I chose this picture of Harry Styles from the 2020 issue of US Vogue because I remember when this came out, and this outfit was extremely controversial. People saw that he was wearing a dress and he started getting comments about being gay. People were even saying, “There’s no society without a strong man,” or that it was an attack. Harry said, “There’s so much joy to be had in playing with clothes. I’ve never thought too much about what it means—it just becomes this extended part of creating something.” Things like this annoy me because I think it’s admirable for men to be in touch with her feminine side or for them to just be fashionable. I hate when people just say something’s gay because it’s different or not “normal.” In this picture, if you didn’t know anything about Harry Styles, you probably would think he was more feminine or gay. Aside from the dress, his hair is a bit more grown out than his typical style, and his face is looking very model-esque. If you look closely, you’ll notice he’s wearing a lot of rings, but he actually wears those regularly.
I love the whole vibe and atmosphere of this photo. The blue/grey color of the dress almost perfectly matches the color of the sky. I’m not sure if it was naturally that way or if it was edited to be the same, but either way it’s very pleasing to the eye. Then the way the grass is there to break the two up works so well. I love the warm lighting of the sun that hits his face just right. It’s not too bright, and it doesn’t create weird shadows on him.
I feel like if I stepped into this portrait, I would honestly see a moderately small group of people who are working on the issue. I would hear laughter and talking, especially coming from Harry, because that’s how his personality is. I believe I would feel comfortable in the environment because although I don’t know him at all, I’m a huge fan and feel like I have a good idea of how he is. He’s a celebrity that likes people to feel seen and valued.
This was one of my favorite portraits in the museum, and I was so honored to be able to see it in person!
Theatre in London U of A 