Lil Nas X on Wearing Skirts: “I Feel Like I’m Changing Some Minds”

Since arriving on the scene a few years prior, Lil Nas X has broken free from gender norms, particularly in the realm of style. There was his lilac off-the-shoulder pantsuit with a dramatic train at the 2021 VMAs, courtesy of Versace; his barely there Balmain bandage top at a Variety event in late 2021; and the various sparkly miniskirts and crop tops he’s worn in concert, just to name a few. As Lil Nas X recently told People, “Style is a form of self-expression,” and wearing skirts in particular is empowering for the “Montero” singer.

“I was really nervous about going out on stage in front of my family and everybody in my cute, little Coach skirt,” the Coach ambassador said to the outlet. “But as soon as I walked out, I felt like I was setting my younger self free.” He added that his family members, who previously believed “in everything opposite to what’s up on that stage,” said they were proud of him. “I feel like I’m changing some minds,” he continued.

Lil Nas X also explained how he expresses himself through his clothes. “It’s a way to show people who you are, or at least how you want them to perceive you. I feel like to get further in life, you have to shed skins and do things that you normally wouldn’t.”

Related: Lil Nas X Pauses Concert Due to a Bathroom Emergency: “I Was Literally Back There Dropping Demons”

In September, the musician kicked off his first-ever world tour, “Long Live Montero,” which features a custom Coach wardrobe designed by creative director Stuart Vevers. The six unique, futuristic ensembles include sequins, gladiator suits, cropped silhouettes, and minis. “The looks we created for Lil Nas X explore playful tensions between past, present, and future,” Vevers previously told Highsnobiety.