What YOU Wore: Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour

Twenty glittering looks to see the queen and all the thought behind them.

Fandom fashion is quickly becoming one of my favorite kinds of fashion — there is something so wildly fun about seeing people dress for someone they love. Below you will find one of my favorite types of newsletters: A round-up of 20 incredible looks YOU wore to Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour. 

Dressing for this concert was a tall order. Queen Bey herself set the tone with 100-plus jaw-dropping looks over the course of the tour, making it clear fashion was a priority. But the visual cues from Renaissance’s release were minimal. The tour announcement post featured Beyoncé in a sparkly barely-there bodysuit and mirrored cowboy hat (which became the defining accessory of the tour). For the shows during Virgo season, Beyoncé asked concertgoers to wear silver. Beyond that, it was very much open to interpretation. Fans pulled from song lyrics, past looks, and their own wardrobes.

beyonce

A post shared by @beyonce

Scanning through the pictures you submitted, I was reminded of what Jessica Andrews of PopSugar said in our chat all about Renaissance fashion (it’s a must read!). “People felt empowered to be themselves,” Andrews told me, reflecting on how she picked her own Renaissance ensembles. Her outfits were a nod to the singing sensation, but also very much about Andrews, too. “[Beyoncé] helps me see the magic that I have in my own personality and style and point of view,” she said.

I loved looking through what you wore and reading about the thought behind it. It was nearly impossible to choose just 20 people! Keep scrolling for clever uses of silver and fringe, as well as stylish takes on dance-friendly footwear and ways to beat the heat. But mostly: The themes of empowerment, inclusion, and celebration in your reflection made my heart sing.

Thank you to everyone who shared — what you wore was fit for a queen! 👑

ICYMI: Ahead of the Taylor Swift movie hitting theaters this weekend, some outfit inspo for you from the SMT community!

What YOU Wore: Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

And if you’re in LA, there are still tickets available for the showing I am going to in Century City. Send me an email at Hello@SoManyThoughts.com and I’ll share a link.

What YOU Wore: Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour

Please note: Some of these responses have been lightly edited.

AYANA

Concert city: Tampa, Florida

“Beyoncé’s music means so much to me because she exudes confidence and is unapologetically herself in a way that I find inspiring. I decided to get out of my comfort zone and channel my inner Alien Superstar when I saw her in Tampa — metallic skirt, rhinestone top, bedazzled hat. It’s easily the least practical outfit I’ve ever purchased, and I have no regrets.”

EPIPHANY

Concert city: Houston, Texas

“Queen Bey requested silver and chrome at her shows so I had to respect her wishes! As a curvy lady, it is often difficult to shop for myself but especially for a theme. I was so grateful to find these silver cargo pants that were PERFECT to see Beyoncé. I paired it with comfy silver sneakers and a black mesh top that was also on theme. I borrowed some silver sunglasses from a friend and it was very much giving Alien Superstar. I topped it off with a fan, which has become a staple during the Renaissance tour due to its connection to the ballroom scene and the fan clacks you can hear in Beyoncé’s song, Heated. Lastly, I added pearls to my hair — another reference to Alien Superstar: ‘Feed you diamonds and pearls.’

I’ve been to a good amount of concerts in my lifetime, but I have never personally seen anything like this before. Fans took the elements from the Renaissance album and created a whole dress code filled with metallics, fans, aliens, rhinestones, mesh, western, and more. Everyone looked so beautiful and you can just tell that so much thought was put into these outfits. Just like the album, it was a love letter to the LGBTQ+ community. All I could see was the similarity to ballroom culture. You can just feel the love and inclusivity. As a minority, I’m often the only one in a room but god it was amazing to be in a stadium full of Black people who just understood the importance of this moment. Thank you, Beyoncé for bringing us together.”

ALEX

Concert city: Santa Clara, California

“I went to Bey with my two sisters who flew in from New York and Ohio. We have been group texting about the concert since we purchased tickets in the spring. We all have theater backgrounds and know the importance of costume — to fit the assignment (silver!) but also be comfortable, knowing there would be a long walk to and from. We also knew there was no sense in trying to out-do Beyoncé, so we opted to go more sporty. I started the look with silver Ivy Park x adidas sneakers. I wore jorts from Good American, a bodysuit, and my husband’s tux jacket he wore at our wedding. The album is such a love letter to Jay-Z it felt right including him in the look, plus it’s Armani gathering dust in our closet. I loved how my look showed off my body like I never do in ‘real life.’ Beyoncé is all about body positivity and being proud of your curves and thick thighs.

My sisters wore complementary looks — Katie wore silver cowboy boots, silver Coors jacket from Reformation and a LBD. Grace did a pleather halter, black mini and boots. We all did the cat eye sunglasses, and had so much fun luxuriating in the hotel before as we got ready while listening to Beyoncé’s whole discography and watching her HBO doc from Coachella. It was part of the concert experience and the girl power vibe. I want to bottle that concert and take a little shot every time I need a confidence boost.”

