Harry Styles has mocked the controversy surrounding his U.S. Vogue cover where he wore a Gucci dress, by posting a snap of himself in a frilly ensemble, alongside the words ‘bring back manly men!’
The photograph shared by Harry was taken from a new shoot with Variety and showed him wearing a powder blue suit and ruffled white blouse, while eating a banana, after he was awarded hitmaker of the year by the magazine.
The singer, 26, posed for the feminine high-fashion shoot, and opened up about his choice to wear ‘female’ clothing and the ‘blurred lines’ of gender with the publication.
Having his say: Harry Styles has mocked the furore surrounding his U.S. Vogue cover by posting a snap of himself in a frilly ensemble, alongside the words ‘bring back manly men!’
He said: ‘To not wear [something] because it’s females’ clothing, you shut off a whole world of great clothes.
‘And I think what’s exciting about right now is you can wear what you like. It doesn’t have to be X or Y. Those lines are becoming more and more blurred.’
Harry recently made history as the first ever solo male cover star of the American version of Vogue – and for the occasion he opted to shake things up with his sartorial choices, donning a ball gown and a custom jacket.
The caption on his new snap was in reference to comments made by right-wing pundit Candace Owens following the release, who insisted society can’t survive without ‘strong men’, after Harry posed on the cover wearing a dress.
Comment: The 26-year-old singer’s caption was in reference to comments made by right-wing pundit Candace Owens, who insisted society can’t survive without ‘strong men’, after Harry posed on the cover of Vogue wearing a dress
Owens tweeted: ‘There is no society that can survive without strong men.
Adding: ‘The East knows this. In the west, the steady feminisation of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men.
Although Harry didn’t publicly comment at the time, he has now had his say through social media by reposting the image from the interview.
History making: Harry made history as the first ever solo male cover star of the American version of Vogue – and for the occasion he opted to shake things up with his sartorial choices, donning a ball gown and a custom jacket (pictured)
Feminine: During an interview with the publication, Harry spoke about his decision to opt for feminine clothing choices, as well as wearing garments more typically associated with men
After making her initial comments, Owens doubled down on her criticism of Harry, renewing her calls to ‘bring back manly men’ days after she slammed the former One Direction star.
In what she described as ‘the steady feminization of our men’, in a thread of tweets she addressed the controversy her comments have since provoked and sought also to reiterate her stance on the matter.
‘Since I’m trending I’d like to clarify what I meant when I said ‘bring back manly men’,’ she wrote in response to the backlash Monday. ‘I meant: Bring back manly men.
‘Terms like ‘toxic masculinity’, were created by toxic females. Real women don’t do fake feminism,’ she continued. ‘Sorry I’m not sorry.
While Harry kept quiet at the time, other celebrities jumped to his defence.
Low blow: Olivia Wilde hit back by branding Candace ‘pathetic’, prompting the media personality to return a low blow as she stated, ‘You’re single for a reason’
Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood also offered his two cents on Monday, writing: ‘I think you’ve missed the definition of what a man is. Masculinity alone does not make a man.’ ‘DON’T TEMPT ME, FRODO,’ she wrote in response
Among them was Olivia Wilde, the director behind the upcoming movie, Don’t Worry Darling, in which Harry stars in a leading role.
In her response, Wilde simply wrote: ‘You’re pathetic.’
Owens then directly referenced Wilde’s recent split with actor Jason Sudeikis when she shockingly hit back: ‘You’re single for a reason.’ The tweet was subsequently deleted.
Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood also offered his two cents on Monday, writing: ‘I think you’ve missed the definition of what a man is. Masculinity alone does not make a man.’
![Harry said: 'To not wear [something] because it's females' clothing, you shut off a whole world of great clothes'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/12/02/15/36360028-9010335-image-a-117_1606924117544.jpg)
Harry said: ‘To not wear [something] because it’s females’ clothing, you shut off a whole world of great clothes’
‘DON’T TEMPT ME, FRODO,’ she wrote in response, before later adding: ‘Sorry. One of my favorite movies. Couldn’t miss the opportunity. I’m only human.’
