When Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, Kacey Musgraves is working on new music, she's not just thinking about the songs or the lyrics, she's creating a "world."
"I’m a very visual person, so the second that I’m writing a song, I’m seeing the video, I’m seeing the whole world that it lives in," Musgraves tells Shop TODAY.
Her previous albums have been accompanied by additional elements, like a nearly hour-long film or a scented candle inspired by a song, that serve as an expanded way for fans to experience the music and the world she's created. And now, she's doing that again for her latest release, "Deeper Well."
This week, Musgraves debuted her first-ever fashion collection, a new line created in collaboration with Reformation, which she tells us is “an extension of not only my heart but the 'Deeper Well' aesthetic and this whole world.”
The 17-piece collection features a mix of dresses, accessories, two-piece sets and more, which blend elements of the Western and cottagecore trends. The brand describes it as being “made for frolicking.” And while it just launched on Sept. 16, items are already selling out.
When it came to designing the items in the collection, Musgraves didn’t take a back seat. She worked on the line with the brand for "the better part of a year," focusing on even the smallest of details, "down to button placement, hook and eye placement," she tells us, adding that the design process was "really fun."
"I was very involved with every aspect," Musgraves says. "I want people to know that it’s not something that I just slapped my name on for a paycheck. I genuinely care so much, and I approached this like a collection that I would personally want to wear, that I would want to see my friends wearing."
When we spoke with Musgraves in New York City, she was in between dates of her “Deeper Well World Tour,” which kicked off in Europe earlier this year and continues with stops throughout the U.S. and Canada through December.
It's a lot of time on the road for someone who has previously described herself as a "homebody." Still, she has found ways to make traveling feel a little bit more homey.
"When I can bring my dog with me, I'm really happy," Musgraves says. "Pepper, she's a pretty good traveler and it makes me feel like I have home with me wherever I'm at."
Below, Musgraves shared some of her current staples, from her current read to her tour dressing room essentials.
Shopping Diaries: Kacey Musgraves
Austin Ultra High Rise Wide Leg Jeans
"I’m always a sucker for a Canadian tuxedo," Musgraves says. "Head-to-toe denim, I knew I had to include that in the collection. So we've got some head-to-toe denim looks."
These jeans, for example, pair perfectly with the matching denim button-down shirt (if you want to add it to your cart, you'll have to join the waitlist). There's also a matching denim corset and jeans combo.
Reformation Stella Silk Dress
Musgraves says "there's something for everyone" in the new line. "[We have] some very feminine dresses for the cottage maiden, and for the horse girls out there, we have equestrian boots and sartorial tailored pieces."
LMNT Electrolyte Packets
Musgraves counts these as one of her dressing room essentials while on tour. "I try to stay really hydrated," she says.
Nintendo Tetris 99
Backstage, you can likely find Musgraves playing a video game. "I bring my Game Boy Color. I pass a lot of time doing that because at least it’s not getting on my phone, you know?"
As for what she's playing right now: "Tetris." She adds, "It's maddening."
While Game Boy Colors have been discontinued, you can find refurbished versions on sites like eBay. Switch users however can grab the above version of the classic game.
Neutrogena Retinol Face Moisturizer
When asked about her “lazy day” beauty routine, Musgraves had a pretty relatable response. “If it’s a lazy day, I’m barely washing my face. Are you kidding me? I still have my lashes on from the night before. I have been known to recycle an eye from the previous show, and I’ll just wash around it — I’m that lazy.”
When it comes to the beauty staples she reaches for regularly, she says she counts retinol as one of her Holy Grail products. "I think that’s a good one as you age," she says. "I’m in my mid-30s, so I gotta think about this s---."
Musgraves uses tretinoin (which is the prescription version of the ingredient), but for anyone who wants to take a page from her book and start incorporating the ingredient into their routine, we found this top-rated over-the-counter formula.
"Mating in Captivity," by Esther Perel
"I’m reading a book right now by Esther Perel called 'Mating in Captivity,' and it’s been really enlightening," Musgraves says.
The author, Perel drew on her more than 20 years of experience as a couples therapist to write this book, which is said to offer a new take on intimacy and desire.
Massage Gift Card
Musgraves seems like she'd be a great gift giver. (After all, in her song "Dinner With Friends," she croons about "The face that somebody makes when you give 'em a gift.") But when she's not sure what to get someone, she says "I'm giving them a gift certificate to get a message ... who can hate on that?"
