Ethel Cain Explores Ethereal Aesthetics Through Her Singular Sartorial Sense
See all of the singer's best style moments throughout the years, ranging from her ultra-chic prep-inspired Miu Miu runway look to her flowing, gothic gowns worn on the stage.
After emerging as a new artist to watch, Ethel Cain has enchanted audiences with her melancholic melodies and hauntingly beautiful voice. With songs like "American Teenager," "Strangers," and "A House in Nebraska," among the most-listened in her discography, Ethel Cain, born Hayden Anhedönia, has introduced the world to her unique style and sound.
Born in Tallahassee, Florida, Cain grew up as the oldest of four, raised by her deacon father and church choir singer mother. Homeschooled and involved with music through choir and piano, Cain held an avowed interest in the arts, especially where they intersected with religious motifs. “My whole life was always singing, always, always music all the time,” Cain said in a 2022 interview with W Magazine. “It’s no wonder that I fell in love with it, because it’s such a constant force in my life.” Although she left the church at 16, the themes that she was surrounded by as a child have stuck with her, as fans may recognize through her music and outward aesthetic.
Cain appears onstage in everything from dreamy, gothic styles inspired by classic Edwardian fashion to contemporary Americana-inspired looks. In recreations of the corsetted, high-necked frocks worn by women of the early 20th century, Cain effortlessly channels the persona she sings of in Preacher's Daughter. A vision of elegance from an era long past, the style has become synonymous with her character. On some occasions, Cain walks onstage clad in American flag-printed jackets, cropped jean shorts, and cowboy boots, taking on the style associated with the southern United States today.
In Miu Miu, Cain has found new heights. The singer stunned fans when she appeared on the runway for the luxury label's Fall/Winter 2024 show in Paris in the spring of 2024, sporting an oversized blue button-down, a voluminous white skirt, and buckled knee-high boots. Since then, she has continued her friendship with the ultra-trendy label, appearing in campaigns and sporting Miu Miu to the occasional events she attends, introducing a new sartorial element to her aesthetic.
In celebration of Ethel Cain's utterly authentic, raw personal sense of style, see all of her best looks to date below, ranging from vintage-inspired Edwardian gowns to denim cutoffs and graphic tees.