Jessica Simpson Reveals Why She’s No Longer Dressing For Guys—or Women! (Exclusive)

Even as a young girl, Jessica Simpson loved expressing herself through her style. “Growing up, me and my mom, loved planning out my outfits. My dad was a preacher. And so we didn’t have the means to have a ton of clothes, but we’d go to thrift stores and army surplus stores and mix and match things.”

Once the singer became a reality star, along with first husband Nick Lachey, on Newlyweds, her fans took notice. “People were coming to my mall tours dressed in things I’d wear on Newlyweds,” she says. “When we were approached to do shoes after The Dukes of Hazzard, that felt like me.”

That’s how a pair of Simpson-approved red cowboy boots launched The Jessica Simpson Collection, a multi-million dollar retail phenomenon, now celebrating twenty years. “Dreams really can come true,” she says.

Now 45, the mom of three, Maxwell, 13, Ace, 12, and Birdie, 6, says her style has evolved since then. “I definitely dress for myself,” she says. “Whereas my younger self used to dress for guys, or for other girls to compliment me, or for attention.”

“I think I’m more confident now in just a white tank top and shorts or leather pants.” 

One of her favorite outfits, she says, is “a men’s suit coat. There’s something sexy about it. That it looks like I stole it from somebody hot the night before… Hmmm, I wonder whose jacket she’s wearing.”

Overall, she says, “I’m very much a maximalist. My mom (Tina Simpson) is too. When it comes to jewelry, she’ll have every bracelet in her closet on. We never feel like we’re overdoing anything. It’s probably the southern Texan in us. It’s rare when I tone it down.”

After revealing in January that she’d split from Eric Johnson, her husband of ten years, she’s marking her next chapter with new independent music and touring again and she’s excited about what’s ahead with the fashion brand that has stayed true to her own.

“The collection is a celebration of my life and every single thing that happened to me,” says Simpson’s who’s designed a capsule collection, Jessica Simpson 2.0, to mark the anniversary. “Our purpose is to keep going and to keep expanding and to stay as real and relatable as possible with the best prices. It’s a beautiful thing that we’ve made it this far and it’s still growing.  I definitely wouldn’t be where I’m at without it.”

Her Daisy Dukes remain a constant. “I’m wearing them today on this shoot,” she says (showing her outfit for the campaign photo shoot taking place after her PEOPLE interview.) “There’s always a cut-off short. We’re doing this really fun thing with Walmart. I designed some things that are an ode to These Boots Are Made for Walking video. Some graphic tees and three or four different cut-off shorts.” 

Overall, she says, “I wear life with more confidence. I feel better now than I ever did in my twenties. I think going through life and having all the opinions thrown at you, I’m at the place where only my opinion matters. And of course my kids. I don’t want to embarrass my children!”