Whether it was traveling thousands of miles or showing off elaborate, cowboy-inspired outfits, Beyoncé fans demonstrated their devotion ahead of the superstar’s Chicago show on Thursday night at Soldier Field.
Despite weather concerns, which delayed the show by two hours, the Beyhive remained excited in their cowboy hats, boots, fringe and denim, celebrating the singer’s Grammy-winning “Cowboy Carter” album.
Among them were Jamel Harried and Amauri Allen, of South Carolina, who made their sacrifice known with a bright yellow sign stating, “We drove 12 hours for this moment.”
Harried, 22, spent three hours gluing pearls to a pair of jeans, which he paired with a black fringe vest and cowboy hat. Allen, 23, complemented his own cowboy hat with $800 cowboy boots from Spain, as well as a white shirt and red bandana.
For Allen, the red, white and blue color scheme took on a deeper meaning.
“It’s not that we’re being patriotic in the way that people think,” he said. “It’s us Black people owning what was already ours. I feel like now, in today’s political world, a lot of things seem to be stripped from Black people, so we’re just reclaiming what was already ours, like country music. We were overlooked in that genre. Now, Beyoncé is coming to claim it.”
Reclamation, creative expression and fellowship were major themes referenced by the fans as they spoke about their fashion.
PK Sundar was dressed to resemble a bottle of Beyoncé’s whiskey brand, SirDavis.
“Beyoncé is such a pioneer, not just within music but within fashion,” said Sundar, 29, of Lake View East. “And the way that she’s really elevated country looks has been so novel and really inspirational to see.”
Sundar also handmade his partner Riley Crosser’s black gloves, which were accentuated with fringe and silver stars.
“There’s not a lot of spaces where you can go where everyone’s on the same page,” said Crosser, 31, of Lake View East. “And this is one is such a huge, celebratory cool event where everyone just wants to have a good time — all for the love of Beyoncé and country music, and it’s really great to be a part of that.”
Attending the show with loved ones is also part of the fun for fans, including mother-and-son duo, Donovan Loveless, of Belleville, Ill., and Debra Williams, of Kansas. The two wore matching white outfits that included cowboy boots and “cowboy love” sashes.
“He’s got great fashion taste and he knows how to put together outfits,” said Williams, who is 46. “I’m so blind in that area, so I trusted him and ordered what he told me to order.”
Loveless, 17, said he was looking forward to hearing “Texas Hold’ Em” and seeing Beyoncé’s daughters, Blue Ivy and Rumi, who have made appearances at other tour stops.
Other fans of Beyoncé’s girls included Breyana Anderson and her mother, Cynthia Anderson, of Columbus, Ohio, who brought a sign stating, “Cowboy Blue Tour ft. Rumi and Beyoncé. #IvyLeague.”
Cynthia, 64, wore a black pantsuit with the American flag as flared cuffs — resembling an outfit Beyoncé wore on tour. Breyana, 33, wore a red boydsuit, red cowboy boots, sash and red sunglasses.
“I have anxiety sometimes, so how I get rid of that is expression of my creativity, either through art or sewing,” said Breyana, who was celebrating her birthday on Thursday. “So when I show up, I feel good, the energy is great and it helps me and lets me enjoy the show even more because it’s a tribute to [Beyoncé]. And she pays attention.”