Kelsea Ballerini brought her Western roots to the red carpet ahead of the CFDA Fashion Awards.

The country-pop star hit the award show in New York City on Monday night. For the occasion, Ballerini slipped into a pair of strappy chocolate brown sandals, a popular shade for fall. The shoes featured an intricate strap across the toes, and a thin strap anchoring the sandals around the ankle. Thin stiletto heels reaching at least 4 inches grounded the shoes.

The “Penthouse” singer paired her sandals with a matching brown dress from Michael Kors. The ankle-length dress featured long fringe meeting just below the hips that reached the bottom hem of the garment. Ballerini added chunky bracelets and a pendant necklace to the ensemble. Ballerini also attended Michael Kors’ spring 2026 show during New York Fashion Week in September, where she also wore a warm brown look. 

Ballerini’s outing came in the middle of her world tour, promoting her latest album, “Patterns.” She partnered with Steve Madden for custom shoes on this tour, and she recently donned a pair of burgundy boots with glossy patent leather uppers during a performance, paired with a matching deep red bodysuit. 

Her tour shoes are a mix of heeled boots, strappy stilettos, platform heels, sequin-covered Western boots, among others. The footwear style tends to work in tandem with her music style, which blends country sound with pop influence. 

The 2025 CFDA Fashion Awards honored excellence in American design with an intimate ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History in New York on Monday. Led by CFDA Chairman Thom Browne and CEO Steven Kolb, the event celebrated top talents across womenswear, menswear and accessories. Hosted by Teyana Taylor, the evening brought together leading designers, celebrities, and industry icons to recognize creativity and innovation in contemporary fashion.