Style
I Tried Beyoncé’s Go-To Assless Chaps Look & Felt So Bootylicious
Take me to the ranch, I’m a cowgirl now.
The Western style renaissance has been a long time coming. Seeds of the aesthetic’s return first blossomed on select runways in the past few years, including Mugler in 2022, Dior in 2023, and Louis Vuitton in January 2024. Even Bella Hadid started rocking the Western look after she started dating her cowboy boyfriend, Adan Banuelos. But you know something’s officially cool when Beyoncé decides to do it.
After she announced Cowboy Carter at the 2024 Super Bowl, she embraced a whole new sartorial persona of cowboy hats, bolo ties, and boots, among other country-style trends. Her cowboycore looks were no run-of-the-mill rodeo styles either. Ever the daring dresser, Bey gave the look a risqué upgrade by wearing chaps sans pants. She made the butt-forward style her signature look, rocking all sorts of assless chaps with thongs, bodysuits, and booty shorts. She’s whipped up even more permutations of the look for her Cowboy Carter Tour, which is essentially one butt-baring affair.
To be clear, chaps, which cowboys have been wearing since the 1800s, are essentially riding gear. The added leg protection is meant to be worn over pants. I’ve been told this fact several times via emails from irked cowboys (or enthusiasts). Chaps are inherently assless, they argued. “Otherwise, we call them pants,” someone said.
Emboldened by all the stylish A-listers who love flirting with controversial trends, I thought it was my public service as a fashion writer to try the Beyoncé-approved look for myself. (The fact that my “assless chaps” look will likely bug a few haters is but a fringe benefit.) And there’s no better way to do that than at Bey’s concert.
My ’Fit Check
Because it was so difficult to snag reasonably-priced tickets in New York when they first dropped, my friend Prescilla and I decided to watch the concert in Chicago, taking two days off for the full pre- and post-show recovery experience. Naturally, my outfit was at the top of my priorities, especially since the Beyhive always delivers.
The hunt for chaps was surprisingly difficult, especially given that celebs like Bey, Megan Thee Stallion, and Khloé Kardashian have all worn them recently. Several attendees, for example, resorted to DIYing their chaps. TikTok is buzzy with tutorials. I was lucky enough to find a suede pair from Understated Leather — with fringe running down the sides for extra oomph.
I built my outfit around that and kept everything else somewhat basic. I chose a matching black tank top and paired it with denim cutoffs that Beyoncé modeled in one of her recent Levi’s campaigns.
Naturally, I needed a cowboy hat. I chose a black one from Lack of Color. I went light on jewelry and only wore bedazzled hoop earrings by Alexis Bittar and this alligator necklace from Thorne, inspired by Bey’s “ALLIGATOR TEARS.”
It Was A Sea Of Butt-Baring Attendees
Chaps are rather interesting pieces of clothing. They’re essentially a belt with legs. The moment I put them on, however, I was sold. There’s something saucy about the crotch/butt-forward cutout situation. And honestly, it’s just fun.
I took my look out for a test drive when I did a coffee run at Starbucks. Yes, the people of Chicago did stare, so I pulled my cutoffs a bit lower to avoid flashing anyone pre-caffeinated. When we got to the venue, however, I fully belonged. So many guests were in chaps — assless or otherwise. Emboldened by the crowd, I folded my hemline for a little less coverage.
The Verdict
Would I ever wear assless chaps in the wild, outside the safe confines of the Beyhive? Probably not, unless I’m getting a door-to-door Uber or if I’m headed to a fashion event. I wouldn’t risk raw-dogging public transport in these babies. What I definitely will do, however, is wear them over jeans. They’re an easy way to zhuzh up denim regardless of how basic everything else is. I highly recommend giving chaps a go. I’d leave the cowboy hat at home, though. That’s too much cowboy cosplay for me.
