Life Is Short, Put On Your Freakum Dress

The Beyhive is buzzing. Outside MetLife Stadium on May 25, attendees are decked out in cowboy couture, a sea of denim, 10-gallon hats, and rhinestones. But before heading inside to see Beyoncé take the stage as a part of her Cowboy Carter Tour, many take a beat. They smile. They take pictures. They gas each other up.

And why shouldn’t they be pumped? Fans are about to see a living legend at the height of her power, staking claim on a genre that’s long kept her at arm’s length. “This means a lot to us to have a Black country star,” says Charlie, a New Yorker by way of Raleigh, North Carolina, who’s here with her Texas-born roommate. “We’re very happy to bring the South up here.”

Maybe it’s the whiff of Southern hospitality in the air, but the sense of community is undeniable. “There’s just something about being in a room with people who love the same person and the same music,” says Natalie, who’s wearing a sleeveless crop top emblazoned with Beyoncé’s name. “I’m excited for that feeling again.”

It also helps when there’s some hometown pride in the mix. Brandon, for one, is looking forward to watching his friends perform as backup dancers. “Got to support my peoples,” Brandon says. “New York is definitely dancing on that stage, in the house.”

New York is dancing alright. Below, meet more attendees — and see what they wore.

Ladarius & Charlie

Tell me about your looks.

Charlie: Everything’s secondhand. Vintage cowboy boots. Dsquared2 jeans. Latex top. Cowboy hat’s from a short film I worked on. What else is crazy? Oh, this is a 2006 Rick Owens sample, the jacket. It was such a lucky find.

Ladarius: I got these leather chaps at Reminisce in New York. When you find a perfect pair of leather chaps, you have to buy them. This leather latex top I got from our roommate, and these boots I got [for] Christmas from my grandmother and mom.

What are you most excited about tonight?

Ladarius: This album has pushed me to explore [different genres], so I’m really looking forward to the rock, the country, the blues, the Irish dance. I’m ready to soak up all of the history.

What’s your favorite Cowboy Carter song?

Ladarius: “Ya Ya.” The way she sings, and the grit in her voice, and the message behind it. It’s so invigorating. I can’t help but dance and sing.

Charlie: Also, it’s a tribute to Tina.

Ladarius: 100%.

Charlie: That’s our girl.

Ladarius: Literally. Rest in peace, Tina Turner.

Chanel K.

How’d you put together this look?

I believe it’s from The Drag Stop on Instagram. I’m a drag performer, so I have intel on some amazing costumes.

How do you feel in it?

I feel amazing, like I’m channeling Bey. And the dancers [have orange hair]. As a fellow dancer, I wanted to highlight them as well. There’d be no show without them.

What is it about Beyoncé that gets us so excited?

Oh, my God. I mean, we talk about powerhouse vocalist. We talk about a pioneer for women of color breaking down doors, just exuding excellence and answering her call. When you’re that gifted and talented, and you step into your existence and your power, it’s inspiring. She motivates me to be a better version of me, to be a great performer.

Andrew

How’d you put this look together?

I made the top. It was inspired by a Dsquared2 look from the Fall/Winter 2025 runway. Then just the typical Beyoncé stuff. A hat. Cow pants.

Did you have all of those belts on hand?

I had to buy almost all of [them]. I didn’t want basic ones, so I went on Etsy to find vintage buckles, which I paired with belts I already had.

What are you most excited for about tonight?

I like fast-paced, high-tempo Beyoncé songs, so I’m really excited for her to do some Renaissance and then mix it into “Spaghettii.”

What would you say if you had a chance to meet her?

I would probably be crying, so it would be indistinguishable.

Chanel S.

Tell me about your outfit.

I’ve never seen Beyoncé before, so I wanted to go all out. My boyfriend designed this, rhinestoned it. We modeled it after the fur chaps that Beyoncé was wearing. This outfit is a labor of love. I’m obsessed with it. I love the colors. I feel amazing.

What is it about Beyoncé that’s so special, that makes her stand out, even among other superstars?

She’s a once-in-a-lifetime talent, a once-in-a-lifetime performer. No one can do what she does. We’re just so lucky to have her.

What’s your favorite Cowboy Carter song?

“Tyrant.” 100%. It was my No. 1 for Spotify. I was in the top 0.01% of listeners for it.

Allen, Kenneth, & Stewart

I’d love to hear about your outfits.

Allen: I decided on a leather blazer, some bootcut dress pants, my YSL boots, and this really nice Stetson hat. Then I geared it up with this faux flower.

Kenneth: This is Levi’s. I got Doc Martens on. My brother gave me this Howdy shirt. That’s my brother here [points to Stewart]. And my partner, Alan, found this coat. I wanted a long, black trench coat [like in] the Wild Wild West movie with Will Smith.

Stewart: I wanted to give a Southern look, but make it cute with a lot of details. And everything is really affordable. Nothing is over $50.

Is that a permanent tattoo?

Stewart: This is temporary.

It’s an excellent touch, I must say.

Stewart: Thank you. Look at that horse. [Laughs.]

Queen & Ayanna

What are you most excited for tonight?

Ayanna: Honestly, I’m just very excited to see it live. This is my first Beyoncé concert. I was determined to get these tickets.

Tell me about the outfits.

Ayanna: I was going for denim on denim, but wanted to mix it up, give a little bit of sass. I got a distressed denim corset top, [a skirt] in dark-gray denim, and some cowboy boots — as it should be.

Queen: I know everyone wanted to come in a cowboy vibe, but I’m an original b*tch. I wanted to give something a little more promiscuous, a little bit more energetic. So I’m thinking I’m the cowboy’s mistress. That’s why I have the fur coat [and the] cowboy jorts with cowboy shoes.

Vanessa

Tell me about your outfit.

It’s all denim from Madewell. I used to work there, so these are samples. I found the pins at a thrift store in Brooklyn. The angel ones are inspired by vintage Coreen Simpson. She did an Avon collection back in the day, but I can’t find it anywhere, so I was like, “Eh, let me get the dupes.”

What about Beyoncé motivates people to dress up?

She doesn’t share much with us. Her privacy is like a cloak that makes her more attractive to everybody. So we dress in ways that we think she wants, so that we can be seen, [so that we can] connect with her. I think that’s why we’re all here dressed to the nines and stimulating the economy.

Icesis

Tell me about your outfit.

It’s American Dream, doll. This is just straight from Beyoncé.

What are you most excited about tonight?

Seeing Beyoncé, seeing Blue Ivy, the dancers, the vibes, the outfits, including mine. Because this outfit is all about America, right? Yeehaw.

What’s your favorite song on Cowboy Carter?

Is that a trick question? Could I say the album?

Yeah, if that’s how you feel.

The album. That’s how I truly feel.

These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.