Harry Styles' mom says he has 'always embraced' dressing up after conservative commentator Candace Owens criticized his Vogue cover

• Harry Styles' mom Anne Twist appeared on British talk show "Lorraine" on Tuesday where she defended her son amid criticism of his Vogue cover.
• Styles wore a Gucci dress on the cover of US Vogue's December issue, and is the magazine's first solo male cover star.
• "I think maybe I had something to do with it because I was always a big fan of doing fancy dress with them when they were smaller," Twist told host Lorraine Kelly.
• Conservative commentator Candace Owens faced backlash from fans and celebrities after criticizing the cover and calling it an "outright attack" on "manly men."

Harry Styles' mom Anne Twist showed support her for son's recent Vogue cover by revealing that she used to play dress-up with her two children and that Styles always "embraced it."

Twist appeared on British talk show "Lorraine" via video link on Tuesday to discuss her recent charity work for Parkinson's UK as well as her two children, Harry and Gemma.

The show's host Lorraine Kelly mentioned the Vogue cover story, in which she said that Styles looked "rather gorgeous," adding: "Why should you think clothes are for girls or clothes are for boys? Wear whatever you like!"

A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine)

Twist agreed with Kelly's comments, saying: "I think maybe I had something to do with it because I was always a big fan of doing fancy dress with them when they were smaller. Which Gemma hated, but Harry always embraced."

"But you know, who doesn't love playing dress-up?" she added.

Fans and celebrities came to Styles' defense after conservative commentator Candace Owens took to Twitter to criticize the cover on Saturday.

"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," Owens tweeted.

Actor Elijah Wood responded: "I think you've missed the definition of what a man is. Masculinity alone does not make a man." Celebrities including "The Good Place" star Jameela Jamil and actress Olivia Wilde also showed their support for the singer.

Although Twist and Kelly didn't mention Owens' comments directly during the interview, Kelly stated that it "really doesn't matter however you want to express yourself."

In the December issue cover story for Vogue, Styles said that he finds himself "looking at women's clothes, thinking they're amazing." He was also joined by his sister Gemma for the interview and photo shoot, in which they looked back on their childhood.

Reminiscing about the times that their mom would dress them up, Gemma said: "I always hated it, and Harry was always quite into it."

A post shared by Gemma Styles (@gemmastyles)

Gemma, who recently launched her podcast "Good Influence," later tweeted about the experience of joining her brother for his cover shoot, saying: "Vogue December 2020 @Harry_Styles The first man to appear on the cover of @voguemagazine. So proud of who you are. Thanks for asking me."

—Gemma Styles (@GemmaAnneStyles) November 13, 2020

Harry also said during the Vogue interview that he does not like "limiting" himself to only men's clothing.

"Now I'll put on something that feels really flamboyant, and I don't feel crazy wearing it," he said.

Watch the full "Lorraine" interview below:

• Read more:
• Harry Styles opens up about his fluid sense of style and why he doesn't like 'limiting' himself to only men's clothing
• Harry Styles delighted fans in a dress on the cover of Vogue as the magazine's first solo male cover star
• 9 times Harry Styles was a champion for the LGBTQ community