In my closet, matching sweater sets are the gift that keeps on giving. Even if the dress code vetos a crewneck and joggers, sweater sets aren't out of the equation. I just opt for one with a skirt, like Rihanna's on February 5.
Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica—Rihanna's signature dinner spot since 2009—welcomed back the regular and her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, for the first time since December. The restaurant knows her so well, she could arrive in pajamas and she'd still receive prime seating. Even so, Rihanna treated the dinner the way she would a Hollywood event. Stylist Jahleel Weaver dressed her up in a charcoal gray co-ord, beginning with a turtleneck-hoodie hybrid.
Knowing RiRi, the hoodie will get plenty of solo wear. For its street style debut, the matching maxi skirt tagged along. Its ankle-grazing hem left just enough room for her strappy sandals to peek out. That, my friends, is where her look ended. Apart from diamond stud earrings, Rihanna's most recognizable jewels—even her go-to $100,000 pink watch—stayed home. Clearly, the goal here was to spotlight her sweater set.
A sweater dress is another comfort-first fail-safe in my regular rotation; one the Grammy winner put on my radar years ago. Her hooded Acne Studios dress—knitted from charcoal wool for the Fall 2024 season—will always be my blueprint.
Its strategically-placed, full-length zipper turned an otherwise slouchy fabric, sultry. She unzipped the slit just enough to showcase her over-the-knee Balenciaga boots. Bottega Veneta's Maxi Lauren Intrecciato Clutch upped the "I just threw this on" energy of the final, four-figure outfit.
Rihanna's latest look speaks to an overarching loungewear-adjacent trend bubbling up on the runways. Matching sets made from lightweight textiles like suede, wool, and cotton debuted during Fendi, Brunello Cucinelli, and Bottega Veneta's Spring 2026 shows. Translation: There's no shortage of relaxed, Rihanna-coded sets on the market right now. The ones ahead are my favorites for elevating the feel of sweatpants in an instant.
