Best Style in Country Music
l always love seeing the looks come out of New York Fashion Week, and this year, I’m especially excited to see so much ’70s influence making its way back into fashion. I loved the romantic, girly textures in the LoveShackFancy and Alice + Olivia Spring collections.
From romantic, feminine textures to vintage-inspired silhouettes, it had me thinking about how much of that same influence I’m seeing in country music right now.
Naturally, I started thinking about a few of my favorite country artist styles. These three ladies are heavily influenced by 70s fashion!
Ella Langley
Rock & Roll Western
Stylist: Stefani Colvin
If I had to put Ella Langley’s style into one phrase, it would be rock & roll western.
Her looks have that unmistakable ’70s influence with bell sleeves, but they never feel like a costume. There’s always something a little undone or unexpected like a choker, a concho belt that gives the outfit that slightly messy, rock-and-roll energy. One of her music influences is Stevie Nicks and you can tell she channels that into her fashion as well!
I especially love the darker color palette she gravitates toward. Think dark autumn colors, earthy tones, rich browns and deep shades are a great color for her dark features. With her 2nd album being called Dandelion, I think everyone expected her to lean into the white color palette. I love that she her fashion is unpredicatble and constantly evolving!
A lot of Ella’s tour looks this year have been custom pieces by Morphew World, incorporating vintage velvet burnout fabrics and details. She also has a signature Steve Madden high-heel boot that she wears on stage, which has become part of her recognizable stage look.
What personally draws me to her style is that it’s undeniably Western without feeling overly literal. She doesn't need a fringe jacket, cowboy hat and turquoise jewelry all at once to make the look read as country.
Laci Kaye Booth
Vintage Americana
Stylist: Kennedy Smith
Laci Kaye Booth’s style is Vintage Americana, but with a modern twist. Her looks have that same ’70s influence, but where Ella leans rock-and-roll, Laci’s style feels softer and feminine. She plays with texture, movement and interesting silhouettes without making the outfit feel overly girly.
What makes her outfits stand out is the accessories! Whether it's a statement belt, turquoise earrings, or a headscarf, she always adds a funky piece. I think that's what I like most about her style. It doesn't feel like she’s simply following whatever vintage-inspired trend is happening at the moment. Her color palette tends to be white and neutrals with pops of color.
Carter Faith
Vintage-Inspired
Stylist: Kennady Tracy & Gabriela Lena
Carter's style feels like the most timeless of the three. Her looks lean heavily into ’60 inspired silhouettes, lace, and feminine details. Overall, I would describe her style as feminine.
Her stylist, Kennady has such a great eye for proportion and silhouette. Even when the pieces themselves are simple, the way they're styled together makes the outfit feel intentional.
One of the things I love most about Carter’s style is her use of lace and texture over color or print. Carter doesn’t rely as heavily on statement accessories like jewelry or belts to make her outfits stand out. Instead, the clothing itself does the work with beautiful fabrics, silhouettes and thoughtful details. She typically dresses in a monochromatic look. Her color palette is another thing that makes her style instantly recognizable. Her debut album is called Cherry Valley. Most of her outfits currently stick to a white, black, red color scheme.
Why I’m Loving This Direction
What I love about all three of these women is that they’re proving country style doesn't have to fit into one very specific box. There’s a huge difference between wearing Western clothes and having a personal style that happens to be influenced by Western fashion. Ella, Laci and Carter all pull inspiration from the same general era, but they each have their own unique style.
As ’70s fashion continues to make its way back into the mainstream, I’m excited to see how country artists continue to reinterpret it, especially when they're mixing vintage pieces, custom designs and modern styling instead of simply recreating a decade.
I am also looking forward to seeing the CMA Awards runway and show looks in November. Stella Lefty is someone who has a very casual Y2K streetwear style. However, her Grand Ole Opry debut by Amiri was stunning!
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