15 essentials to get you that Beyonce-inspired cowboy look

Did anyone have “the return of cowboy fashion” on their 2024 bingo cards? We certainly didn’t, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t living for it. In case you missed it, cowboy core has hit the big time, roping in everything from fashion to music and social media. The rodeo has arrived in town, bringing along a host of big-name celebs with it.

Notably, Beyonce’s exploration of her Southern roots through her Cowboy Carter album has taken centre stage. She insists it’s not a country record but rather “a Beyonce album”. Nonetheless, the unmistakable hallmarks of country music – from collaborations with icons like Dolly Parton to blending line-dancing rhythms with dirty trap beats – have only propelled cowboy mania into the mainstream.

Beyonce isn’t the only artist dropping country tracks. Masked singer Orville Peck also dropped his cover of Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other, and Kacey Musgraves returns to her Americana roots with her new album Deeper Well. Other celebs embracing their cowboy looks? Dua Lipa, Bella Hadid, Rihanna…the list goes on.

And with music heading South, TikTok has followed suit with an endless stream of TikTokers slipping on their cowboy boots and breaking out into line dancing. Choice tracks include Beyonce’s Texas Hold ‘Em and Dasha’s Austin.

Even fashion can’t resist serving up rodeo vibes. The king of Americana fashion, Ralph Lauren, sent models out in prairie dresses, cowboy hats, and patchworked denim looks for his S/S ’24 show. Crossing over to the European runways, leather fringe and shaggy blanket coats made appearances at Bottega Veneta, while Chloe – ever reliable for their brand of bohemian chic – took Western-inspired embroidery and found a modern reinterpretation by keeping it minimalist, either as an embroidered trim or an embossed pattern on leather.

So, now that you’re up to speed on cowboy core, here are the must-haves to embody it well. Sheriff’s orders.

Denim corset top, $1,780, Versace

Credit: Versace

1/15

Channel the iconic American sharpshooter Annie Oakley in a reworked corset festooned with Medusa ’95 hardware.

Silk-blend blouse, $859, Polo Ralph Lauren

Credit: Polo Ralph Lauren

2/15

Black and white take this blouse away from feeling too costumey, and when paired with chunky gold jewelry, it can feel entirely modern.

Alanui cotton and wool-blend cardigan, US$3,149 (S$4,250), Net-a-Porter

Credit: Net-a-Porter

3/15

Throw over your blue denims and boots for a cosy Old West-inspired fit.

Felt cowboy hat, US$750 (S$1,012), Maison Michel

Credit: Maison Michel

4/15

Giddy up, girlie.

Leather cowboy boots, US$450 (S$610), Cos

Credit: Cos

5/15

Category is: Beyonce’s Renaissance meets Cowboy Carter.

Paris Texas leather and metal sandals, $903, Farfetch

Credit: Farfetch

6/15

The classic cowboy belt buckle gets reinterpreted in these party-ready sandals.

Eleanor small leather bag, $1,370, Tory Burch

Credit: Tory Burch

7/15

Patchwork is a big part of Americana fashion, and this slinger gives it a fresh take with contrasting shades of snake-embossed leather.

Saddle calfskin bag, $6,400, Dior

Credit: Dior

8/15

The easiest way to channel cowboy core? With a bag inspired by horseback saddles.

Penelope mini lambskin shoulder bag, US$2,074 (S$2,800), Chloe

Credit: Chloe

9/15

Ride out into the sunset (or drive out to the shops) with this adorable crossbody bag.

Leather belt in tobacco, $1,140, Miu Miu

Credit: Miu Miu

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Add to your jeans, floaty prairie dresses, and so on.

Galop sterling silver ring, $1,000, Hermes

Credit: Hermes

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You may not be on horseback, but you can still bring a little bit of the rodeo spirit with you through equestrian-themed jewelry.

Saffiano leather tie, $755, Prada

Credit: Prada

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Loop it around your neck for a high-fashion take on the classic bolo neck tie.

Fear X GR9 sunglasses, $470, Gentle Monster

Credit: Gentle Monster

13/15

The star-shaped metalwork on the sides of these sunglasses is a subtle nod to the hardware and leather patchworks often seen on cowboy gear.

Un Paseo Por Madrid ‘Debod’, $445 for 100ml, Loewe

Credit: Loewe

14/15

With notes of amber, saffron, and patchouli, this scent evokes desert evenings spent around a fireplace, with the caravan and the night sky as your companions.

Boy Smells De Nimes candle, $65, MellowOver

Credit: MellowOver

15/15

Inspired by the feeling of blue jeans (hence the name), this candle invokes an earthy bouquet that comprises violet, blueberry, and eucalyptus at its heart. Incense, patchouli, and peppercorn give it a spicy, heady edge that calls to mind smoky saloons.

This article was originally published in Female.