Elsewhere during his new chat with the entertainment outlet, Harry discussed his time in One Direction, self-reflection during the pandemic and political divisiveness.
Harry was in the band from its inception on the X Factor in 2010 until they announced a hiatus in 2015 so they could pursue solo projects.
Speaking on his time in the globally successful boyband, he said: ‘I learned so much. When we were in the band, I used to try and write with as many different people as I could. I wanted to practice — and I wrote a lot of bad s**t.’
Harry said: ‘And I think what’s exciting about right now is you can wear what you like. It doesn’t have to be X or Y. Those lines are becoming more and more blurred’
Harry went on to say how proud he is of his time in One Direction, and said: ‘When you look at the history of people coming out of bands and starting solo careers, they feel this need to apologize for being in the band.
‘Don’t worry, everyone, that wasn’t me! Now I get to do what I really want to do.’ But we loved being in the band. I think there’s a want to pit people against each other.
‘And I think it’s never been about that for us. It’s about a next step in evolution. The fact that we’ve all achieved different things outside of the band says a lot about how hard we worked in it.’
Harry also discussed taking a ‘pause’ during the pandemic, which he has seen as valuable time to stop think about his future as an artist.
Thoughtful: Harry also discussed taking a ‘pause’ during the pandemic, which he has seen as valuable time to stop think about his future as an artist
He said: ‘It’s been a pause that I don’t know if I would have otherwise taken. I think it’s been pretty good for me to have a kind of stop, to look and think about what it actually means to be an artist, what it means to do what we do and why we do it. I lean into moments like this — moments of uncertainty.’
When asked what his hope for live music post pandemic is, he said: ‘There will be a time we dance again.’
The pandemic has seen a clear divide between people and also in politics, which Harry admitted has ‘scared’ him.
Boy band days: Harry was in the band from its inception on the X Factor in 2010 (pictured) until they announced a hiatus in 2015 so they could pursue solo projects
He said: ‘In general, as people, there’s a lack of empathy. We found this place that’s so divisive. We just don’t listen to each other anymore. And that’s quite scary.’
Harry himself also became more politically active recently, and was spotted matching in the streets in response to George Floyd’s death.
He said: ‘Talking about race can be really uncomfortable for everyone. I had a realization that my own comfort in the conversation has nothing to do with the problem — like that’s not enough of a reason to not have a conversation.
‘Looking back, I don’t think I’ve been outspoken enough in the past. Using that feeling has pushed me forward to being open and ready to learn…. How can I ensure from my side that in 20 years, the right things are still being done and the right people are getting the right opportunities? That it’s not a passing thing?’
He related the situation to the music industry, and said: ‘Historically, I can’t think of any industry that’s benefited more off of Black culture than music. There are discussions that need to happen about this long history of not being paid fairly.
Harry went on to say how proud he is of his time in One Direction, and said: ‘When you look at the history of people coming out of bands and starting solo careers, they feel this need to apologize for being in the band’
‘It’s a time for listening, and hopefully, people will come out humbled, educated and willing to learn and change.’
Harry spent a large part of the past year in Los Angeles, after getting stuck there when the pandemic hit earlier this year.
However it seems like his love affair with the City Of Angels is over and he no longer feels like he ‘needs’ to live there in order to feel like he has made it.
He said: ‘I feel like my relationship with L.A. has changed a lot. I’ve kind of accepted that I don’t have to live here anymore; for a while I felt like I was supposed to.
‘Like it meant things were going well. This happened, then you move to L.A.! But I don’t really want to.’
Harry spoke of his hometown of Manchester with much more fondness, as he discussed the music scene and his backing of small gig venues.
He said: ‘I went to my first shows in Manchester. My friends and I would go in on weekends. There’s so many amazing small venues, and music is such a massive part of the city. I
‘I think Manchester deserves it. It feels like a full-circle, coming-home thing to be doing this and to be able to give any kind of input. I’m incredibly proud. Hopefully they’ll let me play there at some point.’