Celebrities Who Redefined Masculinity In Fashion

Celebrities Who Redefined Masculinity In Fashion

By: Molly Roberts

Celebrities have been changing the meaning of masculinity in fashion for years. With celebrities like Prince, Billy Porter, and Harry Styles challenging gender norms, lace-trim, bold colors, and dresses are becoming staples in men’s fashion. 

Billy Porter, who takes gender fluidity to the next level, has many notable iconic looks. Porter challenged traditional notions of manhood in his 2019 Oscars’ Red Carpet look wearing a custom tuxedo gown by designer Christian Siriano. The iconic tuxedo dress played on masculine and feminine qualities by turning a traditional men’s tuxedo into a dress. 

Porter is no stranger to camp style! Porter achieved the ultimate camp look on the red carpet at the 2019 Met Gala where he sported a gold bodysuit with enormous golden wings and a 24-karat-gold headpiece. His biggest accessory was six shirtless men in gold trousers carrying him down the red carpet. 

Most recently noted for sparking controversial debates over gender norms is Harry Styles. Styles appeared on the December 2020 cover of Vogue Magazine making  him the first man to be featured solo in Vogue’s 127-year history. Styles was dressed in a floor-length, lace-trimmed Gucci dress. In the same Vogue article, Styles shows off another look in a kilted skirt paired with a chunky gold belt and knit sweater vest.

Harry Styles cites Prince, David Bowie, Elvis, Freddie Mercury, and Elton John as his inspirations. Styles even paid homage to Elton John’s 1975 Dodgers Stadium performance. The singer imitated John’s outfit from the performance, a bedazzled baseball uniform with a matching baseball cap and oversized glasses. He showed off the Elton John classic look as his 2018 Halloween costume.

Last and certainly not least, Prince was  a defining figure in the stance against toxic masculinity. Prince changed the way we think and view gender norms in his Purple Rain album cover. Dressed in his white ruffle shirt with lace trim and a purple trench coat, this is arguably his most well-known look. Prince served one of his most iconic looks at the 1985 Oscars when won the Oscar for the best original song score for Purple Rain. He did so in a sequin purple cape draped over his head, black lace gloves, a gold hoop earring, and high-heeled boots.

All three of these celebrities have had iconic moments in redefining what it means to be masculine as well as many more celebrities. Many of these celebrities' fashion choices have even come to be points of controversy. Through fashion, these men have provoked the question of what it means to dress like a man.

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