We all remember that one video way back from the beginning of One Direction’s career. Harry, not even an adult yet, painfully spoke about his experiences on Twitter. In tears, he explained the hate he received, and how much it affected him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUM-yPcOSeo

“I’ve always wanted to be one of those people that didn’t care much about what people thought of them, but I just don’t think I am.”

Even if you’re not a fan of Harry’s, it’s hard not to watch this interview and not feel somewhat bad. No living person deserves the hate Harry received, and Harry seemed to slightly grasp that point, but those thoughts weren’t enough to keep those words from hurting him. Which is understandable, because the things people said were/are absolutely atrocious.

Things didn’t stay like this though. This quiet, yet adorable lad changed quite a bit as time passed. While his unforgettable, lovely personality didn’t change, he transitioned into this hilarious, bright, and still adorable gentleman. Along with that, one key trait of his changed; his insecurity. It blossomed into something much better – confidence.

The boys had show after show, and as they passed, Harry seemed to grow more and more confident with himself. His stiff movements became bashful, full of energy and life. No longer was he holding back – he carelessly strutted around the stage, letting his long hair (which he refused to cut, despite what people told him to do) flow beautifully behind him.

This confidence came from a few things. For one, Harry had to realize his worth. We all know he’s an incredible person, but until he realized that himself, there was no way he’d be able to comfortably show his true colors. He also had to start ignoring the hateful comments sent his way, which was probably very hard for him. Luckily, he was not alone in that uphill battle. Directioners, without fail, constantly gave him (and still do) their unconditional love. To say they had nothing to do with his confidence would be unfair and incredibly false. These kind, admirable fans surely helped Harry see that these haters weren’t worth his time. Of course, they weren’t the only force; it’s sure that his family and the rest of his band helped him too.

Along with his marvelous attitude change, his outfits and hair shifted as well. His short, curly hair, grew in length. While plenty of people told him to cut it, he has yet to listen to them. Recently, he’s been sporting clothing from women’s clothing lines. This is something the younger Harry would’ve never done, but with all the support he’s been given, he now wears what he wants without a second thought.

This brings us to November 22nd, 2015. Aka, the night of the American Music Awards.

The American Music Awards are always great, and they’re definitely greater when the biggest stars are able to show up. Sometimes they all end up being on tour at once, meaning they can’t be there. This year, practically everyone was there – Justin Bieber, Fifth Harmony, 5 Seconds of Summer… and thankfully, One Direction.

The first thing everyone wanted to know was what the boys were wearing on the carpet. When the first pictures came out, one specific boy caught their attention.

While all of the boys had typical-colored suits, Harry had a floral one on, coming straight from the brand Gucci.

One big opinion came from The Sun, a media outlet that has been reprimanded before for what they’ve said. In one of their articles, they called Harry’s outfit “revolting”, alongside some tweets focusing on how the material looked like bedsheets from IKEA.

Nobody focused on the fact that Harry was wearing what he wanted, not what everyone wanted him to wear. They instead made fun of what he had instead of commending him for his confidence, which hasn’t always been there.

This proves that while the media hasn’t changed one bit, Harry has, and for the better.

It’s not even like it was a provocative or offensive outfit; it was just a nice suit with some nice flowers on it. There’s really nothing wrong with it, and it’s from a respectable brand as well. Gucci has been around since 1921, and nearly everyone knows the name.

While the media wasn’t exactly on his side though, the majority of his fans, like always, stayed supportive of his decision. That’s one thing that’s amazing about Directioners – they’re one of the most supportive, understanding fandoms out there. They’re open to practically anything, whether it’s something big like sexuality, or something little like outfit choices. They’re a very beautiful, amazing group of people. The media may write horribly about them half the time, but with all they do, they really deserve nothing but love.

Harry is an exceptional human being. On top of all the causes he stands up for, by standing up for himself, he’s teaching teenagers and young adults to be themselves and no one else. He’s no longer the insecure boy he was before; he’s now this strong, talented man, who lives by his own terms.

Directioners are proud of Harry for the person he has become, and they definitely should be. He’s a role model for so many, and that deserves to be noted. He’s not just some boyband member you should forget – he’s making changes, and standing up for things that aren’t right. As he does this, he’s teaching a whole world of teenagers and young adults to stay true to themselves. In a world where major conformity is a huge issue, Harry’s choices show that you don’t need to follow the crowds.

What do you think about Harry and his floral suit? Does that interview still make you cringe? Are you as proud as we are? Tweet us at @CelebMix, or leave us a comment below.

Update: Thank you so much to Anne Twist, aka Harry’s mom, for retweeting this article!