“There’s a piece of you in how I dress,” as Harry Styles would say or should I say, sing.
I had the opportunity to attend one of Harry Styles’ performances at Madison Square Garden. I took my mom along with me, and she mentioned she felt out of place wearing what seems to be the norm: the artist’s merchandise.
Styles’ fans take the lyric from “Cherry” quite literally, dressing up in wildly patterned pantsuits, colorful boas, and decorative sunglasses, imitating Styles’ unique and freeing finesse. All in the hopes of a potential glimpse in your direction by the one and only Harry Styles. Over recent years, Styles has played around with his look, challenging the role of gender norms and the definition of masculinity. While he receives criticism from some, his fans accept and support him fully, finding comfort in fighting these challenges in their personal lives.
Interestingly enough, during the concert, Styles commented on the style of three people that stood out from the rest, the dads. Styles jokingly asked if all three men had their golf shirts tucked in, and yes, they did.
Fans of Styles seem to be in their own league, selling out concerts in minutes and becoming relentless detectives of his private life. Although intimidating and powerful, his fan base appreciates his values, embracing his familiar phrase, “Treat People With Kindness.” Madison Square Garden filled with an overpowering feeling of love and acceptingness that night, with all shapes, colors, and sizes. You are sure to be complemented by at least a few people throughout the night and promised no judgment from the fanbase, an unusual but comforting feeling.
The long-awaited tour pushed back over a year due to COVID-19 made the crowd much more excited and amped. As the crew pushed out Styles in a black box toward the stage, the fans went wild. The 90-minute performance felt like a dream. Along with his singing, Styles had visuals on the screen, adding yet another level of creativity to the show. My favorite part was when massive disco balls came down from the ceiling and began swirling around the entire arena. It was an emotional moment for me, as it genuinely felt like we were all one equal community joining to appreciate this moment together. Styles finished his performance with his famous song “Kiwi.” Madison Square Garden felt like it could have collapsed that night from the amount of jumping and dancing in the arena.
Although post-concert depression is very real, I walked out of the arena with a sense of outpouring love as everyone fled to the next part of their night. Fans slipped into the streets of New York City, some stopping in late-night pizza joints and others catching the train home. Only minutes after, the streets were quiet again. Although the love was gone from Madison Square Garden, I think every fan took it with them that night; I know I did. We sometimes feel ourselves gravitating away from Styles’ familiar phrase, but his presence and fanbase are a reminder to humble ourselves and focus on how we treat others.
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