From a Front Row Fangirl

Harry Styles will go down in history as one of the most famous musicians of our time, his talent is never ending, but we are going to be focusing on the brand he has created for him and the way his fans have incorporated that into their everyday lives.

Dear Fellow Fangirls,

Harry Styles is known for his authenticity. He has always stood up for what he believes in no matter the topic at hand. He is also a big advocate of inclusivity, and creating a space for his fans to feel included and safe. He pushed the boundaries of fashion when he was the first man on the cover of Vogue Magazine, and was pictured wearing a dress for the cover. This caused a lot of controversy but Styles never took back what he had done, and said regarding his outfit choices. He stood by his decisions and helped show the world that fashion is inclusive, artistic and a personal way to express yourself in whatever way you want.

He has also showed his support toward the LGBTQ community and given them a safe space to be themselves unapologetically. Lastly love is another great representation of who Styles is. He approaches every aspect of his life with love. He shares his love with his fans at his live shows, through social posts and in his music. You can see it in his personal relationships and the way he interacts with his fans out in public. He is the human form of love; he carries and spreads it wherever he goes.

“I admire Harry’s ability to be open and vulnerable in his music, it’s not something we see often from male pop stars…and I’ve seen how this has fostered a safe space for women and the LGBTQIA+ community at his concerts. It makes me really happy <3” -Kayla Davis

This image or brand of love and inclusivity he has created with his music, relationships, and style has slowly worked its way into his fans lives. He has not only created a creative space for him to thrive and be his most authentic self but he has opened that space up to his fans, and let them into his life musically.

“It’s pretty impossible to watch an interview, listen to a song, or even watch a clip from his (Harry’s) concerts without feeling the love and positivity that Harry Styles emits and stands for. When a celebrity is that inclusive towards the people around him and seems genuinely kind it necourages his fans to do that same. I can confidently say that this translates beautifully into his fan base he encourages so much joy and kindness that going to one of his concerts is the safest, most friendly environment I have ever been in” -Karleigh Ring

As you can see from the different fan photos, feather boas are a staple at a Love on Tour show. He has been spotted wearing the occasional feather boa at award shows, which fans picked up and added to their concert outfits. It has almost become an inside joke in the fandom, that wherever you see feathers flying around, you’ll find a Styles fan not too far away.

Apart from the feather boas, fans have also decided to recreate his many iconic tour outfits for their shows. He is known for his bright patterned pants, jumpsuits, matching vest sets and fruit themed outfits. Fans have trademarked this; it wouldn’t be a Styles’ show without a few outfit recreations in the crowd. This also became a trend at his shows after his release of “Fine Line” his sophomore solo album. His song Cherry, off of that album because a fan favorite because of the line “…I noticed that there’s a piece of you in how I dress..” Fans heard this lyric, accepted it as their own and started the recreation trend.

The best way to explain the embodiment of who Harry Styles is and what he stands for as a person is his world wide tour called Love On Tour. On this tour he performed songs from all three of this solo albums. It ran from September of 2021 to July of 2023. He preformed at over 170 shows across North America, Europe, Latin America,Asia and Oceania. It is one of the most successful tours in recent music history.

As for the history of this show, Love on Tour was known for its longevity. It broke records for ticket sales and revenue. It has a significant cultural impact, it was always trending on social media after each show and continues to trend even now. It started in Las Vegas, Nevada and ending in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

This tour was celebrated for its vibrant, inclusive atmosphere-created by Harry himself but executed by his fans around the arenas and stadiums during the shows-eclectic style (mimicing Harry’s) featuring colorful outfits with all different kinds of prints, and an overarching message of love and acceptance. Harry Styes encouraged his fans to express themselves freely, creating a welcoming environment at every stop. At every show he shared the same message.

“My name is Harry it’s an absolute pleasure. It is absolutely wonderful to be back here in ‘insert city/country’s name’. I love it so much, we’re very happy to be here, thank you for having us and giving us such a warm welcome. Welcome to Love on Tour…We’re going to have a good time tonight. You have one job that is to have as much fun as you possibly can. If want you to sing, dance, please feel free to be whoever it is you’ve wanted to be in this room tonight.”

With this message Harry created a safe space for all of his fans throughout the audience. It became a place where his fans could fully express themselves and connect with those around them through music and shared energy. It was always joked on social media that if you went to a Love on Tour show by yourself, you would never leave the show alone because of all the friendships and connections that are made at each show every night, and while it might have started as a joke, it quickly became the truth. Because everyone was being unapologetically themselves there was no room for judgement, just connection and love.

“Harry Styles is an artist who I’ve always felt a deep connection to. I was fortunate enough to attend three of his performances from ‘Love On Tour’. I have never seen more of an inclusive and positive fan base from such a large artist. This energy surely comes from Harry himself, and I am so grateful for his presence in the music industry.” -Diana Stapley

The connections and frienships formed at Love On Tour became one of its most beautiful and enduring legacies. For many fans, attending the tour wasn’t just about seeing Harry Styles perform, it was about find a sense of belonging and building a community. Friendships were also not only formed at the shows. Loving the bonds they were making at their shows, fans took to social media to create groupchats, filled with dozens of people from around the world all sharing their love for Styles, and their experiences seeing him live.

