The “It’s Ugly Until Rihanna Wears It” Enigma
Rihanna has proven many times over to be an indisputable force in the fashion world – one to be reckoned with at that. The Grammy winner has been delivering look after look for more than a decade and has become a bonafide trailblazer from street style to red carpets. A multi-hyphenate, once in a generation innovator, her trademark willingness to push the envelope and remain unconventional makes the phrase “it’s ugly until Rihanna wears it” quite fitting.
A Twitter user under a fan page titled “Fenty Cop” published a now viral thread to X (formerly known as Twitter) which demonstrates Rihanna’s ability to take pieces the average consumer or public figure wouldn’t wear and make them her own. The thread was captioned “it’s ugly until Rihanna wears it,” featuring more than 10 looks with pieces previously worn on runways and weren’t viewed as conventionally appealing to the eye. Fashion is subjective, but it’s worth noting Rihanna is known for choosing the daring, perhaps avant-garde pieces which could be overlooked by others.
Nowhere was Rihanna’s firmness in playing by her own rules present more than throughout her two pregnancies. Rihanna’s first pregnancy announcement marked a turning point in fashion, but specifically women’s fashion. In a photoshoot with ASAP Rocky, she wore a vintage hot-pink Chanel puffer coat, puddle hem jeans, and multicolored jeweled gold chains draped over her bare stomach. Pregnant women historically have been discouraged from wearing clothing which accentuates their growing figures. Rihanna’s pregnancy announcement and following style choices signified a counteract to this age-old tradition and redirected conversations on pregnancy fashion. The pregnancy style was adopted by the likes of Shay Mitchell and Hailey Bieber, but also influenced the masses as well.
The distinctive component in Rihanna’s sense of style is the nerve and audacity she exudes. Rihanna delivers looks which tell stories, gets people talking, and invokes thought; she’s very much unpredictable. Coining the phrase “she can beat me but she can’t beat my outfit,” is reflective of Rihanna’s forthright nature in making fashion her own. In an industry such as this, all you have to have is nerve when putting your best foot forward. Rihanna as a creative reaches astronomical heights which so few dare to achieve.
Featured Image Courtesy of @badgalriri on Instagram