Printed suits? Check. Ruffled blouses? Double check.
If the Met Gala’s theme this year is all about camp, Harry Styles is bound to be its red carpet king. The British singer has built his distinctive style around the idea, often choosing playful suits that riff on costuming made famous by musical icons such as David Bowie, Prince, and Elton John.
This fearless, fun approach to fashion is what camp is all about—so who better to co-chair the evening this year? (As he will, alongside Lady Gaga and Serena Williams.)
Styles’s campy attitude has developed over time. It gained momentum after his One Direction days in 2015 when he began to take risks on the step and repeat. His early solo days saw more subtle flourishes: think, a white ruffled button-up worn with a more classic suit. (Dipping a toe into camp, if you will.) Then, things got full-on experimental. Enter the diamond-print suit he wore to perform at the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival, a theatrical outfit he took even further with a white pussy now blouse and heeled shoes. The printed suit has since fast become his daily uniform; one day it’s an elegant floral pattern, and the next, it’s a groovy paisley.
As Hollywood men and their stylists begin to consider a red carpet strategy for the Met Gala, allow Styles—a first time attendee of the ball—and his many on-theme looks to serve as a crucial mood board. The takeaway: the more OTT, the better. Above, 12 of his campiest looks to date.
