Kayleigh Rose Amstutz from Willard, Missouri, had always felt suffocated by the modest and conventional expectations of her Midwestern upbringing, which made her feel “too much” in every sense. But in 2014, she made the decision to break free for her inner child, determined to embrace a path of unrestrained self-expression. A path marked by prosthetic pig noses, Marie Antoinette corsets and ruffles, and tacky shirts bedazzled with rebellious slogans like “EAT ME”.
In 2014, Chappell Roan was born.
Amstutz, now known to the world as “Chappell Roan”, has since ascended to the ranks of pop superstardom. Roan did not just step onto the scene, she exploded into it. Declaring herself “your favorite artist’s favorite artist” in tribute to drag icon Sasha Colby, she screamed her way into the hearts of millions declaring, “I’m gonna serve exactly what you are…cunt!” That moment cemented her place in pop culture–a moment when the world took notice of a new star. Roan’s belt-worthy songs are unapologetically provocative, raunchy, and full of “dance-in-your-room-alone” joy. And so are her costumes.
Stylist Genesis Webb, who felt an immediate connection with Roan during a 2023 V Magazine shoot due to their mutual love for “trashy, less defined fashion” and a “sharp meets soft” aesthetic, has since become instrumental in shaping Roan’s stage presence. Webb has styled well over 50 of Roan’s performances, including the now-iconic lesbian-flag-colored, butterfly suit and her legendary Joan of Arc-inspired looks from the 2024 VMAs, a look social media has dubbed “Roan of Arc.”
“I love looking pretty and scary. Or pretty and tacky…Or just not pretty; I love that too,” Roan confessed on The Tonight Show. This playful yet powerful embrace of extremes is central to her aesthetic, which draws heavily on drag culture. Her maximalist, campy style is a celebration of queerness, steeped in long-standing queer imagery, from clashing prints to exaggerated proportions to lewd cutouts. Whether it’s her makeup—featuring white face paint, bold blue eyeshadow reaching up to her thin eyebrows, smudged ’80s lipstick staining her teeth, and teased-to-perfection red hair—or her costumes, Roan’s look is a “love letter to queerness”, particularly the drag queens who pioneered such unapologetic self-expression.
Chappell Roan’s aesthetic is entirely personal, true to her identity and shaped by no one but herself. In an era when mainstream beauty trends often favor polished, Instagram-ready looks like Hailey Bieber’s “clean girl” makeup or the sleek, body-conforming designs of the Kardashian empire, Roan goes in the opposite direction. She doesn’t chase perfection or aspire to blend in with societal standards. Instead, she uses fashion as a form of storytelling, creating worlds that push the boundaries of art, performance, and sexuality.
As Webb explained in an interview with Vulture, “We start with a theme and then go, ‘Okay, how can we make it campier, bigger?’” Roan’s costumes are intentionally playful and larger than life, often embracing the surreal and absurd. Her performance at the Governor’s Ball Music Festival was a testament to this ethos—Roan began her set inside a life-size apple prop before stepping out dressed as a risque version of the Statue of Liberty, only to transform moments later into a sexy taxi cab driver. The whole experience felt like a carnival of camp, happily rejecting the need for subtlety and restraint.
What makes Chappell Roan’s self-presentation even more significant is the social and political context in which she exists. At a time when hate against queer communities is rising, with anti-LGBTQ+ bills proliferating across the United States, Roan’s unapologetic artistry stands as an act of resistance. In 2023, when even the very act of performing drag was called into question, Roan’s maximalist, camp-infused looks and her openly queer lyrics are not just personal expressions—they are defiant declarations of pride.
Her commitment to being unapologetically herself is both a political statement and a source of inspiration. In a world divided, Roan’s embrace of her true identity—through her art, her fashion, and her persona—provides a sense of hope for all the Midwest Princesses out there. She refuses to let hate take up space in her world, pushing boundaries not only in fashion and music but also in the ongoing fight for representation. Chappell Roan is more than a pop star; she is a cultural force, using her platform to celebrate queer identity, artistic freedom, and the power of being “too much” in all the best possible ways.
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