I was lucky enough to get to join one of those groupchats. We started as a group of 15 people. We quickly realized that not everyone was going to get along, so we worked our way down to separate groupchats; mine consisting of the three that clicked the most, myself. This groupchat started towards the end of 2022 and we are still in contact today. We have taken multiple trips out to visit each other and spend our days chatting with each other whenever we’re free. They are my found family, and I will forever be grateful for our friendship, and the memories we have created through our love for Harry Styles.

Harry did a phenomenal job incorporating his music brand into the shows. He not only created an amazing experience during the show, but there were many photo ops, and Harry themed food and drink stations. At the Forum in LA there were song lyrics, iconic fan-favorite photos of himself, and career highlights on every pillar for fans to take photos with. There were also a few different drink stations with Harry Styles-themed cocktails and mocktails.

During his residency tour his has specific special pop-ups in certain cities that were more interactive for fans.

• Harry’s House-inspired set pieces, inclduing visuals of cozy interiors, funky patterns, or the iconic As It Was stairway imagery and the upside down couch and table with flowers like the album cover has.

• Some venues even had large 3D props like inflatable cherries, or oversized bananas as well as the tour logo or painted doors with different funky patterns on them.
• There was a TPWK installation to represent Harry’s motto, Treat People With Kindness in London.

• Watermelon Sugar themed Photobooths that featured vibrant and fun props that were themed around the song. They had things like giant watermelons, cherries and neon signs.
• New York City got the Empire State Building to glow pink and blue for Harry’s shows.
• Chicago had a phone booth where fans could leave Harry Styles a little message for him to listen to after the shows.
• Los Angeles had some road signs and Hollywood themed props and photo ops, as well as a sign on top of the venues that said “Harry’s House” as an homage to his album.

“Harry Styles’ vibe is all about love, inclusivity and being yourself, and it’s clear in everything he does-his music, his relationships and his style, and he has taught me to do and act the same in my own life. Being able to attend Love On Tour felt like more than just a concert-it was like being part of something bigger, where everyone was free to be who they are and love how they want. His openness and vulnerability has helped me feel more at peace with who I am. His music and energy create this feeling of belonging, where love and acceptance are always at the center of everything.” -Sarah Austin

Harry Styles touched many of his fans lives and gave them the experience of a lifetime that will never be forgotten or overlooked. I would argue though that his fans have touched his live just the same if not more. Many of his songs are about his fans, or share experiences he has had with them on tour performing live. At his last show of Love on Tour in Italy he shared this message with his fans. This message can also be heard at the end of his love letter to his fans, and Love On Tour, on his Instagram.

“None of you are alone, I feel what you guys have created together, this show is what it is because of all of you, you’ve changed my life, thank you so so much.”

Because of this video and closing message from Harry, fans around the world learned the impact they have truly had on his life. During his last show at Reggio Emilia he shared this message and an original song that he said captivated Love on Tour as a whole. The song was about ten minutes long. It started as a piano ballad, but slowly built into a full orchestral piece. The length of the song and the way Harry acted as he performed it, left fans wondering that he might not want the tour to end just as much as they don’t. It was a deeply emotional piece for everyone there.

Luckily for those that missed the piece in person, or were not blessed enough to hear it via Instagram live or over FaceTime with a friend that was there, it was shared on his Instagram a few days later. It was featured in his farewell from Love on Tour filled with his favorite memories from tour. This video included fans interacting with one another, them discussing their love for Harry and everything he stands for and Harry’s performances and dances on stage from different stops on his tour. This was a clear love letter to his fans, and everything that they had helped create during his time around the world. It’s a great example of how much he has impacted his fanbase and the amount of influence he has had on them.

“I resonate with everything that Harry stands for. He creates such a welcoming environment that makes everyone feel safe. The way in which he cares for his fans is so incredible. His music has always been there for me, and he has brought me my found family; I’m forever grateful for the community he’s built for us.” – Kiera McCarthy

Growing up a One Direction fan, it was pretty much inevitable for me to become a fan of Harry Styles, and boy am I glad I did. He has changed my life for the better. Helped me through so many personal experiences, helped me find friends around the world that impacted me in ways they would never realize, and helped me learn more about myself. I will forever be grateful for his music and the vulnerability he has shared is so important to me.

Overall Love on Tour wasn’t just about Harry’s performances-it was about the vibrant culture he cultivated around his music, and the way his fans embraced that spirit wholeheartedly. It’s an experience most fans will remember forever and cherish in their hearts, wishing for the time when they can be in that room again, experiencing those feelings of love and joy again as if it was the first time.

hugs and kisses,

from a front row fangirl