I adore the idea of wearing white-on-white in spring. But all four of my attempts to style white jeans this year have given "I'm an employee at The White Lotus hotel" energy, not the effortless cool-girl I want to be. On May 13, Rihanna's T-shirt and jeans outfit proved styling success lies in choosing different shades of white.
Rihanna's night out in New York city taught me back-to-back, stark-white styles can be too harsh a color combination. First, she went completely colorless with an oversize T-shirt. Her high-vamp flats were molded from the same shade (or lack there of), except in glossy leather.
Then, to split up her blinding look, Rihanna slipped on baggy, off-white jeans. Her take on the straight-leg trend was dyed a few hues warmer than other shades in street style. (Most celebrity white jeans outfits—from Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Olivia Wilde—have steered clear of any additional pigment this season.)
Rihanna solved my "spa employee" dilemma and put accessories on my radar that'll liven up my next neutral-led look. That same night, she traded one Spring 2026 shoe trend for another.
She debuted her Amina Muaddi snakeskin ankle-strap stilettos in April 2025, but they're perfect for this season's animal-print uptick. So, of course she brought them out of storage. In turn, Hadid, Hailey Bieber, and Olivia Rodrigo have stepped up their jeans outfits with cheetah, zebra, or even python-patterned shoes.
Next, the Grammy winner broke up her color story even more, with a camel-colored windbreaker from Balenciaga. She left the $2,690 jacket unzipped, revealing the plain white tee and yellow-gold necklaces underneath. Similar windbreakers worn by Zendaya, Bieber, and even Marie Claire editors blew all other jacket trends away from the Fenty founder's coat closet.
Finally, the "Work" singer re-wore the burgundy Dior Crunchy Bag she paired with her Mother's Day outfit and the naked sandal trend this week. I don't blame her for balancing out her new additions with something reliable.
Rihanna rarely wears white jeans. Her denim drawer is stocked with medium and dark-wash options instead. On the off-chance she does, trust she'll commit to the unmissable tint in all-white attire. 10 years ago, she did the same in ripped white skinny jeans, a lace-up hoodie, and platform boots. She's always viewed the "no white before Labor Day" rule as a suggestion. And now thanks to her, I do, too.
