Rihanna recently made waves by wearing a sheer crystal gown at the CFDA Awards, but the Barbados-born singer has never shied away from controversial looks, both with her outfits and with her chameleon-like hairstyle changes.
See a few of Rihanna’s most shocking looks, dresses or outfits that either showed too much or were simply very weird when compared with mainstream fashion.
2020 CFDA Awards
Collecting the Style Icon award at the Council of Fashion Designers of America ceremony in New York, Rihanna wore a custom Adam Selman gown that consisted of thousands of Swarovski crystals sewn into a fishnet base. The only times when her nipples weren’t visible were when she chose to conceal them with a feather boa.
2020 MTV Movie Awards
While few of Rihanna’s most shocking looks can compare to her 2020 CFDA Awards outfit, the singer went for a lingerie vibe for her appearance at the 2020 MTV Movie Awards. The corseted bodysuit was part of Ulyana Sergeenko Spring 2020 Couture collection, and Rihanna wore a pink robe dress over it for a boudoir feel.
2020 Met Gala
Rihanna seems to prefer Stella McCartney dresses for her appearances at the Met Gala and she opted for separates in 2020. Pairing a cropped top with shoulder padding with a draped skirt and train, Rihanna managed to pull off a look that’s both edgy and elegant and even includes a little butt crack.
2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards
Going for a goth vibe with a silk-tulle dress with peekaboo lace appliqués, the singer chose Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci for the 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards. It may be one of Rihanna’s most shocking looks, even if she did cover up partially with a Givenchy nappa leather jacket.
2020 American Music Awards
Rihanna also chose separates for the American Music Awards, opting for a revealing outfit from the Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring 2020 Couture collection. Even though the black bustier top was designed to be worn with a sheer lace top and skirt, the singer skipped the top and just kept the sexy skirt.
2020 Brit Awards
Rihanna’s most shocking looks are often edgy, but the outfit chosen for the 2020 Brit Awards by the singer is definitely on the elegant side. The Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci dress is still daring, featuring a deep V-neck and high slits in the front and back, which allowed the singer to show off her beautiful legs.
2020 “Battleship” Premiere
The dress Rihanna wore at the “Battleship” premiere the same year was even more revealing. Designed by the singer with the help of Adam Selman, the backless white dress featured a single high slit on the side and a very revealing plunging neckline that barely hid the singer’s belly button.
2020 Grammys
One of the most iconic creations that qualifies as one of Rihanna’s most shocking looks, the dress worn by the singer at the 2020 Grammys was designed by Jean Paul Gaultier. Featuring sheer paneling from top to bottom, the dress is one of many bold fashion statements made by Rihanna on the red carpet.
2020 Met Gala
Going for a more subtle approach at the 2020 Met Gala, Rihanna wore a stunning dress by Stella McCartney that didn’t look too shocking from the front. However, the side was a sheer panel that clearly showed the singer wasn’t wearing underwear under the lace dress.
2020 Echo Awards
One of Rihanna’s most shocking looks that didn’t rely on showing too much skin to make a statement, the green jumpsuit from the Alexandre Vauthier Spring 2020 Haute Couture collection, was nicknamed the “bat dress”. It spawned a viral sensation years later, when a high school girl attending prom created a similar design and posted it on Twitter.
2020 American Music Awards
A truly unique look, Rihanna’s white cut-out body suit the singer wore on stage at the 2020 American Music Awards was designed specifically for her “Rude Boy” performance, with the help of the Mortiz Waldemeyer’s studio, Simon Henwood, and the singer’s team of stylists.
2020 American Music Awards
One of Rihanna’s most shocking looks, her spiky leather corset look was a created by mixing a corset by The Blonds with Alexander McQueen leather boots and Kova and T latex leggings.
Photos: PR Photos, Getty Images