Since your social media feeds were most likely completely hijacked by Rihanna’s gag-worthy baby announcement Super Bowl concert, you might have missed the fashion armageddon that broke out over the stylistic choices of two non-football related celebrities over the weekend.
John Cena and Sam Smith are not two names that are often associated together, but their most recent fits have managed to rile up the online gen pop into varying degrees of outrage, allyship, and comedy.
First up on the cyber runway is professional wrestler turned action and comedy star John Cena. The 45-year-old has made a career of flaunting his bulging muscles in tight T-shirts and jean shorts in the WWE, but it’s a movie role that has him fully indulging in his feminine side.
Cena was spotted rocking a plaid miniskirt, thigh-high stockings and heeled boots on the Australian set of his new comedy Ricky Stanicky. We didn’t think he had it him!
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John Cena sports a skirt and heels on set of upcoming film. pic.twitter.com/i4W2sB0Hc6
— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 12, 2023
The sight of what some may consider the epitome of masculine energy definitely made a lot of people feel a lot of different ways.
There were those that gave Cena two snaps up for challenging gender norms – even if it was just for a role.
Is John Cena wearing a cute skirt and heeled-boots in my 2023 bingo card? Nope. Is he slaying and yaaasssing? YES. pic.twitter.com/3uulw1VzvF
— kastin ⚖️📚 semi-ia (@kastinfinity) February 12, 2023
john cena said ALLY!!! pic.twitter.com/40YzYd9ywp
— Gwen / Nico 🏳️⚧️🐊 (@gwenjamjam) February 11, 2023
Hey reluctant trans girls: if John Cena, ISO certified manliest man in America, can make it work this hard, you will have no problem whatsoever. https://t.co/07t2gFeHgR
— VƎX Werewolf #OpenDnD (@vexwerewolf) February 12, 2023
While others chose to lean into toxic masculinity and shame him for simply wearing the outfit required for the scene at hand. You know, like actors are supposed to do.
“Is John Cena now a they/them or just enjoy humiliating himself?” tweeted formerU FC/MMA fighter Jake Shields.
The vitriol got so bad that one of Cena’s fan accounts had to speak out to counter the negativity.
“The amount of angry men in my Instagram comments after seeing John wear a skirt and heels is very telling,” wrote JohnCenaCrews. “1. Stop projecting your fragile masculinity onto this man. 2. It’s for a movie, calm the f*ck down. 3. There’s nothing wrong with a man wearing a skirt and heels. Grow up.”
While Cena isn’t normally known for making headlines for his sartorial choices, Sam Smith has become quite known for their fearless lewks.
Related: Sam Smith poses for their most raunchy fashion shoot yet and people are shook
Following scene-stealing outfits at The Grammys, in their “I’m Not Here to Make Friends” video, and a bondage-themed photo shoot, Smith once again stole the show at the Brit Awards on Saturday by hitting the red carpet in an inflatable latex bodysuit by London menswear designer Harri.
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The voluminous ensemble bordered on fetish wear and had many comparing it to balloon animals, a scene out of The Incredibles, and a Rorschach test, among other things.
sam smith looking stunning at the #BRITs pic.twitter.com/dtdGwYWe6T
— harry’s gf ◡̈ (@pinkrrry) February 11, 2023
How Sam Smith got dressed for the Brit Awards. pic.twitter.com/6VpD6lwSGZ
— Zensei Làif (@zenseilaif) February 13, 2023
I’ve just done my #SamSmith Rorschach test and the results are surprisingly positive#BRITs pic.twitter.com/2tcBYc3Frz
— The Sanity Clause☮️ (@ColBloodnok) February 11, 2023
Some even included sound effects to give it more, ahem, pop.
Someone added the squidward sound over Sam Smith at the Brit awards and I’m fucking creasing 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/q4osHAiL8M
— EvilScotsman (@TheEvilScot) February 13, 2023
Others championed Smith for taking risks and being a galvanizing force.
Sam Smith is being so playful and fearless and it has been so inspiring to witness https://t.co/j8ufb0AXX4
— Simon Curtis (@simoncurtis) February 11, 2023
Sam Smith took a Bowie homage and made it bigger and queerer at the #BritAwards https://t.co/msIPcjDqqJ
— Tom and Lorenzo (@tomandlorenzo) February 13, 2023
Despite some of the jokes and the haters, the designer of the avant-garde outfit explained how their intent was to showcase the beauty of being one’s self.
“Sam was having a lot of hate comments recently after ‘Unholy’ about (their) body image,” Harri told the AP. “I wanted to create an image which people have never seen Sam in.” While that may be true, there really is a meme for everything!
Related: Category is: Capitol Hill eleganza! The fashion highs & lows from last night’s State of the Union
Diplomat
Hey John, I hope to see you over that subway vent soon …
Paul2
Sam Smith’s outfit is close to what Leigh Bowery would create.
abfab
A legend! And let’s not forget Missy Elliot.
JTinToronto
Funny how John Cena in a skirt and heels looks amazing but Sam Smith in a suit looks ridiculous. I’m all for self-expression but ridiculous is ridiculous. lol Laughed my head off at EvilScotsman’s post. That was great.
bachy
I like Sam’s outfit because it’s not gender-obsessed, like so many queers seem to be these days.
It’s not blaring Is this masculine? or Is this feminine?
The Harri inflatable suit is simply altering the human silhouette in an original, beautiful and sculptural manner. I love it – it’s fun, even the humorous squeaky-sound memes.
I wish more queer art moved in a more original direction, instead of the tired, beaten-to-death obsession with masculinity and femininity.
Moritz
I’ve been a big fan of David Bowie since I first saw him live back in 1973. His costumes all seemed amazing, many based in Japanese theater and art. Plus Bowie was so skinny then that the costumes all look great on him.
Sam Smith, on the other hand, while being very talented musically, wears costumes that look more clownish than anything else. If he was just going for fun and giggles, then his outfits were great. If he was going for much else, he didn’t quite make it. One thing I will have to say is that they were very original and creative, and fun.