged courtesy of that single question, with just about everybody fancying themselves the be-all end-all arbiter of Camp. But that title at least partially belongs to Susan Sontag, whose 1964 essay, “Notes on ‘Camp’” became something of a bible for many stars, designers, and stylists in the months leading up to the Met Gala.

It was in these fifty-eight meticulously worded notes that stylists found something of a roadmap for nailing this year’s theme. But those notes are full of artful caveats that keep Camp as a defined term in the abstract. Take for instance, Sontag’s final musing: “The ultimate Camp statement: it's good because it's awful.” Makes sense, right? Then she adds: “Of course, one can't always say that. Only under certain conditions.” So with all that lack of assuredness in mind, who swung and landed in the stands? It turns out, quite a few.

Here’s 10 celebs that got Campy—and won big for doing so.