Pop Star Tove Lo Bares Her Soul in Song and Style

Olivia Malone

Grammy-nominated Swedish songwriter-turned-popstar Tove Lo is riding high with the release of her latest album, Lady Wood. Its tracks, including the ironic single "Cool Girl," prove that rebuking fluffy pop conventions with self-reflective, soul-baring songs pays off. And Lo's free-spirited personal style only serves to heighten her lyrical commend of raw emotion: The self-proclaimed feminist proudly sports a Venus-symbol necklace and flashes concertgoers in support of #FreeTheNipple.

Counting Janis Joplin and Courtney Love among her icons—"My style has a hippie-grunge vibe"—Lo is in the midst of an evolution. "The fashion world used to scare me because I didn't know anything about it. But now I think it's fun to try new styles," says Lo, who's based in New York. While she regularly performs barefoot and scantily clad, Lo recently began incorporating custom-made, curve-enhancing outfits and gold sneakers into her concert wardrobe (the North American tour for Lady Wood kicks off in February). "I like being out of my comfort zone. Musically, I write very personally, and it's a challenge for me. It's the same with clothes. It's just a different expression of me as an artist."

Styled by Jessica de Ruiter.

Scroll through to see her fashion shoot from the January issue of InStyle, available on newsstands and for digital download Friday, Dec. 9.

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Cozy Striped Sweater

Olivia Malone

"I wear a lot of black because it's easy and makes you feel badass and rock and roll. But I'm trying to wear more color now—the red with the navy is really beautiful."

Shop the look: 1. Gabriela Hearst sweater, $1,295; g abrielahearst.com 2. Ana Khouri earrings, $6,000; barneys.com

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Oversize Earrings

Olivia Malone

"I wear a lot of jewelry—tons of rings and earrings."

Shop the look: 1. Creatures of the Wind x Pamela Love earrings, $560; pamelalove.com

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Flowing Silhouettes

Olivia Malone

"The mix of materials here is really pretty, and the skirt has great movement."

Shop the look: 1. Rochas coat, $3,045; m odaoperandi.com 2. Tibi bustier, $350; tibi.com 3. Agnona skirt, $1,890; bergdorfgoodman.com

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Matching Set

Olivia Malone

"This is the perfect look for when you want to be dressed up but not fully glamorous. It also catches the light in amazing ways, so it would work onstage."

Shop the look: 1. Dior top and skirt, $1,150; dior.com 2. Jessica Biales earrings, $600; jessicabiales.com

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A Nautical Bag

Olivia Malone

"I love the bucket shape of this bag and the rope."

Shop the look: 1. J.W. Anderson bag, $1,625; at Maxfield, 310-274-8800

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A Silk Dress

Olivia Malone

"A dress like this would be fun for the Grammys because it stands out but still fits my hippie comfort level."

Shop the look: 1. Hermès, $4,450; hermes.com 2. Jennifer Fisher earrings, $445; jenniferfisherjewelry.com

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Sunny Separates

Olivia Malone

"I feel like a golden angel in this. It's so feminine and flowy."

Shop the look: 1. Kaelen top, $725 and skirt, $695; kaelennyc.com 2. Marni metal and acrylic earrings, $540; modaoperandi.com

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Pop Star Tove Lo Bares Her Soul in Song and Style