Lil Nas X Nailed the Mens Crop Top Trend in Leather and Denim

If you’re wondering why Western-inspired outfits have been taking over the red carpet lately, you can thank Lil Nas X. The enigmatic singer has been delivering one cowboy-inspired look after look since breaking into the music scene in 2018 through TikTok with his song “Old Town Road,” which features Billy Ray Cyrus. On the fashion front, the 24-year-old star has made his mark with bold, bedazzled suits which he often pairs with colorful cowboy boots and hats. At the 2019 Grammys, he wore a leather Barbie pink Versace suit, complete with a buckled leather harness and two silk scarfs tied around his wrists, and he later went on stage to perform in a silver sequined suit. Casual.

Lil Nas X’s Instagram account is also full of standout outfits including a pink fuzzy puffer coat and a lime green jacket styled with a “Rick and Morty” T-shirt. He even includes hidden messages with his looks at times, paying homage to friend Jack Harlow after the rapper celebrated him at the BET Awards and honoring Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette at the 2023 Met Gala. His winning sartorial streak isn’t going unnoticed by brands either: he recently became the face of Coach, starring in their “Courage To Be Real” campaign in a fuzzy purple jacket and a cream handbag.

Indeed he is pushing boundaries when it comes to fashion, breaking conventional notions of gendered style. In an interview with People Magazine, the “Montego” rapper discussed his impact. “Style is a form of self-expression. I was really nervous about going out on stage in front of my family and everybody in my cute, little Coach skirt. But as soon as I walked out, I felt like I was setting my younger self free. […] I feel like I’m changing some minds.”

Most recently, he made a surprise appearance at the Coach Foundation’s annual “Dream Day,” conference, wearing a cropped leather jacket with flared ripped jeans. The event, which is the signature conference for the Dream It Real initiative, hosted scholars from the Coach Foundation’s partner organizations Opportunity Network, Bottom Line, Point Foundation, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and the Hetrick-Martin Institute at Coach’s headquarters. It included a day of mentorship, networking and professional development – as well as a styling session with Lil Nas X’s stylist, Matthew Mazur.

Ahead, keep reading to see some of Lil Nas X’s best style moments.

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