Hustle and Fro: Freestyles over Harry Styles

Harry Styles in a dress isn’t as iconic as you think it is. (Yes, I know I am two months late. Deal with it.)

When I first saw Harry Styles wearing a lacy blue Gucci dress on the December cover of Vogue, I was quite impressed by the progressiveness many aren’t used to in men’s fashion, but then it hit me: I’ve definitely seen this before. Where you may ask? Black male musicians.

Over the past few years, Black men’s fashion norms have been challenged by rappers and singers who’ve decided to swap out a standard suit for a dress. With this difference in clothing, many of these men were met with reactions that were quite the opposite of the “Watermelon Sugar” singer.  

Starting a few years ago in 2016 on the cover of his mixtape, “Jeffrey,” Young Thug is pictured sporting a light blue ruffled dress. Once this picture circulated around the internet it received negative attention labeling Thug as ‘gay’ or ‘girly’ — which are among the more nicer things said.

The cover’s controversy even found itself referenced in the song, “Barbie Dreams” by Nicki Minaj two years after the incident. In the song, Minaj criticized Young Thug’s outfit choice rapping, “Used to f–k with Young Thug, I ain’t addressing this s–t. Caught him in my dressing room stealing dresses and s–t.” Even with the lyric labeled homophobic by some, Minaj emphasized how the song wasn’t a diss track.  

Happening at around the same time as Thug’s album cover, Jaden Smith began regularly wearing dresses to a variety of events ranging from Coachella to prom. Much like Young Thug, Smith received the same kind of comments, but in this case, the press publicized how his father, Will Smith, “had his feelings” about Jaden’s outfit choices after it was mentioned on an episode of “Red Table Talk.”

Jaden ended up coming to his own defense in a Nylon interview explaining that he would much rather normalize wearing dresses and take the hate targeted at him so that the next generation won’t have to. 

“I’m going to take most of the blows,” Smith said. “So, you know, in five years when a kid goes to school wearing a skirt, he won’t get beat up and kids won’t get mad at him.”

While Harry Styles was labeled a change-maker and icon — among a slew of other praise via Twitter — the reception of these Black artists in gender-bending clothing felt different. This was mainly because the concept of Black masculinity in the rap industry is held to an excessive standard. And in these cases, it was being threatened. 

Rap as a genre has been built off the idea that its artists should exude a certain level of emotional and physical strength. In many cases, rappers adhere to the stereotypes that have already been set for them, such as reputations of violence. Whether it be through gang affiliation or criminality, the rap industry has pushed an image of hypermasculinity to its audience and that’s become the expectation. As soon as they remove themselves from what is expected, like these rappers and their gender-defying clothing, it’s perceived as wrong.

But the rap industry isn’t the only place Black male artists are criticized either. Prince, who defied genre, has been the subject of ridicule because of his androgynous style since the ’80s. Broadway star Billy Porter has also been criticized for his recent eccentric award show dresses and outfits.  

What the music industry is seeing though is Black men’s willingness to step out of the stereotypes that were created for them instead of by them, which is progression in itself. As time goes on and minds become more open, Black artists and their fashion expression should get the much needed recognition it deserves. So before we label Styles “an icon,” we must recognize the others who’ve done it before and received a different kind of response.