Clothes do not have a gender. Author Candace Owens wrongly criticized the singer Harry Styles for wearing a dress on Vogue’s cover because it does not suit her view of what a masculine man looks like.

On Friday Nov. 13, Styles made history as the first male on the cover of Vogue solo. On the cover for the December issue, Styles models the Victorian-style lace Gucci gown with a navy Gucci blazer at the Seven Sisters cliffs in Sussex, England.

Owens did not like what he wore, the day after Vogue came out with the cover she tweeted in response. 

“There is no society that can survive without strong men. The East knows this. In the west, the steady feminization of our men at the same time that Marxism is being taught to our children is not a coincidence. It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men,” the tweet read.

Owens believes that Styles should not have worn a dress because the type of clothing seemed feminine. By saying this, Owens implies that western men should not wear the dresses because they spread marxist ideology, a materialistic view on the world, and that they should dress how those in the East dress because to her they look more manly.

Styles wearing a dress does not make him less masculine than any other man. It is quite the opposite. What he wore demonstrates his security with his own masculinity and that he does not care what article of clothing he wears. 

Styles may wear whatever he pleases and Owens should not have said that him wearing a dress makes him look less manly than what she believes a “manly man” looks like. 

Styles has broken gender norms before. He has previously worn a sheer black blouse, patent heels, and had one single pearl drop earring while walking down the pink carpet during the 2019 Met Gala. Since Styles himself loves the clothing he wears, no one should judge him for it.