Reflecting on the Process of Incorpating Her Own Style into Hannah Montana: Miley Cyrus Recalls Her Lack of Control

Miley Cyrus has spoken publicly about how she managed to tap into her own fashion sense while playing her Disney Channel character, Hannah Montana. The singer, now 30 years old, told British Vogue in an episode of Life in Looks that she had originally found it difficult to bring her own personal style to the character, but once she realized that the character's magic was tied to her own, she began to incorporate more of her own style. Cyrus originally played the role of Miley Stewart on the show when it premiered on Disney Channel in 2006, living a double life as the famous pop singer and her alter ego.

Recalling her transformation, Cyrus pointed out that it was when she wore a custom Jeremy Scott dress in the first season that she realized she could exert control over her fashion choices. Cyrus said she had a “four-hour fitting” for the dress, which featured different road sign patterns and a large collar. She also praised Scott for his understanding of her needs at a time when few designers knew how to dress a teenage pop star from a Disney TV show. Cyrus continued to explore her evolving style, wearing daring outfits that showcased her personal style and highlighted her personality throughout her career.

Speaking about the evolution of her style, Cyrus explained to Vogue that fashion for her is a way of expressing who she is as a person, and her style choices often reflect her identity, values, emotions, and personality at any given time. She said that she tries to channel her inner child when getting dressed, being fearless and unfiltered in her self-expression.

Despite having mixed emotions about her character and the show itself, Cyrus said in an open letter to Hannah Montana on Instagram that the character was an important part of her life, taking her places she never imagined, and giving her many shared experiences. Cyrus expressed great love and gratitude toward the character and the role it played in her life.