Ariana Grande's Inappropriate Outfit At Aretha Franklin's Funeral Will Always Haunt Her

If there's one person with the vocal chops to have given Aretha Franklin the send-off she deserved, it was Ariana Grande. The "Wicked: For Good" star didn't disappoint with her rendition of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at Franklin's 2018 funeral in Detroit, Michigan, giving the crowd chills with her belting. But unfortunately, her outfit overshadowed even her amazing singing, and onlookers took to social media to express their outrage over what she was wearing. The outfit in question? A figure-hugging black minidress with a bubble skirt and a sheer panel to make up for the low neckline. Grande complemented the sexy look with accessories that screamed "rockstar" rather than "rest in peace," including a silver choker necklace and metallic pointy-toed sky-high stilettos. 

Scott Olson/Getty

In a Reddit thread discussing the look, one user said that "her ponytail [is] longer than her dress at a funeral," while another asked, "Is Ariana Grande completely surrounded by Yes-people that nobody told her how inappropriate that dress was to wear at a funeral?" One Redditor in the same thread seemed to sum up what the others were feeling: "Women should dress how they want but in this case, it's just that the short skirt combined with the heels is just a bit too flashy for a funeral ... If she had worn this to work or court, it would still be inappropriate. Funerals have that same appropriate attire expectation." They added that the dress itself was "cute" and would have caused no problems at "dinner or for any other event." Still, while Grande's dress had fingers wagging, it wasn't actually that out of character for her in that era of her life. 

Like many A-listers with longevity, Ariana Grande has been through a stunning style transformation. In 2018, at the time of Aretha Franklin's funeral, the edgy black minidress was pretty standard for the "Side to Side" singer, especially when paired with her iconic ponytail. Her go-to street look at the time was an oversized hoodie, which she almost exclusively wore with thigh-high boots. So, in the context of her typical styling, her team might have even perceived this look to be formal while still being consistent with her public image. 

The funeral look earned the "Victorious" alum some heat, but it wasn't the only time that a black dress landed her in trouble. Fast-forward to 2022, and Ariana Grande opted for an inappropriate dress for her brother's wedding. The short length wasn't the offending element here; rather, the top, which was a velvet bra, felt odd for the occasion. Part of a two-piece Vera Wang set, the top was paired with a slitted maxi skirt and stockings, which objectively looked phenomenal. But even though Grande served in the bridal party for brother Frankie Grande and his husband, Hale Leon, fans deemed the look to be too attention-grabbing at a family wedding where the singer wasn't supposed to be the star of the show. "I normally don't care about weddings," one X user commented, "but isn't it consider bad form to deliberately outshine or draw the attention from the bride by wearing a statement or 'provocative' item of clothing?"

In her earlier years, Grande wasn't immune to ruffling feathers with her fashion, but as she ushered in her highly anticipated "Wicked" era in 2024, her style did a complete turnaround and inappropriate outfits became a thing of the past. 

As Ariana Grande joined Cynthia Erivo for "Wicked" promo in 2024, her look seemed to lose all traces of the things she relied on before: ultra-short hemlines paired with rock-chick stilettos, edgy metallics, and, of course, head-to-toe black. Instead, most of Ariana Grande's outfits were screaming Glinda from "Wicked," with nearly all of them featuring pink. The sexy aesthetic that we saw at Aretha Franklin's funeral was replaced with retro silhouettes and materials. Goodbye, choker, and hello, checkered silk midi dresses, satin gloves, and poofy skirts. 

At the 2025 VMAs, Ariana Granda finally ditched Glinda pink in favor of trending polka dots, but her gown was still more whimsical and romantic than her previously sultry vibe, complete with a sweetheart neckline and peplum detailing. The second half of the year was once again dedicated to press for the aforementioned film's sequel, "Wicked: For Good," so there's no sign of Grande abandoning her newfound wholesome aesthetic just yet. But since she's prone to massively shaking up her look, who's to say what styles and trends she might adopt in the future? We could be in for a return to the sexy minidress era, and as long as it's not worn at a funeral, we're all for it.