'It gives me James Dean vibes': AOC defends Harry Styles for wearing a dress on the cover of Vogue and insists critics who said it wasn't 'manly' are 'sensitive'

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has given her stamp of approval to Harry Styles’ photo shoot in which he poses on the cover of Vogue wearing a dress.

The fashionista congresswoman, 31, waded into the hot-button debate about masculinity that was ignited by the magazine cover, saying that the former One Direction crooner reminded her of 1950s pop culture icon James Dean.

‘It looks wonderful,’ AOC wrote on an Instagram story when asked about the Vogue cover.

‘The masculine and feminine elements are balanced beautifully - the hair and jacket styling give me James Dean vibes too.’

House Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (seen above in Washington, DC, on Thursday) praised British pop star Harry Styles (seen right in March) for posing in a dress for a recent photo shoot

Styles, 26, made history last week as the first ever solo male cover star of US Vogue in its 127-year history - and for the occasion he opted to shake things up by donning a ball gown and a custom Gucci jacket

‘It looks wonderful,’ AOC wrote on an Instagram story when asked about the Vogue cover

The Democrat who represents New York’s 14th congressional district implicitly hit out at critics who accuse Styles of not being ‘manly.’

‘Some people are mad at it (because) some folks are very sensitive to examining and exploring gender roles in society,’ AOC wrote.

‘Perhaps for some people it provokes some anger or insecurity around masculinity/femininity/etc. If it does, then maybe that’s part of the point.

‘Sit with that reaction and think about it, examine it, explore it, engage it, and grow with it.’

AOC concluded the post by writing: ‘What’s the point of creating things if they don’t make people think? Or feel or reflect? Especially as an artist or creative?

‘The masculine and feminine elements are balanced beautifully,' AOC wrote of Styles' photo shoot for Vogue

The fashionista congresswoman waded into the hot-button debate about masculinity that was ignited by the magazine cover, saying that the former One Direction crooner reminded her of 1950s pop culture icon James Dean

‘Who wants to see the same thing all the time? And never explore their assumptions?

‘Anyways it looks bomb so…’ AOC then added a hands up emoji. 

Styles, 26, made history last week as the first ever solo male cover star of US Vogue in its 127-year history - and for the occasion he opted to shake things up by donning a ball gown and a custom Gucci jacket. 

But the images were met with scorn and ridicule from conservative commentator Candace Owens.

‘There is no society that can survive without strong men … bring back manly men,' Owens tweeted last weekend.

‘Sorry I’m not sorry.’

In retort of one responder claiming she was ’50 years behind on culture and education’, insisting male artists – such as Iggy Pop, David Bowie and Kurt Cobain – have been ‘crossdressing’ for decades, Owens wrote: ‘PSA: Mining pictures on the internet of men in dresses is not going to suddenly make me attracted to men in dresses.

‘I’m impervious to woke culture,’ she said. ‘Showing me 50 examples of something won’t make it any less stupid. #BringBackManlyMen.’ 

Not everyone shares AOC's opinion. Candace Owens, the conservative commentator, doubled down on her criticism of Styles, renewing her calls to ‘bring back manly men’ after she slammed the former One Direction star for wearing a dress on the cover of Vogue

Two days later, she doubled down on her criticism in a lengthy Twitter thread that she wrote in response to the backlash ignited by her comments.

‘Since I’m trending I’d like to clarify what I meant when I said “bring back manly men”,’ she wrote in response to the backlash Monday. 

‘I meant: Bring back manly men.

‘Terms like “toxic masculinity”, were created by toxic females. Real women don’t do fake feminism,’ she continued. 

In retort of one responder claiming she was ’50 years behind on culture and education’, insisting male artists – such as Iggy Pop, David Bowie and Kurt Cobain – have been ‘crossdressing’ for decades, Owens wrote: ‘PSA: Mining pictures on the internet of men in dresses is not going to suddenly make me attracted to men in dresses

Right-wing commentator Matt Walsh also waded in to voice support of Owen’s comments, writing that she was trending on Twitter ‘because of a bunch of whiney idiots are mad that she said men who wear dresses aren’t manly.

‘Her statement, of course, is true and utterly self-evident, and would have provoked no reaction as recently as a decade ago,’ Walsh continued.

In response, Owens said: ‘Wait until they find out that I also think women should be feminine – and I enjoy cooking for and taking care of my husband. DEFCON 1’, accompanied by a GIF of Elmo engulfed in flames.

In her initial admonishment of Styles on Saturday, Owens wrote: ‘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.'

Concluding her fiery tweet, the right wing media personality, a vocal supporter of US President Donald Trump, asserted: 'It is an outright attack. Bring back manly men.'

Though Styles himself is yet to respond to the jeering of Owens, other celebrities have clapped-back at the 31-year-old.

Among them is Olivia Wilde, the director behind the upcoming movie, Don’t Worry Darling, in which Harry Styles stars in a leading role.

In her response, Wilde simply wrote: ‘You’re pathetic.’

Comments: Candace, 31, took umbrage to the star's shoot, writing on Twitter over the weekend, 'There is no society that can survive without strong men'

Defending: After coming across the fiery tweet Olivia Wilde, left, leapt to the defense of Harry

Low blow: Olivia hit back by branding Candace 'pathetic', prompting the media personality to return a low blow as she stated, 'You're single for a reason'

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood also offered his two cents on Monday, writing: ‘I think you’ve missed the definition of what a man is. Masculinity alone does not make a man.’ ‘DON’T TEMPT ME, FRODO,’ she wrote in response

Owens then directly referenced Wilde's recent split with actor Jason Sudeikis when she shockingly hit back: 'You're single for a reason.' The tweet was subsequently deleted. 

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood also offered his two cents on Monday, writing: ‘I think you’ve missed the definition of what a man is. Masculinity alone does not make a man.’

‘DON’T TEMPT ME, FRODO,’ she wrote in response, before later adding: ‘Sorry. One of my favorite movies. Couldn’t miss the opportunity. I’m only human.’

In an accompanying interview with his new groundbreaking shoot for Vogue - which includes the strap-line, ‘Harry Styles makes his own rules’ - the pop sensation admitted he enjoys dressing up and isn’t prohibited by pre-conceived barriers regarding what people of opposing sexes should and should not wear.

He said: 'Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with... when you take away "There’s clothes for men and there’s clothes for women," once you remove any barriers, obviously you open up the arena in which you can play.'

Styles said he was inspired by gender-blurring male showmen including David Bowie, Prince, Elvis, Freddie Mercury and Elton John, whom he says also influence him musically.

He added: I’ll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women’s clothes thinking they’re amazing.

'It’s like anything - anytime you’re putting barriers up in your own life, you’re just limiting yourself. There’s so much joy to be had in playing with clothes.'

Another picture in the series finds the singer sporting a white a pink tutu over a generously cut suit as he poses in the countryside, while others find him modelling a series of kilts. 

In recent years, Owens has drawn attention for her social media confrontations with a host of celebrities and public figures, including rapper Cardi B.

She founded the 'Blexit' campaign to encourage black voters to 'exit' the Democrats as a play on Brexit, the term for Britain leaving the European Union.

Candace is now married to British-born Peter Farmer, whose father Lord Farmer was a major supporter of Brexit.

The conservative firebrand also formed a friendship with Kanye West, soon after he publicly expressed public support for President Trump.