Niall Horan owns it: Unlike some of his One Direction bandmates — like, say, a certain gent who appreciates a gigantic closet full of finely tailored suits — he didn't take super naturally to fashion once the band got famous.

“A while ago I was probably the worst dressed man on the planet,” he told Esquire in a conversation about his look — both the one he's cultivating now, and the cringe-worthy clothes and bleach-blonde bangs he sported for his first performances and public appearances. “Obviously some people can pull it off, and some people can’t. I happen to be one of those people that can’t. But I was 16 and 17, so you kind of let yourself get away with that.”

As for his current sartorial aesthetic — which Esquire showcased in a glossy spread, one that had him embracing a "classic" cool that has him turning to rockers for inspiration. He's into "a lot of boots, a lot of hats," and "all different types of jackets—denim, leather, all different types of materials," but he basically wants to dress like his forefathers who toured through the sold-out theaters he's playing 50 years before.

"They did it pretty good back in the day­, the ‘70s and ‘80s," he continued. "Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty and bands like the Eagles, they always looked really cool and really suited to that time. And I think that time in fashion is coming back again."

Niall embracing a Boss vibe? Here for it.