By Agnete Blichfeldt and Agnese Augusta Patriarca Bertoli. Cover image by Khadiga Etman and Cristina Gonzàlez Clavijo.
Miley Cyrus and the Unique Power of Style Evolution
The phenomenon of changing stylistic appearance is something we’ve seen with other legendary artists. A sudden makeover marks the beginning of a new artistic era. Bowie did it, Madonna did it, and Lady Gaga is doing it as well. Miley Cyrus deserves similar recognition for her stylistic evolution.
Miley Cyrus Style Evolution: A Journey Through Her Iconic Fashion Eras
What makes Miley Cyrus’ stylistic changes stand out from those of the artists above is her long-standing presence in the pop culture. She first appeared on Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana at the age of 13 in 2006, meaning that an entire generation of Gen Z and younger Millennials has grown up alongside her. Her stylistic transformations have both reflected and shaped the trends that dominate our pop cultural landscape. When you look at “2013 Miley,” it’s like an aesthetic time travel back to everything that year represented, blending pop aesthetics and counter-cultures.
Cyrus occupies a unique position compared to other artists because her appearance feels less like a carefully curated artistic persona and more like a genuine expression of personal growth. She illustrates the passage of time, and alongside her, we are all adapting to a new aesthetic era defined by Miley Cyrus’s evolving style.
The Best of Both Worlds: Miley’s Disney Years (2006)
With six albums in her discography and the responsibility of influencing a whole generation, Hannah Montana has been a significant part of our childhoods whether we watched the show or not. She was a 13-year-old girl living two lives—the thrill of a secret, along with popularity, fame, and fun—making her the perfect idol. It’s no surprise that the actress eventually transformed her entire public persona multiple times. Once Hannah Montana, always Hannah Montana.
Can’t Be Tamed: Teenage Rebellion and Style Shift (2010)
In contrast to her polished Disney image, Miley Cyrus released Can’t Be Tamed (2010), her first non-Disney album. This marked a significant turning point as she showcased a new side of herself, sporting heavy black eyeliner and bold looks that referenced bondage and classic rock aesthetics. This change set the tone for the revived trend of indie sleek style and was a key moment in the evolution of Miley Cyrus’s style. For many fans who had already been experimenting with black eyeliner, this change perfectly captured the evolving aesthetic of the time as well as the transition into young adulthood.
Bangerz Era: Shattering the Child Star Image (2013)
In the music video for Wrecking Ball, from her fourth studio album, Bangerz (2013) and directed by audacious fashion photographer Terry Richardson, Miley Cyrus was famously presented swinging on a wrecking ball while completely nude, except for her iconic Dr. Martens boots. Following this, Miley embarked on her Bangerz Tour, where she performed wildly on stage, often sticking her tongue out to the left side of her mouth in her signature rebellious fashion. Her short platinum blonde hair and colourful sporty rock-pop aesthetic heavily influenced youth fashion, even inspiring the trend of spelling words with a “z.” This all contributed to Miley Cyrus’s lasting legacy in the fashion world.
Genre-Blending Style Evolution (2013–2020)
From 2013 to 2020, the artist fearlessly experimented and emerged as a remarkable performer and singer. In 2015, she independently released the psychedelic and experimental album Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz, which showcased her absolute creative freedom and fluid movement between psychedelic rock, lo-fi, ambient, and surreal pop. Less than two years later, she returned to her roots with her widely known album Younger Now (2017), featuring the hit single Malibu, which dominated radio stations and continues to resonate today. During this period, her persona softened, and she moved away from provocation toward introspection and authenticity—marking another key phase in Miley Cyrus’s ongoing transformation of style. Finally, in 2019, she released Nothing Breaks Like a Heart (2019), a disco and pop track that achieved significant chart success worldwide and remained popular for a long time. During this time, the artist married actor Liam Hemsworth, but the marriage lasted only one year. A viral video of him asking her to behave at one of his film premieres further highlighted the challenges that strong women face in being perceived as difficult.
Mullet Miley: The 2020 Rock Revival Look
In 2020, Miley Cyrus introduced one of the biggest hair trends of the year, which quickly gained popularity among both men and women: the mullet.
Alongside this change, her clothing style also evolved. Visually, she paid homage to rock legends of the past, often transforming her look to resemble Debbie Harry, the lead singer of Blondie, or adopting a more Americanised rock’n roll aesthetic with full stars and stripes leather outfits.
This shift in style coincided with the resurgence of the 1980s aesthetic in fashion, a nostalgia amplified by the global pandemic and a collective yearning for freedom—all encapsulated in the unmistakable energy of Miley Cyrus’s style.
Something Beautiful: Elegance Above and Beyond
Now embracing her superstar status, Miley Cyrus has entered what some refer to as her “Cher era.” She performs in glittery, glamorous stage costumes while reviving the 1970s aesthetic we all missed. Offstage, she wears elegant brands like Alaïa, emphasising her feminine essence and flow. This new chapter of Miley Cyrus’s style reflects a woman who is no longer rebelling against her past but is instead confidently showcasing her true self. Her simple yet sophisticated offstage looks are redefining the black dress trend in the fashion scene.
She recently released her album Something Beautiful, which is accompanied by a movie featuring all the songs from the album. Our conclusion? We can never get enough of her and her evolving style.
