Here’s Why Beyoncé’s Beaded Braids Are More Than Just A Cool Beauty Moment

Truth in advertising does exist after all. Just one month after her Verizon commercial centered around breaking the internet (followed a web-shattering album announcement), Beyoncé is back to do it again with a fresh photoshoot serving as alternative covers for the “Cowboy Carter” variant of the upcoming Act II. In classic fashion, the megastar has been slowly revealing the new editions, allowing each image to speak for itself. First, she unveiled a rodeo-themed look in which she’s riding a horse with an American flag aloft. Her latest is equally patriotic, but perhaps even cooler. For this cover, Beyoncé’s beaded braids and pageant sash are the main focal points, all harkening back to critical cultural moments from the past few decades. Bey’s worn colorful beads in her long plaits plenty of times before, but this particular style is steeped in so much cultural significance and symbolism.

First, it’s key to examine Beyoncé’s pose on the cover. She’s nearly nude, only strategically covered by a classic pageant sash. She holds a lit cigar aloft in her hand while the other arm is crooked, and the result is a Lady Liberty effect. The sash across her body feels like a nod to the Miss America program, tying together all the patriotic themes, which feel especially poignant considering Beyoncé’s breaking into a genre that often excludes Black Americans in general. The fact that her hair is in long braids with beads just underscores the concept.

Decorative beads strung through braids have been around for centuries, but in the context of American cultural history, they likely make you think of a few key names. Rick James and Stevie Wonder, of course, famously wore the look plenty of times through their careers, becoming a signature, instantly-recognizable style. Legendary sister duo Venus and Serena Williams have made the look their trademarks, too, wearing the bright beads in their own plaits during some of their early career’s most pivotal tennis matches.

As usual, Beyoncé’s album cover is about so much more than a cool look. It’s meaningful and referential, while remaining completely true to her personal style and distinct, artistic vision.