Each year I write about the The Met Gala, (the annual benefit event for the Costume Institute, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York), because it is considered one of the world’s biggest fashion events.

It is known for its exclusive guest list, its expensive tickets and – most of all – its extravagant outfits, based on a different theme each year. This year, that theme was “Camp”.

Imagine a style exhibition, based on irony, humour, parody, pastiche, artifice, theatricality and exaggeration. The hallmark of camp is the spirit of extravagance. Camp is esoteric – something of a private code, a badge of identity even, among small urban cliques.

Showing everyone how it was done at the very start of the night was Lady Gaga, who arrived in a billowing pink outfit that was not quite what it seemed at first glance. I could write an entire article about Gaga’s outfits, but we’d be here all day and she’s been well covered. So let’s take a look at some of the others.

Katy Perry turned up as a chandelier. Not just one but two chandeliers in fact. One on her head and one around her waist. The outfit was made in collaboration with Moschino’s Jeremy Scott, who has dressed Perry for the Met Gala several times before.

What most people were wondering was how on earth Perry would manage to sit down for dinner. But she had that covered, with a costume change that saw her morph into a giant burger.

In other costume news, it’s worth noting how lucky it was that Celine didn’t turn up carrying a tent. “At first I was a little bit confused when I heard camp. I wasn’t sure what it meant” she ‘claimed’…

Once she had established she didn’t need to bring a sleeping bag, Celine enlisted fashion house Oscar de la Renta for a dress that took 3,000 hours to create. The result was a champagne-coloured bodysuit, embellished with silvery sequins and a hat made of gold-tinted singed peacock feathers.

Cardi B wore a floor-length oxblood custom Thom Browne gown, made from tulle and silk organza and filled with down, which featured a mammoth train flowing in concentric circles. It took 35 people more than 2,000 hours to make. She likes it like that.

Model Cara Delevingne’s rainbow theme was a nod to the LGBT flag, and the Pride-inspired stripes were completed with similarly multi-coloured platform heels and a Swarovski crystal cane.

The ensemble features in Dior’s haute couture spring/summer 2019 collection. Perhaps the most eye-catching part of her outfit, however, was her hat. The headpiece, made by Machine Dazzle, featured fried eggs, eyeballs, false teeth and bunches of bananas.

Camp.

But the biggest Campfest of the night goes to Harry Styles.

Harry went all out Gucci.

After such a colourful tour wardrobe, Harry took traditional feminine elements like frills, heeled boots, sheer fabric and pearl earrings, rephrasing them as masculine pieces set against the high-waisted tailored trousers and his tattoos.

The look is elegant, it’s camp, but still Harry.

As usual, Kanye West looked absolutely elated to be posing for photographs. Wife Kim Kardashian dressed to impress, with a skin-coloured Maison Mugler design that guaranteed she was the centre of attention.Her “wet look” came complete with beads giving the impression of raindrops washing over her nude body.

Kanye, meanwhile, opted for a simple black jacket that costs less than £40. So at least that’s one outfit that we might just be able to afford.

It’s all great fun and I say, bring on 2020!

David Beckham is an icon of our generation who rarely puts a foot wrong in the fashion department. Until now perhaps.

After celebrating his 44th birthday last week, it seems that the former footballer is now putting comfort ahead of his usual style, as he sported socks with sandals, in a fashion faux-pas.

Becks has been known to take fashion risks in the past. From a sarong to matching biker suits with wife Victoria Beckham , the style-conscious star has given most things a try. And to give him credit, he looked fabulous in each and every one.

But this latest choice might be his most “question mark” raising move yet.

The former footballer was seen accessorising a sharp navy-blue suit (winner) with a pair of bright red socks and brown Birkenstock sandals.

But before anyone rushes to copy his socks and sandals combo, we’ll take the charitable view.  David’s decision to rock the trend might not have been entirely his own.

He was filming an advert for his House 99 skincare brand in Dorset when he was papped. Beckham was happily strolling around on set as if he didn’t have a care in the world.. He had probably swapped his usual designer trainers for something much more comfortable – the Birkenstock.

 It actually looks good, if you ask me. And the socks HAD to be red.

But, if you’re DB, you could wear Florence & Fred at Tesco and still be crowned GQ Most Stylish Man of The Year.

Welcome to this week’s instalment of all things fashion and lifestyle from Amanda Zips It Up.

I am 75% in summer mode. Having had the best Easter weekend ever, moisture is being applied to my sunburnt nose as I write this piece. We usually spend Easter in the Balearics, but this year, due to our daughter’s post-ACL op knee, we couldn’t bring ourselves to force her through airports. So ‘staycationing’ in London was the plan.

What a result.

We had positively tropical 25’ conditions in the UK, while our beloved White Isle and big sis Mallorca were battered with wind and rain. Highly irregular.

What does one do in the UK on a glorious bank holiday? For starters, I popped to the south coast to visit my parents, plus we had the obligatory BBQ in the garden. On top of that, this year we took a day trip out to the beautiful and panoramically cool Soho Farmhouse in the idyllic Cotswolds.

Heaving with wealthy hipsters, ‘posh city’ families, models and TV celebs, the best option was to sit in the sun and observe. The fashion, of course. If you’re part of the Soho House member crew, then this is a must-do. And if you’re not a member, get to know one.

After a beautiful day lazing in the picture perfect countryside (we didn’t stay over), I decided we’re selling up in London and moving to the Cotswolds. Of course, the family resistance thus far has been – how shall we describe it – “fierce”.

Onto this week’s instalment, and we continue the summery theme with a collection of stunning summer fedoras by milliner Victoria Carson, a cruelty- free make up range by an English girl in New York and this weekend, I’ll be in Ibiza. Read all about Starlover Pop Up Shop in the Love Shack at Pikes.