Queen, Grateful Dead, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, and now Harry Styles. If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past couple of years, you might have heard of Mr. Styles. You also might be wondering, what do all these artists have in common? This past year, Harry Styles became the first artist of the 21st century to receive the Madison Square Garden Golden Ticket Award after selling out the stadium five times, which is no easy feat. But how did he rise to such popularity? And how has his sometimes controversial fashion been received?
His Rise and Continual Success
Styles originally rose to fame for his part in the iconic boy band known as One Direction, which split in 2015. The band received much success, especially among Gen Z and millennials, and still holds the record of being the only boy band to debut its first four albums at No. 1 in the US. Two years after their breakup, Harry decided to see if he could make it on his own without the support of his 4 other bandmates. “Sign of the Times” was his debut single for his debut self-titled album—both of which charted at No. 1 in the UK. His second album, titled “Fine Line,” was released in 2019 and was received with even more success than his first album, proving just how loyal his fan base was.
But what makes his music especially popular and well-received is the versatility of the songs. With only two released albums, Styles managed to include a range of genres from pop, to indie, to soft rock, and rock. While One Direction stuck to pop music, Styles took the risk of venturing out of his comfort zone and exploring different genres. No matter who you are, there is bound to be a Harry Styles song that fits your criteria. “Kiwi” and “Only Angel,” my personal favorites, are perfect for people who enjoy rock. If pop music is more your style, give a listen to “Golden,” “Lights up,” or “Adore you.” Or if you’re in the mood for a sad song to yell at the top of your lungs, “Falling,” “Fine line,” and “Sign of the Times” are my personal go-to’s.
Styles has also increased in popularity most recently from his American tour, “Love on Tour.” Since the tour only had 42 shows in the US, many fans found it impossible to find tickets—myself included, although I have been lucky enough to go to 2 of his concerts. With how big of a fan base Harry Styles has, tickets were sold out in a matter of seconds.
During his shows, Styles makes it his priority to promote kindness and inclusivity to his fans. While performing his song titled, “Treat People with Kindness,” Styles would hold up pride flags as well as Black Lives Matter flags to show his support. To further show his support for certain causes, Styles made donations with the money earned from his tour to charities such as Physicians for Reproductive Health, Black Voters Matter, and Choose Love.
“Bring Back Manly Men”
Following the release of “Fine Line” in 2019, Harry Styles captured the attention of many people with his camp-like, genderless fashion sense. Some of his most iconic looks feature all kinds of different, flamboyant prints and patterns. Take, for example, his suit at the BRIT awards in 2020. The suit was an all-yellow ensemble, complete with a purple bow taken straight from the Marc Jacobs 2020 womenswear collection. Or his outfit for his “Harryween” concert on Halloween. He wore a Dorothy Gale-inspired outfit from the Wizard of Oz, complete with a blue plaid dress and matching bow, and of course the iconic ruby red slippers.
Styles has even gone on to say in an interview with The Guardian, “If I see a nice shirt and get told, ‘But it’s for ladies.’ I think: ‘Okaaaay? Doesn’t make me want to wear it less though… I think the moment you feel more comfortable with yourself, it all becomes a lot easier.” He believes that clothes should not be restricted to certain genders, rather everyone should just wear what makes them feel most comfortable. This approach to fashion is one of the many things that makes him so popular among Gen Z, who are known for encouraging people to express themselves however they want.
After his debut on the cover of the December 2019 Vogue, Styles was met with many mixed reactions. He was pictured wearing a blue, ruffled dress along with a classic, black blazer. Many people applauded him, Gen Z especially, for breaking gender norms by not only being the first man on the cover of Vogue but for also being the first man to wear a dress on the cover of Vogue. However, the image of Styles in a dress also caused an uproar, with people claiming that we need to “bring back manly men.” Being the person he is, Styles responded to his critics with a light sense of humor. He simply posted a picture on Instagram with the caption “Bring back manly men,” showing his lack of care for what his haters had to say.
One face in androgynous fashion—Not the face
Some have even gone as far as to say that Harry Styles is the face of androgynous fashion. However, I believe it is important to acknowledge the celebrities of color that have broken the barriers of fashion long before him. Billy Porter, Jaden Smith, Prince, and Janelle Monáe are all known for their androgynous choices in fashion but have not been met with the same acclaim as Harry Styles. So, while Styles was not the first to partake in genderless fashion, being a white male certainly helped the way he was viewed by society for doing so.
Since people of color have long been criticized or ignored for their experimentation with fashion, instantly awarding Harry Styles the frontrunner title would be an injustice to them. I mention this not to discredit Styles’ ventures in fashion, but to bring light to the mistreatment of the people of color that paved the way for him. Rather than marketing Harry Styles as the ‘inventor of androgynous fashion,’ I believe it is crucial for us to be aware of POCs that came before him and instead recognize Styles as a continuation of the androgynous fashion movement.
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