(INSTAGRAM // badgalriri)

From her Grammy wins and her stint as Creative Director of Puma to her uber successful makeup line, Rihanna has made a name for herself in pop culture and beyond. She’s constantly revinventing the scope of whatever industry she finds herself in, as she popularizes Caribbean beats and changes beauty standards with cosmetics catering to all skin tones and undertones. Bold, daring, body positive and inclusive, it’s no wonder her fandom have bestowed her with the title of Queen RiRi. Did I also mention she’s a diplomat?

Her successes evidently speak for themselves, so today, we’ll just be talking about her influence in the fashion world. Never one to follow the rules, Rihanna continues to surprise us with her unique style choices, especially with her most recent decisions regarding outerwear.

Normally, jackets, coats, and generally outer layers of clothing serve as secondary details to the dress, separates, or whatever you have on underneath, which we could regard as the main component of the overall outfit. Rather than treating them as accessories, Ms. Fenty sees outerwear as an opportunity to change the way we utilize this clothing category.

So what are the new ways we could wear our coats, according to Rihanna?

Outerwear as the Statement Piece

It’s so rare for a coat or jacket to be the center of attention in an ensemble. Although there’s nothing plain about Rihanna’s outfit in the Insta snap below, her coat is clearly the most eye-catching among all the pieces.

You don’t have to own an eccentric coat in order for it to make a statement. In fact, any piece that seems slightly out of the ordinary, such as this Flecked Textured Coat, will work as the standout item of the ensemble, as long as you wear basics underneath in neutral tones, may that be an all black outfit or a nude ensemble. Try to avoid vivid colors and prints if you want the main focus on your coat.

Coats as Dresses

Something else that Rihanna likes to do is turn her coats into frocks (or maybe the coats were designed to be dresses in the first place). Whatever the case may be, she’s definitely been obsessed with turning her outerwear into a sexy dresses for the fall.

These looks can easily be executed with a classic trench, buttoned just high enough in order to have exposed shoulders and a waist belt to hold everything up. If you don’t have a trench coat, anything like a Hooded Jacket could potentially work. Remember, a waist belt is key in making this look like a finished product, rather than you looking like you’re naked underneath your coat.

Puffy Jackets with Sexy Silhouettes

Puffy jackets are not usually the first thing that come to mind when you need a coat over a bodycon or fitted dress, as the majority probably opt for outerwear that offer shape, just like their under layers. Not RiRi though. She’s all about mixing up those silhouettes, matching sexy clothes with conventionally unflattering winter wear, particularly parkas.

If slips and skin tight dresses aren’t really your thing, you can also try wearing a fitted crop top with leggings or skinny jeans. You can also switch the crop top out with a low-cut bodysuit.

Just because outerwear like a Short Fur Winter Jacket don’t exactly conform to your body shape, it doesn’t mean you can’t take any risks underneath. Don’t be afraid to show a little more skin. The poofy nature of the jacket will seek to balance out the provocativeness of the ensemble.

As strange (and perhaps questionable) her ensembles can be at times, she owns her style and wears everything with confidence. Though it may be too much to ask of you to get to her level, what you can do is take bits and pieces of her street style, and maybe after channeling your inner Rihanna, you’ll find the confidence in yourself to wear anything you want.