The Iconic Fashion Moment Rihanna Wishes She Could Erase

Singer and entrepreneur Rihanna has inspired and stunned with several of her fashion and beauty looks, including the multitude of times she dazzled the world with iconic red carpet moments. However, that doesn't mean the iconic star is immune to self-criticism. In fact, Rihanna has openly voiced her disdain for previous outfits she's worn. During a 2024 British Vogue interview shared to their TikTok page, which was conducted at an event for Fenty x PUMA, the "SOS" singer reminisced about certain outfits, discussing ones she did and didn't love. At one point, Rihanna was asked outright for her biggest "Fashion ick." Her answer was simply clothes that didn't cover much. 

However, the Fenty Beauty founder acknowledged that it was something she'd done a lot. "It's gonna sound hypocritical, but, 'cause I did so much s*** in my life," Rihanna informed the outlet, "I had my nipples out, I had my panties out." The "We Found Love" hitmaker wouldn't dress that way nowadays because of her status as a parent (Rihanna and her boyfriend A$AP Rocky have two sons, RZA and Riot Rose.) "But now those are the things, I guess, as a mom, and an evolved young lady — young, emphasis on young — it's just things that I just feel like I would never do," she said. Rihanna described cringing looking back, "Or I'm just like, 'Oh my god, I really did that? Nips out?'"

One piece Rihanna wore that definitely turned heads was the see-through crystalline gown she donned for the 2014 Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards, at which the singer was honored with the Fashion Icon Award. Her Adam Selman dress was covered in Swarovski crystals, with Rihanna explaining to Vogue in 2016, "I just liked it better without the lines underneath. Could you imagine the CFDA dress with a bra? I would slice my throat. I already wanted to, for wearing a thong that wasn't bedazzled. That's the only regret I have in my life." Evidently, the CFDA dress stands above the rest of Rihanna's looks. 

In a 2020 interview with "Access Hollywood," the "Only Girl in the World" hitmaker took a trip down memory lane and recalled the sheer CFDA number with a laugh. "I remember getting dressed and telling my stylist, 'This is it. We can't go any more naked than this,'" Rihanna quipped, even suggesting that it was the most drastic look she'd rocked when it came to showing skin on the red carpet. The fashion icon contrasted the barely-there sparkling gown with a totally different look at the 2015 Grammys: A two-tiered pink dress for the red carpet and a suit for her performance. "And I felt so good about that!" she enthused, adding, "The nipples haven't been free since. Not publicly, at least."

Despite telling British Vogue in 2024 that her yellow dress for the 2015 event was a favorite, Met Gala mainstay Rihanna also confessed that she was nervous about it while chatting to "Access Hollywood." The stunning gown was designed by Guo Pei and featured an incredibly long, fur-lined train. Since it was so hefty, a lot of planning went into fitting both the singer and the dress itself into her car for the big night. When she arrived at the Met Gala, the "Love on the Brain" hitmaker was understandably anxious. "I remember being so scared to get out of that car because I felt like, 'I'm doing too much,'" Rihanna divulged. 

She continued, "I was driving past the red carpet, and I was just seeing, like, gowns, and I was like, 'Oh my god, like, I'm a clown. People are going to laugh at me. This is, like, too much.'" The Fenty Beauty founder drove around about three times before finally drumming up the courage to leave her car and walk the red carpet. The look ended up being a big hit, with Rihanna confirming, "I don't regret it." Moreover, during her British Vogue interview, she pointed to its longevity, even almost a decade after debuting the dress, contending simply, "Nobody will ever forget that." And fortunately, she had no reason to cringe.