(Big) Buckle Up
Western aesthetics have galloped back into the pop culture spotlight. This revival feels much more than a fashion moment but a cultural reset. Buckle up and ride along with me.
"Paris, Texas” shooting with Achok Majak by Petra Collins. The whole concept embraces western elements from the female gaze perspective, one of the bigger traces of Collins' work. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
It's bang bang time: the cowboys are back. I mean, at least their shoes, and jackets, and fringes, and hats, and… I could go on but you got the picture. Western aesthetics has been a huge part of pop culture lately. From Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter to Sabrina Carpenter’s Manchild visuals and choreography, artists are bringing the rodeo to life in and out of stage. The return of this Wild West vibe is more than a trend, it feels like a cultural reimagination.
When Beyoncé dropped Cowboy Carter in the beginning of last year, she didn’t just experiment with the country, she disclosed its history. The album brought to light the deep but often erased Black roots of country music. Her reframe of the western american vibe reflected a whole fashion movement too. Denim, leather, wide-brimmed hats.
With that, she not only collaborated with some well-known references of the genre such as Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, but also with Black artists that do not get the deserved recognition, like Brittney Spencer, Shaboozey and Reyna Roberts, for example. When Texas Hold ‘Em exploded on the radio stations, the rebranding of the country movement started to become more and more mainstream. After all, it's Beyonce's on top of the saddle.
Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour places Black country history at its center. From the stage design to the costumes, every detail contributes to a cohesive atmosphere that reclaims and redefines a genre long shaped by whitewashed narratives. via WSB Radio © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.
Beyonce's impact opened the barn doors for other artists to ride in. Chappell Roan's signature drag-infused style draws a new angle on this trend: queers the cowboy archetype, mixing hyper-femininity with rugged tropes: rhinestone chaps, leather corsets, pink hats. This is not John Wayne’s rodeo, it’s something freer, queerer, and campier. Yes, it's giving Sapphic Brokeback Mountain.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter’s Manchild might be a pop diss track to Barry Keoghan but its visuals are dipped in denim and sass. She serves country pop diva with a wink, channeling Dolly Parton with a Gen Z twist. The Western elements are there, but they’re about flirtation, femininity, and playing with gender roles.
What feels more interesting about this it's getting to witness how an aesthetic very aligned with strong masculinity has been taken over by women singing about queerness, identity and hating men. The cowboys were never as supporting characters as they are now, it's cowgirl time.
Speaking of cowgirl time, beyond the music, Western aesthetics are trending across the fashion world as well. Bella Hadid’s cowgirl-core transformation, complete with horseback competitions and ranch fits, has turned her Instagram into a yeehaw moodboard. Her real-life horse-girl era bridges fantasy and authenticity, blurring the lines between costume and lifestyle and it feels so good and genuine to watch.
The Hadid's younger sister is not the only fashion icon to surrender to the Old West energy, Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton menswear show at the start of 2024 elevated this trend to haute couture. Think oversized buckles, bolo ties, embroidered leather jackets, and cacti patterns. Brands like Diesel, GANNI, Miu Miu, and Golden Goose are all adding their spin too.
When it comes to fashion trends, It's kind of easy to confuse the Western aesthetic with the Boho revival. Boho has the flower fields vibes while Western brings the dust. Together, they create a nostalgic, rebellious blend that speaks to a generation craving new experiences, freedom and authenticity. This crossover from stage to streetwear to runway brings me the question of which comeback happened first? Or is the Boho-chic a little gentrification of the rough edges of the farmer style? Both styles share key elements: cowboy boots, denim on denim, leather, and layers of fringe. Ultimately, today’s cowgirl (or cowboy or cowthem) isn’t out to conquer new land, they’re here to remix the past with sequins, sass, and a healthy dose of irony. The Wild West is back, only this time, it’s Black, queer, and unapologetically fabulous.
