Top 10 Best Looks in Beyoncé's Black is King
#10: Beach Dress
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“Black Is King” opens with some striking visuals, and the first outfit we see our Queen Bey wearing is one for the books. In this beach scene, we see her in a gown that- while dramatic- is still somehow appropriate for the setting. The outfit was created by Wendy Nichol, a New York designer. Bey looks like a water goddess as she stands in the surf during this epic opening. You just know that she managed to choose something that would look just as good wet as it does dry!
#9: Pop Art Piece
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Near the end of the film, we see a striking sequence in which a number of performers dance in a stark black and white space. The minimalist setting contrasts with their outfits, which are colorful and layered, making them stand out from their background. Beyoncé herself sports something that fits in a little bit better with the modern backdrop, in an outfit by Mugler that features color blocking and a mixed media approach. The hat and sunglasses top off the look, making us feel like she could wear this out shopping and not think twice.
#8: Printed Catsuit
Bey loves herself a catsuit, and in fact she already wore a Marine Serre bodysuit when she went to a 2019 Houston Rockets basketball game. The outfit was clearly a hit, because a moon-printed version made its way into “Black is King” during “Already” when it was worn not just by Beyoncé herself but her crew of dancers too. To make the look even more memorable, she paired it with Bantu knot braids with her locks making their way to her knees. Not many outfits from this visual album would work for everyday wear, but we’d totally sport these catsuits as loungewear!
#7: Crystal Turban
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There is a whole section of this visual experience that sees Bey bedazzled in crystal embellished outfits. There’s a fringed crystal dress that was created by Lace by Tanaya, but even more striking is the sparkling turban ensemble that she wears. Laurel DeWitt designed this piece, along with many others from the segment. Not only is Beyoncé covered in full body sparkle, but even her eyebrows have jewelry! We wouldn’t be surprised if this turned out to be the hottest trend for fall after everyone sees this queen sporting it.
#6: Cow Print Outfit
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Considering the themes of the album (and today’s biggest trends), it should come as no surprise that “Black is King” featured a whole lot of animal print. While there were your standard leopard spots, Bey possibly ushered in a new fad when she wore this cow-printed look. While riding a horse with an impressive matching color palette, our Queen sat tall in a creation by chief creative officer Riccardo Tisci. Her Christian Louboutin heels probably aren’t the best for horseback riding, but hey we’re not asking for realism here.
#5: Yellow Outfit
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During the song “Spirit”, Bey wore a sunny yellow dress by Balmain in what has become something of a signature hue for the performer. Yellow has been trending for several years now, and Beyoncé is likely one of the biggest contributors to that being the case. This look features a voluminous top with a structural off-the-shoulder design. The skirt has a smocked waistline, which makes it look like it’s actually pretty comfy. This is one that we could imagine pulling off in real life!
#4: Bedazzled Look
We already talked about the epic levels of sparkle featured in one section of the film, but we had to single out this look in particular. Combining an onyx hue with this level of embellishment is a genius move that creates striking contrast. The jeweled sunglasses may not be practical for actually seeing, but we’re more than willing to suspend our disbelief for the sake of fashion. Created by black design house D.Bleu.Dazzled, seeing this look on screen prompted the creator, Destiney Bleu, to tweet, "oh man, seeing my work like this has me fittin to flatline."
#3: Tulle Gown & Braids
In many ways, “Black is King” was a celebration of traditional black hairstyles, and we saw a wide variety of looks throughout the film. Braids, in particular, featured heavily in many different visual moments. This instance is perhaps the most memorable however, as we see Bey in a towering braided style that gives a nod to the way Mangbetu women wear their hair. Adding contrast to the look, Beyoncé wore a dress that looked like it was straight out of Paris fashion week. The all-black layered tulle gown was designed by Timothy White.
#2: Powerful Pink
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Beyoncé has strong ties to the world of fashion, so it’s no surprise that she has her pick of basically any piece that she wants. This unforgettable gown by Molly Goddard was actually on display during Notes On Fashion, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s spring 2019 exhibition. The voluminous, layered dress is about as high fashion as they come, and the contrast of Bey wearing it on a beach during “Water” makes the look even more memorable due to the juxtaposition. We could see this gown making for the perfect red carpet look for the right star.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Animal Print Dress
Leopard Catsuit
Red Bodysuit & Long Coat
Feathered Look
Green Tiger Stripes
#1: Multicolored Dress
Hailing from Greek designer Mary Katrantzou’s Fall/Winter 2019 collection, this colorful dress has us feeling like a new era of maximalism is on its way. Featuring a strapless, off-the-shoulder design (which Bey seems to favor), the gown is almost overwhelming visually because your eye doesn’t know what to focus on. The fabric looks as though it’s light as air, and the design itself seems to embody everything that “Black is King” is all about. It feels like a mix of high fashion and more traditional African looks, which pretty much sums up Bey’s sartorial style on this visual album.
