Harry Styles discusses the 'joy' he finds in dressing up

Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Harry Styles says he finds "so much joy" in dressing up.

In the December issue of Vogue, Styles, 26, shared his love for clothes and the freedom he's found in ignoring gender norms in fashion.

Styles appears on the Vogue cover in a custom Gucci gown and double-breasted tuxedo jacket. In the interview, Styles credited his style transformation to stylist Harry Lambert, whom he met seven years ago.

"He just has fun with clothing, and that's kind of where I've got it from," Styles said of Lambert. "He doesn't take it too seriously, which means I don't take it too seriously."

Since meeting Lambert, Styles said he's come to believe "you can never be overdressed."

"There's no such thing," the star said. "The people that I looked up to in music -- Prince and David Bowie and Elvis and Freddie Mercury and Elton John -- they're such showmen. As a kid it was completely mind-blowing. Now I'll put on something that feels really flamboyant, and I don't feel crazy wearing it."

"I think if you get something that you feel amazing in, it's like a superhero outfit," he added.

Styles said he sees fashion as something "to have fun with and experiment with and play with," regardless of which gender the clothes were originally made for.

"What's really exciting is that all of these lines are just kind of crumbling away. 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," the singer said.

"I'll go in shops sometimes, and I just find myself looking at the women's clothes thinking they're amazing," he added. "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."

Styles previously discussed his style and gendered fashion in a 2019 interview with The Guardian.

"What women wear. What men wear. For me it's not a question of that," the star said. "If I see a nice shirt and get told, 'But it's for ladies.' I think, 'Okaaaay? Doesn't make me want to wear it less though.'"

"I think the moment you feel more comfortable with yourself, it all becomes a lot easier," he added.

Styles came to fame with the boy band One Direction. He released his second solo album, Fine Line, in December 2019, which features the singles "Lights Up," "Adore You," "Falling," "Watermelon Sugar" and "Golden."