Dripping in sequins, glitter and feather-boas and itty-bitty handbags —there’s no doubt that Harry Styles’ fans take his concerts as serious as NYFW or the Met Gala. The fashion during his tour even populated a hashtag on TikTok called #hslotoutfit where fans posted “outfit reveals.” Some of us remember Harry Styles from his early days being a member of the famous boy band, One Direction. Styles has undoubtedly been in major spotlight and glamour over the recent years that has caused his career to skyrocket. What started out as simple outfits of t-shirts and ordinary blue jeans, Harry Styles is officially known as a fashion icon of our generation.
But how did this sweet boy band singer grow up to become a fashion guru? It is safe to say we can compare his fashion influence to other icons such as ABBA, Elton John, Michael Jackson and Madonna. Styles’ fans have adopted fashion as a sense of meaning and purpose, which for Styles’ is exactly the point. A 23-year-old Los Angeles-based social media creator Nissy Simao says “people joke and say that one, Harry Styles concerts aren’t even concerts anymore, they’re fashion shows, and two, the fans dress better than him at this point”.
Style’s motto “Treat People with Kindness” is a statement that can be seen on clothing, totes, bags, posters and even tattoos! Yes, these are some dedicated fans. Not only has his motto become a fashion statement, but it relates to his personal core values.
“Dressing up, making music, living in the moment: This is what matters to Harry Styles. Boundaries and labels? Not so much.”— wrote Bowles in Vogue Magazine’s article on Harry Styles in December 2020. The way Harry Styles’ carries himself and expresses himself through fashion definitely breaks away from the stereotypes of gender norms, breaking the barrier of masculinity versus femininity.
“Harry has definitely showed us as fans that we can be free to be whoever we want to be and love whoever we want to love. That shows in how we all collectively dress for his shows”
Seeing fans dress in hot pink plaid, white platform boots peeking out of Vogue-worthy flared pants with hundreds of sequins laying on the chest of a screaming confident fan — it’s the signature Harry look. There’s no doubt about it that fans are obsessed over every part of Harry Styles. Whether it be his music, his looks, his personality or fashion sense, he has us drooling. I admit, I was once a major One Direction fan in the years of 2013 (although I have to say that Nial was actually my favorite). However, at that age I was more concerned with how handsome they were compared to their individual signing abilities or their fashion sense. But being obsessed with fashion as much as I am right now, Harry Styles is not just a heartthrob anymore, but a trendsetting fashionista.
“Tours and concerts are about connecting with other fans, and that’s what the #hslotoutfit hashtag is really about,” says Madelyn White, a 25-year-old physical therapist from Dallas. Her TikTok gained its popularity through her #hslotoutfit reveal which got 62,000 views. Even through the backlash from society regarding his “breaking boundaries style,” it doesn’t seem to stop him from continuing to express himself through his unique fashion sense. There is no doubt that he has already built a signature trademark for himself.