Happy Birthday, Beyoncé: See Her Looks Through the Years From ‘Dangerously in Love’ to ‘Cowboy Carter’
Beyoncé’s style has gone through a complete evolution since she came on the scene in the early aughts. By the time she launched her career as a solo artist in 2003, with her debut solo album “Dangerously in Love,” Beyoncé’s fashion sensibility started to take shape.
Throughout the years, Beyoncé, who was born on Sept. 4, 1981 and turned 43 on Wednesday, has worn designers like Elie Saab, Givenchy, Gucci and so many more. To this day, Beyoncé is a trendsetter, modeling fashion as a way to evoke each era of her career, from “B’Day” to “4,” “Lemonade,” “Renaissance” and more.
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In celebration of the “Cowboy Carter” songstress and style icon’s birthday, take a look back at the dresses and wardrobe choices that defined Beyoncé’s solo career.
2004 Grammy Awards
For the 2004 Grammy Awards, Beyoncé was dripping in gold from head-to-toe in this flowing dress. The singer attended the awards show the year her debut album was nominated for six Grammy Awards.
2007 Golden Globe Awards
For her appearance at the 2007 Golden Globes, Beyoncé arrived on the red carpet in a gold Elie Saab gown — a designer she often wore in the late aughts. The look, and others like it, were a major part of the singer’s “B’Day” album era, which debuted in September 2006.
2007 Oscars
At the 2007 Oscars, Beyoncé opted for this Armani Privé mint green one-shoulder gown, featuring embellishments on the strap that also cascaded onto the bodice.
2009 Golden Globe Awards
By 2009, Beyoncé was wholly in her Sasha Fierce era with her album “I Am…Sasha Fierce.” At the 2009 Golden Globe Awards, she wore a dress by Elie Saab, which featured a high slit and textual fabric.
2012 Met Gala
For the 2012 Met Gala, Beyoncé wore a show-stopping Givenchy dress, featuring extraordinary beaded detailing, sheer fabric and ombre black-to-purple feathers toward the bottom. The year prior, 2011, marked Beyoncé’s “4” era.
2012 BET Awards
Beyoncé’s 2012 BET Awards look was by Stéphane Rolland and evoked a Grecian aesthetic.
2013 Grammy Awards
For the 2013 Grammy Awards, Beyoncé opted for a black and white Osman look. The outfit harkened back to some of the aesthetic choices the singer made with her music video for the song “Countdown,” off of her 2011 album “4.”
2014 Grammy Awards
Wholly embracing her self-titled album era, Beyoncé wore a lace Michael Costello white gown with sheer detailing and ornate embroidery throughout for the 2014 Grammy Awards.
2016 BET Awards
2016 was the year of “Lemonade.” During a riveting performance at the 2016 BET Awards, Beyoncé wore a custom Julien McDonald bodysuit.
2017 Grammy Awards
Beyoncé glittered in ruby red at the 2017 Grammy Awards, wearing a Peter Dundas look. The dress included a plunging neckline and long sleeves, with all-over glittering embellishments. She accessorized with a $12 million Lorraine Schwartz necklace with more than 400 carats of diamonds.
2017 Tidal X Event
After welcoming twins Rumi and Sir in 2017, Beyoncé stepped out for a Tidal X event wearing a custom Walter Mendez ensemble in green. The dress featured a dramatic thigh-high slit and an asymmetrical neckline with off-the-shoulder sleeves. She paired the look with a plum shawl.
2018 Grammy Awards
Beyoncé made the 2018 Grammy Awards a family affair with husband Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy Carter. The singer wore a black monochrome Nicolas Jebran look. The dress was somewhat evocative of a romantic Southern gothic aesthetic, which was notably apparent in some of the visual language of Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” visual album.
2019 “The Lion King” Hollywood Premiere
Beyoncé made a foray back into acting with “The Lion King,” voicing the character Nala. She also worked on music for the 2019 iteration of the ’90s Disney animated feature. For the Hollywood premiere, she wore an intricately designed Alexander McQueen look.
2021 Grammy Awards
For the 2021 Grammy Awards, Beyoncé styled a leather minidress by Schiaparelli Haute Couture with major statement earrings in gold and black. The singer also styled long black leather opera gloves that went over her fingertips and included gold nails for an added pop of metallic color.
2023 Grammy Awards
At the 2023 Grammy Awards, Beyoncé evoked her “Renaissance” era with a metallic Gucci look. The dress featured a high-low skirt with a dramatic slit, flowing finish and ruffles. The strapless bodice incorporated corseted elements and featured exposed boning in a mocha hue, adding an element of color contrast to the look. Beyoncé also wore black opera gloves to complete the ensemble.
2024 “Cowboy Carter” Album Cover
On March 19, 2024, Beyoncé officially announced her “Cowboy Carter” era, wearing a red, white and blue Busted latex outfit and pairing the look with high-heeled boots from Paris Texas. The look marked the singer’s complete embrace of cowgirl core, and popularized a fresh take on the style trend.
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