Beyonce's Style Icons: Charlize, Halle, Cher & Diana Ross

Access Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Though she is now widely-celebrated for her personal fashion flair, Beyonce has revealed to In Style, she hasn't always been a fashion force to be reckoned with.

"Growing up, I was a tomboy," she told the magazine's November issue. "I refused to carry a purse and wouldn't wear a dress. That was the eighties and it was all about the hip-hop influence--baggy jeans and big shirts. [My mother, Tina Knowles,] hated it! But then I started singing and ended up watching all of the footage of the Supremes and Tina Turner. And I thought to myself, 'They're so beautiful. I want to be like them,'" Beyonce added.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Beyonce

Nowadays, Beyonce credits the female-empowered era of the 1970's as a source of fashion inspiration.

"I love that in the seventies Cher and Diana Ross looked like superstars and never played it safe.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Charlize Theron

When they were onstage, they gave you drama--and I love drama," she said.
And for Beyonce's latest dramatic endeavor, the singer had to tap into style trends well past the 1970's to play music legend Etta James -- along with adding a little extra shape to her figure.

"I gained almost 15 pounds to play the role," the 27-year-old told the mag "It was way easier - and tastier - than having to lose so much weight for 'Dreamgirls.'"

Beyonce credited co-star Adrien Brody for helping her nail the challenging role.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Halle Berry

"I told [Adrien], 'I can tell you anything about music, and I will help you if you need it. I need you to do that for me,'" she said.

And she said -- Adrien was quite the acting coach.

"It was the best experience I've ever had on a movie," Beyonce added.

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