Harry Styles is the Gender Neutral Icon You Didn’t Know You Needed
photo courtesy of @harrystyles instagram
Picture this. It’s 2013, and One Direction just came out with Midnight Memories. Sure, we loved their music, but really, we all fell for their charming looks and adorable accents. Even though we fangirled over all the One Direction boys, you had to have a favorite member. Harry Styles, with his dimples, flowing brown hair, and angelic voice took millions of girls by storm. Following the traditional Brit boy band model, he was usually seen in a distressed tee or a stylish blazer, depending on the occasion. But was that really him? Really, we only knew the five boys as the label wanted us to know them. Traditional, masculine ideals ruled in the world of mainstream pop.
Flash forward to 2015. The boyband has taken their notorious “break,” which we all knew wasn’t really a break, and left millions of middle schoolers feeling heart-broken and betrayed. Usually, following a breakup, only one or two members go on to have a successful solo career. This was not the case for One Direction; almost all of them had extremely popular singles and albums. Harry took this break as a chance to reinvent himself in the public eye. His new music leaned toward folk and rock, leaving the ultra-pop boy band style behind. Inspired by 1960s and 1970s acoustic pop, the album signaled a big change for his musical career path. Simultaneously, he also started experimenting with his appearance and dress. There was no more pressure of having to keep up with the wholesome boyband image, which ignited the renaissance of Harry Styles.
With new music came a new, gender-fluid style that reflected the real Harry Styles. He traded the simple blazer for extravagant, colorful, and bold pieces. His outfits, including his renowned eye-catching suits, are absolutely iconic. During the September 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival, he walked the red carpet in an absolutely gorgeous, flowy, and traditionally “feminine” black and red checkered suit. Honestly, what can’t this man pull off?
His extreme relevance and popularity will hopefully normalize gender neutral fashion. His influence for young girls is important because it introduces a new realm of beauty and style to his fans. Black and grey are amazing colors, but so are red and pink. Variety in clothes should be appreciated. The beauty lies in the fact that this type of fashion is made for everybody. Nobody should be constricted to a feminine or masculine style of dress, and nothing is sexier than a sleek suit or a fashionable blouse. Harry Styles showed us that fashion does not have boundaries, and neither should we.