Harry Styles, a fashion icon who breaks the rules

Harry Styles is known for being part of the well-known band One Direction, but also for his outfits and his taste for fashion. Indeed, at 21 years old only, the singer's looks helped him gained eminence in the fashion world, even though he is already considered a fashion icon. Harry's style is very particular. He usually wears extra-skinny jeans, printed shirts widely unbuttoned and boots. He wears a lot of Saint Laurent – which is doubtless his favorite brand – as well as some Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton. He kind of is the new Mick Jagger, in terms of fashion. In fact, his style could be described as rock n' roll chic, which explains his love for Saint Laurent – whose image was reinvented by Hedi Slimane. If Harry was a brand, he would definitely be Saint Laurent, which is one of the biggest names in fashion nowadays, especially in menswear. We would love seeing him walk for the iconic brand he does justice and is loyal to.

But you know that for ARTMOD to consider someone a fashion icon, they have to impose their style and take risks. After quickly talking about Harry's looks, it doesn't seem like he corresponds to this image. But don't be mistaken, Harry takes huge risks and also sends a very strong message through the way he dresses.

First of all, we can say that in five years, Harry Styles gained a lot of self-confidence and this didn't go unnoticed. Before, he feared the glare of others. But it has been approximately one year since this doesn't affect him anymore and since he dares wear whatever he wants. He completely accepts himself now. Sheer shirts, glitter, crazy prints, Harry wears his clothes a way usually only people who work in fashion wear. He also has the ability to remove the clothes from their context.

Thus, Harry wears glittery boots to go out by day as well as to go on stage and he can make these original and conspicuous shoes look casual.

Another reason why Harry is considered a big fashion icon is that he takes these risks without making any faux-pas. His outfits are always on point, despite the danger of faux-pas. He knows how to match clothes, he can combine two completely different styles or two patterns that have absolutely nothing to do with one another. He can also match accessories and clothes that are very difficult to wear and that is what we love about him. 

But the main reason that makes us say that Harry Styles is one of the biggest fashion icons is that he spreads a message. Thanks to fashion, he denounces a societal problem and tries to abolish stereotypes. Indeed, Harry breaks gender roles. Gender roles are the image projected by a person that identifies their femaleness or maleness; an overt public presentation of gender identity. This problem needs to draw more attention in the public eye because we believe men a women should be equal. But in fashion, men are clearly discriminated. Women are allowed to wear masculine clothes or shop in the man section whereas society doesn't approve men wearing too feminine or women's clothes. Why couldn't men wear pink ? Or nail polish ? Why couldn't a man wear some make up to embrace his own style ? Why couldn't a man wear heels ? Harry makes it clear that he counts on wearing what he likes, what defines him. He breaks gender roles by wearing pink, « feminine » prints and patterns - floral or leopard ones for example -, glittery and shiny clothes, accessories, flower crowns, lots of jewelery... He even shops in the women section. He, for instance, wore a Saint Laurent women's leopard printed shirt and women's Paige skinny jeans.

Harry also sometimes wears nail polish, and we think he might also wear a bit of lipstick on some occasions. After all, why not ? It's not because he is a man that he should deprive himself from wearing what he wants in order to satisfy society's conservative ideas and prejudices. The world needs to change and thanks to people like Harry, we still can hope for this to happen.
 

Harry supports feminism too. He has made it clear that he defends women's rights. Recently he demonstrated it through fashion, by wearing a tee-shirt from Alexa Chung's new collection with the word « feminist » written on it. 

Last but not least, Harry also showed his support to the LGBTQIA+ community with accessories, like these rainbow bracelets he wore to support the Rainbow Direction project. The fact that he wore these not only proved he supported all his fans, regardless of their sexualities, but it also helped collecting money for a cause that deserves everyone's attention. 

At the end of the day, Harry Styles not only is one of the most stylish men alive, but he also knows how to use fashion to denounce societal problems. Now, we can only hope he wears the new high-heeled Saint Laurent Fall-Winter 2015-2016 boots for men, so he can keep breaking gender roles.

Anyway, thank you Harry for giving fashion such an important power by using it to spread a message, and thank you for trying to stop prejudice and stereotypes and for defending such noble causes. We hope that you all take him as an example and that you, like him, try to change things. Fashion is an art, fashion is a tool, use it wisely.