“Kitsch is the German word for trash, and is used in English to describe particularly cheap, vulgar and sentimental forms of popular and commercial culture”
- Tate UK
One of my most memorable pieces of clothing was a pair of leggings from middle school. I adored it. It was a pair of galaxy space leggings from Gap Kids. It is probably the epitomes of kitsch, yet perhaps I have gone full circle. Though I may not sport this pair of leggings in the present day, but I definitely still have an affinity for kitsch.
Reflecting on the prints that I love, they hold so much nostalgia to me. They are all prints I would doodle on my little cartoon figure’s clothing or what-not; they were easy to draw and adds so much to my chef-d'oeuvres. Subconsciously, I have curated a sector of my wardrobe to be one that would parallel my two dimensional sketches.
I mean, those prints were everywhere: On picnic blankets during family outings to the park, playing by the ocean and lying on beach towels, dressing up as a ladybug as a child, etc. Youth weaves through all these symbols and wearing these prints nowadays bring me back to the playfulness I felt years earlier.
I feel like the concept of kitsch and camp are very similar. It relies on this “meta-consciousness” or acknowledging that something is “tacky.” Like gingham was originally a really inexpensive fabric that was easily accessible to the masses, especially during war times but has evolved to be seen on high fashion runways.1 Maybe enjoying in kitschy behaviors while realizing it is kitschy is like laughing at our consumeristic behaviors… I guess it is like parading around having a good taste in bad taste; I realize it is very ironic trying to describe this but kitsch itself is an ironic concept.
That to be said, I enjoy kitschy music as well. It is not serious; it is pure fun; it gives me that pep in my step even on a gloomy, gray day. In essence, they are all really simple, yet evoke a wistful wave to the listener (me). One of my favorite music group that embodies this is The Marshmallow Kisses. Here is an except I wrote about them a while ago:
Their songs and recordings are very raw and effortless. Even the slightly out-of-tune and imperfect singing adds to their music's identity, as their poetic dreamy music seems more personal to listeners. The Marshmallow Kiss sings in both English and Mandarin, occasionally dropping in a few French phrases in their lyrics or titles– like an ode to their inspiration. “Interlude 1- Piao Zhe (Floating In The Air)” features a poem voiced by Edine, in both Cantonese and Mandarin, with dreamy sounds wrapped around her narration. It truly feels like I and stepping into clouds entering the atmosphere when I listen to this song. Their songs are pure whimsy– the sound palette sounds like bitter sweetness– where cute melodies accompany melancholic lyrics. One of my favorites is “Bubble Love Waltz,” a duet sung by Edine and Peter. It captures heartbreak in such delicate limelight where you cannot help but dance and waltz to such sad feelings. Their voices are pure, simple, and genuine– exactly what one would imagine if marshmallow-shaped kisses could sing. The juxtaposition between the “cutesy” nature of the melody and the wistful quality is captured perfectly by this indie-pop duo.
Even the name of the band is so sweet and puerile; it is like a band name I would’ve love to name my music when I was a child. The song titles are silly (i.e. “Bubble Love Waltz”) yet slightly melodramatic and plays into the irony of having such juvenile “packaging” yet explores more mature topics. Even the percussion in the backing track sounds like a simple toy drum one would play with, which only makes the difference between content and its image even more stark.
Here is a little playlist that evokes this sense of kitsch within me! Maybe it is some of its sound samples or synths, but they are the aural equivalent to Comme des Garçons runway shows!!!
Things I find Kitschy (in the best way):
Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Highland Park
Gingham table clothe
modern perfume in old perfume bottles
Jane Birken basket bag
Big big collars & long long sleeves & poofy poofy scrunchies (good squish!)
Sandy Liang
Anglomania
sailor collars
Here are some things I have noticed lately that spoke to the part of my brain coded entirely in kitsch..
How can I not love something so playful~
Marshall, Shonagh. “A Brief History of Gingham.” AnOther, AnOther Magazine, 8 Mar. 2016, www.anothermag.com/fashion-beauty/8451/a-brief-history-of-gingham.
you are the epitome of kitsch !!! it is true
thank you for sharing such a portion of your brain i feel elementally and contextually processed and enriched