ADRIENNE

Concert city: Detroit, Michigan

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime show and I wanted a once-in-a-lifetime outfit! I wore a Yitty bodysuit that sparkled head to toe. A true slay, just like our queen.”

LAURYN

Concert city: Charlotte, North Carolina

“Sparkly sheer bodysuit, black shorts with fringe and, of course, a black fringe cowboy hat. To me, Renaissance as an album was an awakening and freedom. So when I went to see her I wanted to feel free and sparkle and shine just like Beyoncé encourages everybody to be through her music.”

MICHELLE

Concert city: St. Louis, Missouri

“I wore a stretchy pleated silver skirt and a (gasp!) midriff-baring top over my mom-bod! It felt so daring at home and then SO FREEING at the stadium when seeing that so many other people were just embracing their forms and feeling unique — like 30,000 alien superstars. My girls, ages 8 and 10, got really into choosing their ‘fits and looks amazing in shiny silver and black mesh. Hubs opted for the bustiest concert tee — and he got the most comments!”

TAMEKA

Concert city: Los Angeles, California

“I wore a silver sparkly romper and my daughter wore a silver tube top and jeans because we wanted Queen Bey to know that we paid attention to her request. We also wanted to dress all the way up since it was her birthday show on Sept. 4, and my 44th birthday the next day. It was our first time seeing her live, and her music has a huge part of our lives through every stage, so I’m glad it’s something my daughter and I could experience together.”

RACHEL

Concert city: Charlotte, North Carolina

“I didn’t want to buy anything for the show that I would only wear once so I scoured my closet for anything that could work and reminded myself of this fancy lingerie an ex had bought that I had never worn. Not silver, BUT she does wear a flesh bodysuit in the show with black appliqués so it is very on point. The joy of seeing Beyoncé in a smaller city is that the WHOLE city was turnt out for her and being a woman, and a fat woman at that, wearing lingerie through downtown was only celebrated.”

NICOLE

Concert city: Los Angeles, California

“‘Uncle Johnny made my dress’ [from Heated] - really stuck to me…so I MADE my dress! I work in costume design in Los Angeles so it was only fitting I constructed my dress. I love Alien Superstar and wanted to incorporate stars so I bought sequin film and customized big star paillettes! I started designing weeks before the show started and only got lucky that I chose silver (per the queen’s request, a week before her September shows!). I then hand bedazzled stone-by-stone as much as I could before the show! I wanted it to look like a dress but I split it up into three parts: The bustier, the skirt and the sleeves. I ended up taking off the sleeves by the end of the show because of all the dancing I got too hot!!!”

JAMIA

Concert city: Houston, Texas

“Customized Ivy Park rodeo collection (2021), my own boots (2013), custom disco ball cowgirl hat (2023), custom belt (2005). I initially purchased the IP collection because I finally was able to snag something from her drops and I simply adored the rodeo inspiration, being a Texas girl myself. I added previously owned (and pretty worn/tattered) Texas patches to the bottoms  to pay homage to both my and Bey’s birthplace. And my mom graciously bedazzled the Virgo zodiac images on the back pocket. As a fellow Virgo, this was my nod to our season, the Virgo’s Groove track and a lil more sparkle. And more personally, I remember being a little girl and seeing the music video for Work It Out where Beyoncé has “Virgo” embellished on the backside of her jeans. It’s something that had stuck with me for over 20 years. To finally be fortunate enough and have the means to see Beyoncé in concert felt like a full-circle moment in my life. I wanted to show up as me and simultaneously pay homage to where I come from and the GOAT 🐐 that is a Queen Bey. 🐝

I never take pictures, like ever!! The only reason these exist is because I received so many threats from loved ones that if I didn’t capture any pics of my outfit I would be in massive trouble. 😅 I attended the concert alone, so I did my best to snap photos of myself and step out of my comfort zone to ask a few people if they’d be kind enough to snap a few flicks. For me, submitting these photos is personally a HUGE feat. But as the Queen Bey once famously sang, ‘I wanna leave my footprints in the sands of time… I WAS HERE’ when Beyoncé graced the world with her Renaissance World Tour.”

CLARISSA

Concert city: Toronto, Canada

“Rhinestone wig and black feather top as inspired by Balmain’s Renaissance couture line.”

JULIE

Concert city: Seattle, Washington

“I wore a silver sequined fringe skirt (Amazon) with a black T-shirt (Etsy) that says ‘Drinking my water, minding my biz’—a line from Heated. Finished it off with basic fishnets and cute Nikes from the Nordstrom anniversary sale. Also some cute white sunnies (also Amazon) and so much glitter eyeliner, it’s still stuck in my eyes. And a cloud of glitter hairspray as well. I knew I’d be on my feet for three-plus hours so I wasn’t about to attempt a heel. I felt cute, I felt comfy, I felt like a member of the Beyhive! 

