Celebrity Style
Kelsea Ballerini's Cheeky NYLON Cover Was Inspired By An Iconic Photo Shoot
Country music has never looked so good.
Kelsea Ballerini has had a “wild” year thus far — and her latest magazine cover gives just that energy. For NYLON’s 2023 It Girl Issue, the country-pop phenom threw sartorial caution to the wind, donning hot pink panties, a cowgirl hat (naturally), and little else.
With inspiration pulled from the media archives, the spicy cover channeled another famous photo shoot — and truly did it justice.
Kelsea’s Cheeky Cowgirl ’Fit
Even on the cover of an emo-adjacent magazine, the “Penthouse” singer stayed true to her country star aesthetic. Effectively elevating the plain white tank, Ballerini wore a simple ribbed style by Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen paired with shimmery magenta bikini bottoms (shop them here) from Oséree.
Ballerini’s look was completed with a light pink cowgirl hat ($120), for a dose of Western charm, and pink heeled boots embellished with ostrich feathers. The flamboyant stilettos — with their pointed toes and knee-high cut — are playfully reminiscent of the cowboy boots her music genre is known for. Courtesy of Giuseppe Zanotti, they retail at a cool $3,470.
As for beauty, Ballerini showcased a shimmery smokey eye with a bubblegum pink pout and a coordinating manicure. All in all, the look was cowgirl Barbie personified.
The Nostalgic Inspiration
According to Bustle Digital Group’s Senior Vice President Of Fashion, Tiffany Reid, who styled the cover shoot, photo inspiration came from a 1995 Rolling Stone cover.
“We referenced an iconic cover image of Alicia Silverstone on Rolling Stone magazine. We were inspired by the youthfulness of the pinks tying into this theme of America’s sweetheart — but with an edgy twist, by putting Kelsea in pieces that showed more skin. The accessories were the statement (i.e. cowboy hat and feather boots), instead of the clothing.” — Tiffany Reid
In it, Ballerini struck a similar pose, while sporting a nearly identical pink cowboy hat. The Clueless actress, however, went barefoot, in ruffled bloomers and a candy pink T-shirt.
Shop Kelsea’s Western Barbie Vibe
Though Ballerini’s exact tank top isn’t available online (I’m so sorry), all her statement pieces still are. Fans can shop every garment, from her sparkly bottom all the way down to her feather-dusted toes.
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