Los Angeles, California is famously not cold. But that isn’t stopping Rihanna from fulfilling her dreams of being a Coat Girl™—a noble, lonely cause out in sunny SoCal. The few, the proud, etc.
RiRi knows that rocking a statement coat is the fast track to looking put-together. Don’t want to change out of pajamas? Throw on a fabulous piece of outerwear to curate an intentionally messy-chic vibe. Is your outfit almost there? Counteract any potential boredom with an over-the-top jacket.
Rihanna of all people isn’t one to bow to the circumstances—in this case, the adversity of a temperate climate—and, thus, has become a dedicated coat-wearer. (As a fellow Angeleno with a penchant for a trench or duster, I tip my hat to her.) And the look practically pays for itself: however hot she may feel, a statement coat is all but guaranteed to elevate the overall outfit.
One way Rihanna has gone about making the coat work for her is pairing them with lightweight pieces underneath. Take her most recent outing, where she wore a hot pink lace corset top, baggy ripped jeans, and open-toes heels. Did she need to wear a coat? Likely not, but it certainly looks glamorous. She also uses them to add contrast: when she paired a striking pearl choker from Jean Paul Gaultier’s 2007 couture collection with another lingerie top, oversized jeans, and Pumas, she upped the ante with a double-breasted coat.
So, even if you, too, suffer through pleasant winters, you don’t have to go sans statement coat. Instead, take a page from Rihanna’s book. Here, some inspiration from her recent LA looks below.
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