Vogue December 2020 Issue. Not only is Harry Styles on the cover, he’s styled in a dress. The first man to grace the cover of Vogue solo has made a strong statement with the dress he gracefully wears.
In recent years, we have seen more men embrace their feminine side, throwing away nasty toxic masculinity. Whether this be wearing nail polish, jewelry, or clothing deemed female, boys and men are embracing femininity. Harry Styles was declared, in one way or another, to be Gen-Z’s model of crossing gender normatives. While it is incredible that Harry Styles is being praised for breaking away from gendered society and embracing self-expression, let’s not forget about the artists who embraced their femininity before the 21st century.
We all know Freddie Mercury, a rock icon who crossed gender lines and embraced androgyny in the 70s and 80s. The front man of Queen may not have worn a dress but his stage persona rejected typical notions of masculine and feminine. Heels, sparkles, makeup, and scandalous silhouettes can summarize Freddie Mercury on stage in the earlier years of Queen. Later he altered his style to what society considers more masculine. This was not Freddie surrendering to gender norms, but rather embracing all the different sides of himself.
Prince is remembered for more than his hit song Purple Rain. Even though he was often dubbed as an outsider in the music industry, Prince continued to embrace his feminine side, particularly through his clothing style. He loved to dress in pink and didn’t hesitate to put on a more feminine silhouette. We can see similarities between Harry Styles’s tour outfits and Prince’s; both artists love a fun twist on a traditional suit. When we see a pink boa or a suit lined with lace, may we think of Prince.
The last half of the 20th century gave us many music icons who weren’t afraid to reject gender stereotypes. The King of this movement in the 70s and 80s would have to be David Bowie. This musical icon is still the inspiration for many artists when it comes to crossing gender lines. David Bowie appears to be the first mainstream male artist to reject gender stereotypes by embracing his eccentric style in makeup and clothing. David Bowie, along with his alter ego “Ziggy Stardust”, was one of the first people to show the world gender fluidity.
We love Harry Styles. He has been such an inspiration for our generation. But! Let’s not forget the legends who felt brave and passionate enough to embrace their femininity. These artists helped to pave the way for modern musicians.