Beyoncé's Renaissance Act II Style Era Started at the Super Bowl

(Image credit: Beyonce.com)

published 11 February 2024

At the end of a surprise Super Bowl commercial appearance, Beyoncé declared that fans are "ready" for new music. By "ready," she meant that she would hard-launch her next musical and style era within minutes of the ad's premiere.

Just after half time, Beyoncé shared a short clip teasing Renaissance: Act II on her website and Instagram, along with photos to kick off her new aesthetic chapter. She poses in a stairwell wearing a custom Dolce & Gabbana look, including a low-cut black mini dress, thigh-high boots, and a bolo tie set with a turquoise stone.

Beyonce stands in a hallway wearing a Dolce & Gabanna dress and tall boots — Beyoncé dropped three photos signaling the start of 'Renaissance: Act II' on her website.

Beyoncé's hair, newly light blonde, was heavily curled and teased at the crown. If the jewelry and the Dolly Parton-esque styling didn't make it clear, Beyoncé's upcoming chapter has deep ties to country music. But to drive the point home, the 32-time Grammy winner shared a snippet of her new music and visuals in a teaser video.

Those weren't the only surprises in store for the Beyhive. Just minutes later, Beyoncé posted on Instagram that she was releasing the first two singles from the album, titled "16 Carriages" and "Texas Hold 'Em."

She doubled-down on the country visual codes in two single images. In the first, the Houston native wears a cowboy hat, exaggerated silver earrings, a bolero jacket, and a metallic bikini set. In the second, her blonde hair is cropped short and concealed under a black cowboy hat—but this time, she wears a studded black jacket.

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A photo posted by beyonce on

With Renaissance: Act I's release and the record-breaking Renaissance World Tour in the rearview mirror, Beyoncé fans have been begging for new music (and fresh visuals) for months. The "Cuff It" singer appeared to tease the Super Bowl announcement during last week's Grammy awards, when she wore a checkered, studded matching set by Louis Vuitton and cowboy Stetson hat to the ceremony.

Beyonce at the Grammys in a cowboy hat — Beyoncé teased her new era at the Grammys in a cowboy hat, bolo tie, and matching checkered set.

Renaissance: Act II arrives in full on March 29. Surely more country-coded outfits will appear before the full album drops.

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Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders like celebrity stylist Molly Dickson, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty product launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what style trends—like the rise of emotional support accessories or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. She also justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”

Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. She has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she earned the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.

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