All The Times Beyoncé’s Gone Full Cowboy Carter With Her Style

As mentioned, Beyoncé’s cowgirl couture goes back to the early days of Destiny’s Child. That can be seen in the 1999 music video for “Bug A Boo,” where she wears a red cowboy hat with a matching top and jeans.

The Stetson’s back, baby. At the 1999 Soul Train Awards, Destiny’s Child performed “Bills Bills Bills” in matching all-white denim outfits. Fittingly, Beyoncé added a cowboy hat to her glam. Though she wore this nearly two decades ago, it’s aged gracefully. This look would still be perfect for the Houston Rodeo, as long as you have some type of covering when it’s time to eat. The rodeo’s known for stuffed, loaded, and on-the-stick foods — obviously, the couture can’t get messed up in the process.

In May 2001, Destiny’s Child wore blue fringe cowgirl outfits. Their standout accessory? Those silver, blue-belted cowboy hats.

No matter the location, Beyoncé has always repped her hometown of Houston. For those who don’t know, she was born and raised in Third Ward, one of many neighborhoods that uplifts Black Cowboy culture. True to the city’s love of livestock, Beyoncé wore an off-the-shoulder horse shirt with “Houston Girl” written on the top while on BET’s 106 & Park (RIP) in 2001. Her sister Solange matched the vibes, wearing a straw cowboy hat.

Let’s tip our own hats to this look. At the 2001 Radio Music Awards, Destiny’s Child wore a mixture of denim (a classic in American Cowboy culture), rustic colors, and low-hanging western belts. Similar to her all-white look, Beyoncé’s outfit would still be an ideal outfit for the rodeo.

The denim continues. In November 2005, Beyoncé wore a vest-top and skirt combo that reminds of her previous look. Her brown belt adds a perfect “yee-haw” touch, and draws together the tan-golden hues of her jewelry. Her mom also understood the assignment, livening up her own denim with diamond-studded boots.

As with any tour, Beyoncé’s costumes on her and JAY-Z’s On The Run tour were show-stopping. However, her look for their 2014 show in Houston was chef’s kiss. The singer wore an Atelier Versace bodysuit with a black cowboy hat. Yes, this is Texas indeed.

Beyoncé, the cowgirl you are. In August 2021, the Renaissance star reimagined the classic western aesthetic in her Ivy Park collection named “Rodeo.” Nearly every photo of the clothing set — which varies from cow-printed skirts to denim suits and chaps — sees Beyoncé on a farm, surrounded by hay, or riding a saddle. That same month, she revealed to Harper’s Bazaar that “the overlooked history of the American Black cowboy” inspired her to create this collection.

In Renaissance we trust. Her seventh album had it all: a sea of chrome and glitter couture, house anthems that’ve aged gracefully, and the notable mute challenge. However, this era’s most stunning moments were the photos. (Oh, and her “I’m That Girl” teaser— the only visuals Beyoncé allowed fans to see in Act I.) It’s clear that western core was on Renaissance’s moodboard, as she released several pictures of her wearing a cowboy hat or silver fringe.

Beyoncé’s no stranger to Roberto Cavalli’s custom designs. Over the years, she’s worn his finest silk gowns on the carpet and his yellow dress to wreak havoc with a bat. Talk about multifaceted. The two creatives reunited for Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour in 2023, creating one of her greatest stage costumes yet: a blue, Swarovski-studded bodysuit with a matching cowboy hat. She also wore a red version of the outfit, proving her western glam excels in any color.

Goodbye, Renaissance. After two years of wearing silver and chrome Stetsons, Beyoncé returned to her solid-colored one for the 2024 Grammys. She completed the look with a custom Louis Vuitton jacket and skirt, later switching out to pants for a more “western mayor” vibe. That title is fitting, considering she’s now the mayor of Cowboy Carter — a musical town where saloons are packed, Lexuses are parked in every lot, and juke joints have Beyoncé’s remix of “Jolene” on repeat.

Later that month, she cemented her status at Luar’s show at New York Fashion Week. There, the singer sat front row in an embellished blazer, knee-high Gaurav Gupta boots, and a pale gray cowboy hat.

Lace, leather and cowboy hats have become regular accessories in the Cowboy Carter era, and this all-black look is no different. Shortly after Beyoncé announced the album’s arrival at the Super Bowl, the singer wore a crystal-decorated dress, a bolo tie, thigh-high boots (which were decorated with spurs), and her signature Stetson. Also, can we have a moment of silence for these voluminous waves?

In honor of Cowboy Carter’s release on March 29, Beyoncé graced the cover of W magazine in her smokiest Western glam. The singer wore various outfits, such as a leather-ruffled ensemble with a bolo tie, a white blanket dress, and brown chaps — all topped with a solid-colored Stetson. However, her most stunning look came in a form of a lace Gucci dress, cinched with three belts.

That’s not all, though. The same day, Beyoncé shared a few more photos that’s connected to the album on Instagram, including a subtle white and denim-chapped outfit.

Beyoncé’s cowgirl moments hit different in brown. On March 30, the singer held a surprise album signing for Cowboy Carter in Japan. (Wait, is there an international tour announcement on the horizon?) At the event, she wore an all-chocolate brown leather outfit with a matching cowboy hat.

Let’s tip our hats to some vintage couture. On April 1, Beyoncé appeared at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards to receive the Innovator Award. (If that isn’t prestigious enough, Stevie Wonder also presented her the achievement.) True to her Cowboy Carter genius, the singer wore a vintage black leather Versace set from fall 1992.