In 2014, Rihanna arrived to collect the Style Icon award at the CFDAs wearing a completely sheer, Swarovski-encrusted gown that quickly became one of the most talked-about red-carpet moments of this century, and had a huge impact on how popular so-called ‘naked dressing’ became. Famous for pushing the envelope when it comes to daring and risqué style, the singer is continuing to rip up the rulebook, this time with her maternity looks, shattering stereotypes and challenging what the world expects a pregnant woman to wear.
Yesterday, Rihanna arrived – to enormous fanfare – to sit front row at the Dior show during Paris Fashion Week, wearing perhaps the most daring celebrity maternity look we’ve ever seen.
Embracing her changing body in the most empowering way, Rihanna wore a completely sheer lace négligée, revealing her bra and thong underneath, with her burgeoning baby bump on full display. The Dior look sent Instagram alight and made plenty of headlines, with both tabloid and fashion publications commenting on and praising her ‘sexy maternity style’.
In the month or so since Rihanna first revealed her pregnancy, the singer has made a point of dressing in this manner, wearing sheer, clingy or slinky ensembles that refuse to hide her body. Although this perhaps should not be considered particularly groundbreaking in the year 2022, and she is certainly not the only star to shun traditional maternity fashion in recent years, her commitment to showing the world her changing body and embracing her sexuality while pregnant is certainly something to be celebrated.
Of course not every woman would want to adopt Rihanna’s specific brand of maternity style (particularly if they’re heading into the office or just popping out to the shops), but what the singer is proving is that being pregnant doesn’t mean you need to change who you are or how you dress.
Rihanna is famous for celebrating her body and wearing the most forward-thinking of fashion. Why should the fact that she’s expecting a baby change this? (The same also applies to bridal.) Fashion should be all about what makes you feel good, and the singer is a great inspiration for why we should all embrace our own personal style, wearing whatever makes us feel empowered and most beautiful, whatever stage we are at in our lives.