Lil Nas X Opened Up About His Style Evolution and Bold Fashion Choices

Braden Bjella
·3 min read

While we now know Lil Nas X as a country-trap singing, style-slaying cowboy, the star recently revealed his history with fashion is a little more complicated than it might seem on the surface.

In a new interview with The Guardian, Lil Nas X opened up about his style evolution and bold fashion choices. Speaking to the publication, the "Rodeo" singer admitted that his younger self kept his clothes simple, usually opting to wear either his cousin’s hand-me-downs or some low-key fits from Zara and H&M when the money allowed it.

The singer also revealed dressing understated wasn’t what he wanted but he thought that being bolder with his style might raise questions about his sexuality. “The honest truth is, I planned to die with the secret,” he told The Guardian, referencing his sexuality. But once “Old Town Road” started to gain traction, Lil Nas X quickly realized that his newfound success could be an avenue for some style- and self-exploration.

He started showing up at red carpets wearing some incredible looks, and after coming out in a tweet in June of 2019, he began being more open about his sexuality, his place as a voice for queer youth, and, in turn, he also started playing around with fashion and style. As he tells it, the plan was to never be himself “but that changed when I became Lil Nas X.”

Lil Nas X is open about the fact that he wasn’t always as fashion-obsessed as he is today but, as he admitted, he now realizes that fashion isn’t just another way to express himself but also an increasingly large part of his identity. “I’m trying to – no, I will build myself up as a superstar,” he said, “and fashion will be a big part of that.”

However, he doesn't attribute his fashion evolution all to himself. In the interview, the star asserted that his identity-building can be partially credited to his stylist, Hodo Musa. After styling him for his second ever performance, the two formed a close connection and Hodo is behind some of his most iconic looks (like his neon green suit and his hot pink Grammys fit).

Long story short, if you’ve been a fan of any of Lil Nas X’s famous red carpet looks, you can probably pass at least some of the credit on to Hodo. And we're sure the pair will keep coming out with more glorious 'fits in the future!

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Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue