To make matters more awkward, the pop star had been performing with Jennifer Aniston in the audience – whom he has previously described as his very first celebrity crush.
Styles, 28, was in the midst of an energetic performance of his song “Music For A Sushi Restaurant” when the wardrobe malfunction occurred.
Videos taken by fans and shared on social media show Styles down on one knee just inches from the front of the stage, throwing his arms wide at the crescendo of the track.
But it was at this moment that the lunge proved too much for his brown leather trousers and they ripped at the seam near his crotch, exposing his inner thigh.
Styles quickly realised what had happened and put his hand over the hole while turning away from the audience. Taking it in his stride, he finished his performance after grabbing a Pride flag from a member of the crowd to wrap around his waist and hide the tear.
Styles took a short interval after the song to go backstage and change into another pair of brown trousers, apologising to the audience when he returned.
“My trousers ripped. I feel I must apologise to a certain few of you right down in the front there. I mean, this is a family show,” he joked. Pointing to one man in the crowd, he added: “You sir, are you OK? I promise it’s not part of the show.”
Aniston was spotted sitting in the crowd by fans who attended the show.
Harry really out there tripping and splitting his pants in front of Jennifer Aniston. She's in that man's head#HarryStyles #HarryStylesLoveOnTour #LoveOnTourLA pic.twitter.com/vIpJ6tJeRS
— ARMYand1D (@ARMYand1D) January 27, 2023
Fans found the situation hysterical, taking to social media to share their own videos and jokes about the embarrassing moment.
“Honestly, ripping his pants when his crotch is like 10 feet from people’s faces is one of the most Harry Styles things to ever happen to him,” one person wrote.
Another joked: “Harry Styles’ pants rip right in front of his first celebrity crush Jennifer Aniston… Custom Gucci pants. Not sure Gucci wanted this sort of ‘exposure’ but here we are.”
Oh no , Harry Styles ripped his pants onstage in LA & it’s already a bigger news story then any classified documents found anywhere, ever
— Dan Leach (@DanLeach971) January 27, 2023
pic.twitter.com/3tZPCCqhfH
“Harry Styles ripping his pants open wasn’t the first thing I was expecting to see when I opened Instagram, but I’m glad it was,” one tweet read.
This is not the first time Styles has accidentally torn his trousers on stage, nor the first time he had to borrow the rainbow flag to cover himself up.
In December, during a concert in Sao Paolo in Brazil, the “As It Was” singer ripped his sequinned jumpsuit and picked up a Pride flag that had been thrown onto the stage to tie around his waist.
