Self-funding an annual student exhibition is surprisingly expensive. Cambridge’s Architecture Society’s annual solution, however, is hosting themed event fundraisers - the largest event being the all-night ARCSOC Cabaret at Junction. This year’s theme? Trash or Treasure.
On team trash, bin bags became an essential - ripped and fashioned into new skirts, crop tops, and vests. The black bag, however, was met with many competitors: the familiar Sainsbury’s orange, nondescript blue, white, and even spray-painted gold. These bags were stretched into hair ribbons and cut into translucent dresses. Slogans on some of the plastic that read “Thank you I am 100% degradable” set the precedent for the night. Tape also had a major part to play, and not just by holding together the falling apart costumes.
Whether silver, tar black, or a repeating strip of caution, for some the tape was the costume. It was plastered on faces as well as chests, replacing objects of security (from helmets to bras) with a much stickier and more flexible material (the next-day removal couldn’t have been easy). There was prevalent DIY and upcycling of materials, there was a dress made up entirely of Wotsit and cheese and onion crisp packets, and a skirt that glinted with cracked vinyls and CDs. The boxes that once housed Coke cans and multipacks of beers now housed their owner’s valuables: phone, cam card, ID, probably their friend’s phone too.
Alternatively, some people opted for the less literal route and decided to radiate a general trashy vibe. This means Y2K micro skirts and dresses, low-waisted jeans and cargos, bright-coloured slogan tops paired with vinyl, leather, latex, and other contrasting items. A fur coat prompted memories of the white rapper Macklemore’s very on-theme Thrift Shop music video. A celebration (I’d like to believe) of the tacky and gaudy fashion trends of the early 2000s that were created by POCs and popularised by the young working class.
On team treasure, it was all about the metals. These people were easily spotted by the (Edward Cullen-esque) body glitter and paint that reflected the neon strobe lights. Silver, gold, bronze, and copper showed up in all forms. From glittering silver sequin tops to copper string fairy lights, tiaras, and bejeweled headpieces. It seemed that this side shone through their use of accessories. Pirates were a welcome addition, easily identifiable by their hats, bandannas, and maximalist outfits. Not to be outdone by their trashier counterparts, some wore not much else aside from the many chains draped around their necks and chests. Elevated makeup looks presented elaborate star, crystal, and pearl patterns scattered on faces. Some opted to dress as specific national treasures - but some of the references were so specific, personal treasure might be a more apt term.
As the night went on, costumes somehow evolved and the already thin line between trash and treasure blurred. That is to say, the distinction was hardly ever that clear-cut. Various football team shirts ranged from celebrations to insults, trash, or treasure depending solely on the wearer. Body glitter and makeup transferred from body to body. People stole sunglasses, borrowed tiaras, lost and found rings, and other trinkets. And though it is the most widely used plastic in the world, it became evident why people usually stick to making polyethylene into plastic bags and not mini skirts. Of course, considering the lack of skill behind some of these make-shift garments, I’m not sure they ever really stood a chance whatever the material.
The overall improvised ingenuity of the night left me re-evaluating what it means for something to be valuable. It made me consider how something that was about to be thrown away can become someone’s prized possession (for a time at least). People who spent days collecting bottle caps or the tabs of off drink cans started to add value to something that would otherwise be considered junk as it was this junk that helped them achieve their creative vision. Others used cheap costume materials to convey worth, parodying symbols of wealth and status.
Value is very often not only inherent but projected onto an object or person. This proves that the concept and by extension the winner of any contest between Trash or Treasure would have to be decided through personal value judgment, rather than the merit of the products themselves. If the night taught me anything it’s that the line between trash and treasure is really no thinner than a plastic bag.
