Western wear isn’t just back — it’s Black.
It’s clear that cowboy culture has giddied up into the mainstream with a new (and overdue) sense of pride. But before the fringe jackets and bolo ties became rodeo and concert essentials, the Black cowboy was already at the heart of the story — whether America chooses to celebrate it or not.
Today, with TikTok line dance tutorials trending under hashtags like #BootsOnTheGround and satin-lined cowboy hats flying off the shelves, the Beyoncé effect (thanks, Cowboy Carter) is undeniable.
Yet, what’s happening is bigger than fashion. It’s about reclaiming a narrative — one rooted in grit, glamour, and generations of erasure.
With Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter era fueling a Western fashion renaissance, fans are pulling out their boots, satin-lined cowboy hats, and rhinestones. Black cowboys were already the original trailblazers, but now, Beyoncé’s influence is helping to reclaim a rich history, one rooted in resilience, rhythm, and undeniable style.
The Black Cowboy: America’s Original Trailblazer
Let’s get this straight: cowboys were never just white men with six-shooters and Marlboro cigarettes.
According to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, one in four post-Civil War cowboys was Black. Figures like Nat Love and Bill Pickett were pivotal in shaping the image of the cowboy — breaking horses, riding the roughest trails, and starring in early rodeos — even as popular culture whitewashed them out of Western lore.
We learned from Jordan Peele’s 2022 film “Nope” that the first moving image ever recorded featured a Black man riding a horse. That visual — and the family reclaiming it onscreen — wasn’t a fictional flex. It was a fact.
Cinema has slowly started tipping its hat back to these unsung icons. From Idris Elba’s portrayals in “Concrete Cowboy” and “The Harder They Fall” to Peele’s “Nope,” the modern Black Western is riding tall again. Now, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter is helping amplify it to the mainstream.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Era: Saddle Up, See Your People
If Beyoncé’s Renaissance taught us to free ourselves, Cowboy Carter reminds us to ground ourselves in our roots, in our history, and in our own communities.
During her Renaissance tour, posters encouraged fans to “see your own people,” a phrase that initially sparked questions outside Black spaces. However, Beyoncé’s next act, steeped in the legacy of the Black Chitlin’ Circuit — a network of venues where Black performers thrived amid segregation — was crystal clear: support Black artistry and culture.
According to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Chitlin’ Circuit provided a crucial stage for Black musicians, comedians, and dancers during the Jim Crow era, offering spaces where Black talent could thrive despite exclusion from white-dominated venues. Beyoncé’s nod to that tradition through her Cowboy Carter tour highlights a lineage of resilience that goes far beyond country music.
Her Cowboy Carter era is about more than aesthetics; it’s about rewriting narratives. After facing backlash following her 2016 CMA performance of “Daddy Lessons,” and critics questioning whether she belonged in country music, Beyoncé addresses this exclusion directly in the song “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,”:
“Used to say I spoke ‘too country’ / Then the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ’nough.”
Despite Cowboy Carter topping country charts and breaking streaming records, Beyoncé was notably snubbed by the Country Music Association in 2024 — further proof of the genre’s lingering racial biases. Yet, through resilience and artistry, she forged her own lane and, in doing so, cracked the genre wide open.
Western Wear 2.0: Satin Linings, Fringe Jackets, and Line Dances
It’s not just the music that’s causing a stir. It’s the outfits.
Fans are reimagining Western wear fashion through a distinctly Black lens. Satin-lined cowboy hats — a genius innovation that protects natural Black hair — have surged in popularity. TikTok is teeming with line dance challenges, reframing a tradition once seen as niche into a full-circle celebration of Black joy.
Fringe jackets, bolo ties, and denim dusters — now ubiquitous in Cowboy Carter tour fashion planning — have deep historical roots. Fringe was originally used by Black cowboys for functionality, helping water shed off garments quickly during long rides. Bolo ties evolved from decorative fasteners used by cowboys in the Southwest, becoming an enduring symbol of rugged sophistication.
Today’s interpretations — rhinestoned, metallic, or custom-stitched — don’t just glamorize Western wear; they honor the practicality and creativity of the original Black cowboy experience.
This is not cosplay. This is culture, custom-fitted and crystal-stitched.
What the BeyHive Is Wearing: “Outlaw Chic” and Bedazzled Denim
To see where the Cowboy Carter tour fashion is headed, just look to the BeyHive.
On Reddit’s r/beyonce forum, fans are busy plotting their concert fits — and the creativity is off the charts.
User u/lilrad_ summed it up best: “Western but make it glam — like a rhinestone cowgirl from outer space.”
Beyoncé has some words for y’all in her new COWBOY CARTER Art Book!
“Can’t reclaim something that already belongs to you” pic.twitter.com/N5WSGOfQZZ
— COWBOY CARTER Updates 𐚁 ⭑ (@B7Album) April 17, 2025
u/DeafeningShriek co-signed the sparkle: “Fringe, feathers, and maybe a big hair moment.”
Some fans are pulling direct inspiration from Beyoncé’s own style evolution. u/sunflowerceres is planning an outfit inspired by Bey’s MET Gala moment, with “black leather and chrome accents,” while u/LadyFreshcakes is mixing eras with “silver cowboy boots and a white leather mini dress.”
Others are leaning deep into “outlaw chic.” u/sofiemartini described her vision as “black lace gloves, corset tops, cowgirl hats — a southern church villain in a Western,” and u/irynavictoria said she’s aiming for “black and red with a satin bandana.”
For some, it’s all about reclaiming tradition while protecting beauty. u/GlitterandGrit declared her plan for a “cowboy hat with a satin bonnet underneath — Blackity Black and proud.”
From bolo ties to denim dusters and gold cowrie shell accessories, the Cowboy Carter tour outfits will be as rich, rebellious, and rooted as the history they celebrate.
Black Designers at the Forefront of Cowboy Couture
It’s not just fans redefining the look — Black designers are also steering the fashion conversation.
Designers like Fe Noel, known for blending Caribbean aesthetics with Western wear motifs, are helping create a new visual language for cowboy couture. Fe Noel’s work, featuring bold prints, structured denim, and fluid silhouettes, offers a modern tribute to the Black cowboy’s legacy, seamlessly blending tradition and luxury.
As Beyoncé rides into the Cowboy Carter tour, she’s not alone. There’s a wave of Black creativity, from indie brands to high fashion, stitching our stories into every rhinestone, every fringe, and every satin-lined hat.
The Final Word: More Than a Trend, It’s a Truth
Beyoncé didn’t invent Black cowboy culture. She handed the mic.
In an era where fashion and history are finally riding side by side, Cowboy Carter isn’t just another album rollout — it’s a homecoming parade. And this time, Black cowboys aren’t hidden extras in the story. They’re the ones leading the stampede.
This article, Fringe Benefits! Western Wear’s Black Legacy Rides Again (With a Little Help from Beyoncé) first appeared on The Curvy Fashionista and is written by Lauryn Bass.
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