This show was otherworldly. It made me proud to be a woman. I felt so lucky to be alive at a time when Beyoncé, Taylor, and Barbie are saving the economy. I’m still floating on air.”

CAMDEN

Concert city: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“I wore a short sleeved metallic pink duster on top of a hot pink mesh bra with cut-off shorts and my Doc Martens (comfort!). I'm not a huge sunglasses girl but wore transparent, olive green rectangular sunglasses. The necklace is by Nutcase ACTS, who explores the relationship between man and machine through his work. I wanted to wear something metallic and otherworldly (Alien Superstar). I also wanted to embrace wearing something revealing and maybe even considered scandalous. Church Girl was one of my favorite songs on the album and really speaks to being free from judgment and ultimately sexual liberation across the spectrum. At this current stage in my life, that really resonated with me.” 

IRENE

Concert city: Phoenix, Arizona

“I didn’t want to spend a huge amount of money, so my friend suggested wearing a simple black dress but then wearing a huge sparkly necklace over it! I felt so fun and fabulous.”

TEMAN

Concert city: Washington, D.C.

“I wore lots of sparkle, silver and glitter! I even colored my hair!! I was inspired by the song Alien Superstar and tried to recreate what I thought an alien would look like if they were going to a Beyoncé concert.”

SARAH

Concert city: Dallas, Texas

“Virgo Queen Bey requested silver outfits for all of the shows during her birthday season, and Dallas showed up big time as the first show in her home state of Texas. It’s not an exaggeration that the entire stadium looked like a disco ball. It was so magical, and the outfits were over the top everywhere you looked. I got inspo from the song Cozy, and wore a set of silver satin men’s pajamas (because pockets), and a DIY satin eye mask with MOOD across the front, similar to the one she wears in her Mood 4 Eva video from Black is King on Disney. During the concert she does a transition skit from singing Cozy to Alien Superstar, and a literal silver satin bed comes out and she takes a 10-second power nap. It’s campy and incredible, and I couldn’t resist getting my own nap moment. :) 

I also thrifted an amazing mismatched trio of stacking necklaces that reminded me of her Mood 4 Eva and Formation videos, and painted my Brooks walking shoes silver (because cozy). I also thrifted an incredible ‘Fan me off my wrist goes click’ fan - if you’ve listened to her song Heated, you know the importance of a strong fan! I had minimal makeup, a bold red lip, and hair in a bun because it’s still very hot in Texas in September. Honestly the best concert of my life! My friend, Taylor (pictured), also understood the silver assignment!”

KATHRYN

Concert city: New Orleans, Louisiana

“NOLA is a party city so I wanted something in keeping with the spirit of the city and the Renaissance tour. So I went with a holographic heart glitter pants and matching hat and sunglasses.”

KAT

Concert city: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“One of my true joys is wearing a ridiculous outfit. Be it Tuesday or Bey-Day, I’m all about style. There were so many themes/aesthetics in the album to play off of, I explored Alien Superstar, Bad Bitches to the Left, Drop it like a Thottie, and a club/disco vibe. Originally I was looking for something sheer with pearls, but then I reached into the dark corner of Amazon, where clubwear and halloween meet, and WOW IS IT FUN. I found this deeply affordable silver jumpsuit with cutouts that was one part futuristic, one part automotive, one part sexy. I wish the crotch fit better but you get what you pay for. Also it was so hot that day and I was cool as a cucumber. I wore a nude bodysuit underneath and silver block heels. My husband said I was ‘serving Tin Man chic’ but I was just so excited to have the opportunity to curate a look for a specific purpose.”

ALLISON

Concert city: Las Vegas, Nevada

“I saw Taylor at Allegiant stadium in March and really regretted not going all out. So when I saw Beyoncé in Vegas (both times in the nosebleed seats) I decided to go all out. I read that she was requesting silver chrome for her Virgo birthday season. So I rented a silver sequin dress from Rent the Runway by Dress The Population. I had the fake ponytail, silver hair clips, and jewelry left over from past Halloween costumes. I really wanted to wear my silver cowgirl boots in honor of Bey being from Texas but we had to walk very far. So I stuck with my practical silver Kenneth Cole sneakers. And figured my star hair clips were my homage to her Texas roots! Loved seeing everyone dressed up!”

JULIE

Concert city: Las Vegas, Nevada

“I took my daughters and a good friend to her show. My girls wanted to wear a tour shirt and we sewed on some rhinestone dangles to our ripped up shorts. We also added silver necklaces that guys from Thunder Down Under gave us in the lobby lol. My daughters were too nervous to go all-out but after we saw everyone else’s outfits, they both agreed that the next concert we’ll put even more effort into what we wear!”

Thank you again to everyone who sent in their looks! You look INCREDIBLE. And don’t forget to check out my conversation with Jessica Andrews of PopSugar all about Renaissance fashion:

SMT on Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour Fashion

PS: Any ideas for fandom fashion I should dive into next? Please share in the comments!