Kelsea Ballerini knows how to dress well, whether it's for a red carpet, a live show or just a night out on the town. While Ballerini can take some of the credit for her sense of style, she cites two country music artists who have become fashion icons for her in her own career.
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"I'm inspired by people that have their own kind of style," Ballerini tells People. "The people that are the trendsetters. In country, people like Karen Fairchild. She's just been this classic pillar in our genre for so long, and she's always been so fashion-forward, and I think in a way that's not traditionally country. And that's always been really inspiring to me. I'm always like, 'Karen, what do I wear to this? Karen, what do you think about this?'"
Fairchild isn't the only one Ballerini looks up to. She also admires one of country music's most legendary stars, who recently turned 70.
"I also love people like Reba," Ballerini reveals. "You've seen her really be, she's been Reba McEntire. She's stuck to her look and she stuck to the way that she's always presented herself. I watch her and it's like, 'God. First of all, you look like you haven't aged in 17 years.' She's just always kept that same aesthetic. I respect that."
How Kelsea Ballerini's Style Has Changed Over The Years
Lambert was just 21 years old when her freshman The First Time album was released. Now 31 years old, Ballerini's style has changed over the years, making her bolder and braver in her choices.
"For me, in the 10 years that I've been touring and doing music, I've had 17 versions of myself," the girlfriend of Chase Stokes says. "But I also like that because that's showing that you're playing and you're growing and you're changing. You're growing up."
Ballerini loves to dress up for work events, like a red carpet or concert, even if what she wears then is drastically different than what she wears when not working.
"I remember when I was a kid, that the things that I would do would be in my mom's bathroom and use her curler, her mascara and all that," Ballerini remembers. "I had this trunk of clothes, and I would just play dress up all the time. And I feel like that's part of what I get to do now and what I'm lucky enough to get to do. There are certain carpet looks that I look back on and I'm like, "You know what? Not my favorite, but I'm glad I tried it."
