British singer and songwriter Harry Styles is acknowledged globally for his music and budding acting career. The former One Direction band member has earned recognition for his “treat people with kindness” mantra and becoming an idol millennials and gen Zers staunchly support. Styles is beloved by many for his pop and soft rock songs, including the two studio albums he’s released thus far in his solo career. But what makes Styles such a beloved musician, aside from his alluring good looks, is his confidence in embracing concepts and clothes that go against societal norms.
The performer most recently turned heads after appearing on the cover of the Vogue December issue, becoming the first man to ever make a solo appearance on the magazine’s cover. The singer’s big sister, Gemma Styles, was one of the first well-known faces to commend her brother and his accomplishment. The proud sis thanked him on Twitter for inviting her to the project. She also shared the family portrait the two took for the Vogue story in the tweet.
Harry Styles graced the feature dressed in what is traditionally considered feminine clothes: a ruffled, light-blue gown, a Victorian crinoline with a pink fluffed shirt, and several “skirts,” which are actually kilts. Throughout the photo series, the fashion icon’s tattoos were on full display, and regardless of how objectively stunning the pictures are, some critics described Styles as “unmanly” or “not masculine.”
The most popular critique came from Candance Owens, a conservative author and political activist. The republican-affiliated figure quote tweeted Vogue Magazine’s original tweet promoting the Styles cover story, expressing her controversial sentiment. She ended the tweet by writing that the West should “bring back manly men.”
Her opinion caught the attention of several A-list celebrities and influencers who were quick to defend Styles and go against “toxic masculinity.” Actress and filmmaker Olivia Wilde kept her response short, telling Owens, “you’re pathetic.”
Elijah Wood, who is best known for his on-screen character Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, also reacted to Owens’s tweet. In a brief, two-part thread tweet the actor and producer explains how “masculinity alone does not make a man.”
Comedian and actress Kathy Griffin even joked about the “controversy,” mentioning the devotion and strength behind the Harry Styles fandom. Griffin knows how “Stylers” don’t stand for any kind of Harry slander, and she’s right! Countless videos on TikTok responded to Owen’s tweet, challenging her perspective and making videos at her expense. Many added #harrystyles and #candanceowens in the caption to boost the video’s probability of making it to the for you page.
Perhaps the most shocking celebrity to defend the musician’s “masculinity,” was controversial YouTuber and influencer Logan Paul. The Internet personality shared his thoughts about the Styles dress drama in a recent episode of his podcast Impaulsive. Paul has been involved in several controversies, but the most notable was connected to his Japan trip where he filmed a man’s corpse and posted the video on YouTube.
Several years later, he’s now calling out his co-hosts and Cadance Owens for calling Styles unmanly for wearing a dress. Paul goes on to describe the cover as “dope” and expresses how he’d jump for an opportunity like this “in a heartbeat.”
“My question is…what is manly to you, what does it mean? Is manly like being comfortable in your own skin and being comfortable with who you are regardless of what people think about what you’re wearing,” Paul asks one of his co-hosts.
Fellow British actress and activist Jameela Jamil stars in the award-winning sitcom The Good Place. Jamil took her followers on a brief history lesson, pointing out how wigs, makeup, and tights were once considered “very manly.” She also tweeted how Styles is 104% perfect, along with a few other blunt and honest opinions.
Shadowhunters and Glee fans, or anyone who’s seen Crazy Rich Asians, will recognize Harry Shum Jr. The singer and actor, who is a cis-gender heterosexual man, commends Styles for being himself, especially in a world where he says many men are still so insecure with themselves. Shum took to Twitter to applaud Styles.
Actor Zach Braff also took a stance against toxic masculinity on social media. The Scrubs star encouraged his followers to “be whatever the f*ck you want to be.”
Legendary interior designer and Queer Eye member Bobby Berk didn’t mention the drama, but he did appreciate the Vogue photos! Berk just wanted the world to know how gorgeous he thinks Styles is, and thousands couldn’t agree more.
Ending the list in the best way possible is YouTuber Arron Crascall. In a fun remake of Style’s historical dress appearance, Crascall recreated the look on himself. He wore a black blazer, long sequined gown, and a black baseball cap, which wasn’t part of the original clothing in the shoot but still within Crascall’s own aesthetic. He then tweeted a side-by-side photo of the singer’s pic and his remake, writing “be like Harry!!”
Harry Styles has not responded to the dress “controversy,” but he has a reputation for staying away from social media and refraining from sharing his opinions online. Either way, he’s garnered the support of many other celebrities and of course, his united fandom.
