Yellowstone fans have a lot to take in this month: Last night, the hit series returned for part two of season five, which is the final season. (Cue the violins!). Lots has gone down throughout the show s successful six-year run. Spoiler alert: John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is now dead, marking a tumultuous new chapter for the Dutton family this season. Surely, there will be loads of fights, deception, revenge, and backstabbing—all of the Yellowstone signatures. But as the show comes to a close, there is one delicious element that keeps this viewer coming back for more: Beth Dutton, and her scene-stealing style.
I was obsessed with Beth from the moment we met her. A loyal daughter to John Dutton, played by Kelly Reilly, you could often find her sulking about the Dutton ranch while smoking a cigarette—or sipping on a martini or whiskey neat. She is dangerous, often erratic, and extremely protective—not to mention she will go to virtually any length to protect her family. She makes for good television. And even better yet: Throughout the series, she has had the fierce wardrobe to match. Costume designed by Johnetta Boone, Beth’s clothes are used to offset her icy exterior; She favors sexy, slinky silhouettes, using her sexuality as a means to get what she wants. Mix that in with some bohemian accents and sharp tailored overcoats, and we’ve got ourself an unlikely fashion icon in the wild west.
Unsurprisingly, Beth s saucy wardrobe is filled with intention. For the character, Boone says she wanted to juxtapose her diehard love for Montana against a more elevated fashion sensibility. “Beth is what I call a city slicker—she s from a ranch, but she does everything that she can to not associate herself with a ranch,” Boone told Country Living of Beth’s style. “She s a power hitter, she s a businesswoman.” While all the characters around her adhere to the customary Wrangler jeans, flannel shirts, and brimmed cowboy hats, Beth enters a room in bodycon dresses and stilettos—instantly delivering a different sense of command. Lots has been written of her, of course—mainly, the criticism that she is a female character written from a man’s perspective. But to me, she seemingly dresses for the male gaze only to use their admiration to her advantage. That, my friends, is power.
One of my favorite scenes in the whole series is in season two, when Beth comes to her sister-in-law Monica’s rescue, while she is being held by police and accused of shoplifting in a fancy Bozeman boutique. Beth barges in, locking in the racist storeowner and proceeding to trash the store, throwing around the pricey turquoise necklaces and bohemian dresses. That clashing of the elegant fashions against her more raucous, if not slightly unhinged, attitude is precisely what makes Beth an A+ TV character. If anyone deserves a spinoff series, it’s her.
Now, are we saying that Beth a good person? With a good moral compass worth rooting for? Debatable. But her distinctive closet is one that we would happily shop any day; When we think of Yellowstone style, we simply think of her. I mean, Beth is the queen of leopard prints, which so happens to be trending this season. She’s always been one step ahead of her competition!
