While it’s no secret that Rihanna has killer personal style, everyone’s favorite bad girl can also rock a curve like no other.
What she happily describes as a “fluctuating body type” has given her seemingly unlimited choices for what to wear next. And she’s not afraid to try every conceivable look and make it her own — whether she’s feeling lean or not. It’s a lesson she believes other women can take to heart, too. The songbird recently told the Cut that she has an internal monologue: “What week are you having?” she asks herself when planning her outfits. “You having a skinny week? You having a fat week? Are we doing arms this week? We doing legs this week? We doing oversized?”
While she’s always posting fresh-off-the-runway outfits to her Instagram, RiRi’s recently been spotted serving up badass bodacious ensembles on her oscillating frame. Unlike other stylish celebs who subscribe to whatever trend they see on social media, Rihanna takes inspiration from what’s “in” and infuses it with her own devil-may-care sensibility.
Here are the styling secrets to her recent sartorial successes.
Yellow ballgown
On the night of her Fenty Beauty launch, Rihanna dressed like royalty in custom marigold Oscar de la Renta. Pairing a casual tee with a major ballskirt might feel bold for us plebes, but she pulls it off by strategically showing some skin: the knotted detail accentuates her waist, while the skirt’s slit allows for a major leg moment — so necessary when wearing Y/Project’s sparkly thigh-high sandals.
Pink jumpsuit
The singer shuts down the notion that onesies work best on the seriously tall and long-limbed in this Pepto-pink Rosie Assoulin number, which focuses attention on a sexy sliver of her upper abs. The furry purse and matching shoes make her look like she could be the guest of honor at a party at Barbie’s Dreamhouse. Can we come too?
Pink and white dress
Always game to rock a frock by an emerging brand, Rihanna nails it in this Marianna Senchina cutout dress. If you want to wear a puff-sleeve floral dress and ladylike lace-up heels, edge them up Rihanna-style: with oversize hoop earrings and a casual messy hair flip — although her intricate arm tattoos help spice it up, too.
Black pinstripe shirtdress
Baggy menswear by way of a deconstructed pinstripe minidress is nearly impossible to pull off, but not for Rihanna. Rather than downplay her accessories to make the dress stand out, she goes all out with the add-ons: a handbag and stiletto in classic silhouettes, both remixed in daring clear plastic. Inside the see-through bag is a playful pop: the Alexander Wang x Judith Leiber Swarovski-covered $100 bill bag. Only 20 of those crystal clutches exist, which basically means this look is pure money.
Purple tulle dress
The lesson here is that if you’re going to channel Tinker Bell, you’ve got to commit. This purple mini by Molly Goddard is a lot of pouf, and adding the coordinating wrap and high half-ponytail are superstylized, but the overall result is worth it — if someone were crowning a red-carpet prom queen, she’d win the tiara. Wouldn’t that look so good with this outfit?!
Plaid top and baggy black pant
Pairing a corset with cargos might sound like a fashion faux pas — as one Instagrammer commented, “The outfit is ugly until Rihanna decides it’s not” — but the star is all about that unexpected challenge as she rocks threads by her own label. While her overall look is fairly sporty, subtle styling tricks — unzipping her top, loosely tying up the corset and pulling up her hair into a wavy pony — add some femme flair. Layering diamonds on such a decidedly informal look makes a major statement.
Denim jacket and shirt
Leave it to Ri to re-imagine the Canadian tuxedo. Only a few weeks after this denim look hit the Tom Ford runway, the singer rocked the matching jacket, skirt and boot combo. Wearing the jacket unbuttoned added a sexy contrast with its boxy silhouette, as did the supershort hemline of the skirt, but it was her sassy strut that took it to the next level.
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