Lainey Wilson teamed up with two of her longtime creative collaborators to share stories behind her signature style over the weekend at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.

Museum writer-editor Jon Freeman led a discussion (titled Bell Bottom Country: Creating the Lainey Wilson Look) between the Grammy-winning country star, CeCe Dawson and Raina Gir in the museum’s CMA Theater on Saturday afternoon (September 6). The trio shared stories behind some of Wilson’s most memorable looks and distinctive flair. Wilson is known for sporting Western-inspired wardrobe pieces, sleek cowgirl hats and, of course, retro bell bottoms. She’s gravitated toward many elements of her style since her childhood in Baskin, Louisiana, and over time, Wilson has incorporated fresh ways to put modern twists on her image.

“Lainey Wilson’s signature fashion statement — her omnipresent bell bottoms — calls to mind a look from the past, but Wilson's music and style are fresh, modern and ideally suited for her unique sensibility,” the Hall of Fame previously stated of the event. “This panel will explore an assortment of Wilson's aesthetic, costuming and staging choices, examining how they have aligned with her artistic vision. The panel will also take stock of creative shifts throughout Wilson's career and look ahead to what's next for Wilson.”

Wilson said fashion serves as a way to express herself — and beam with confidence — beyond singing and songwriting. She spotlighted iconic artists like Dolly Parton, Stevie Nicks, Janis Joplin and others as music and style icons she’s been drawn to over the years. She dove into the origin of her now-iconic “Bell Bottom Country” phrase, why it’s important to “tip your hat” to tradition while personalizing a look, crafting the perfect wardrobe and image to expand on the stories of her music, and more. At her core, Wilson leans into the elements “that make you ‘you.’”

Some of the unforgettable wardrobe moments Wilson, Dawson and Gir spoke about during the panel include Wilson’s Whirlwind chapter (which she extended with the deluxe edition last month), her stage wear during the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day halftime show in 2024, the “Shania vibes” of her 2023 Country Music Association Awards look when she was crowned Entertainer of the Year, her Yellowstone finale look, her recently-premiered “Somewhere Over Laredo” music video and more.

Wilson also has wardrobe pieces displayed at the Hall of Fame in the Lainey Wilson: Tough as Nails exhibit that opened over the summer. It will remain open through June of 2026. Wilson told iHeartCountry when she saw the exhibit for the first time that “it puts a lot into perspective in the best kind of way.” Tough as Nails tells the powerhouse artist’s stories from her childhood, her job as a Hannah Montana impersonator, her move to Nashville in 2011, her music, her awards, and more. Now, Wilson is continuing to blaze trails on her headlining “Whirlwind Tour,” ongoing acting roles, receiving several nods at the 59th CMA Awards (along with fellow top nominees Ella Langley and Megan Moroney), and more.

“When I think about the journey, when I think about all the moments where I’ve come to a roadblock and had to figure out whether to go right or left, and just have to switch gears a whole bunch, I’ve had to be tough as nails,” Wilson said of the Tough as Nails title (also a clever reference to “Wildflowers and Wild Horses”). “I’ve had no other choice. But I feel like because my journey hasn’t been like an overnight success, I feel like that’s given me the songs that I’m supposed to be singing to people, you know? …I’m not mad about it. I’m not mad that I’ve been in Nashville for 15 years, you know? I’m proud of that.

“What I’m realizing is at this point, the sky is the limit, and that’s a really cool thing,” Wilson added later. “We’re about to go on a tour…the biggest one I’ve done so far, and I’m just so excited to continue telling my story as I’m living, as I’m experiencing life. I’m about to get married and do all these things, and so it’s cool for me to be able to share those parts of my life with the people who support me. It’s a genuine support that I don’t take lightly.”

Kathi Yeager