Rihanna's 2014 Met Gala Look Was A Rare Entry On Worst-Dressed Lists But It's Gorgeous Nonetheless

Rihanna is what happens when the main character energy of an it-girl meets the devil-may-care attitude of a cool girl. The epitome of a trendsetter and a total media darling, it's hard to imagine her style ever attracting the ire of the fashion police — but it has happened. The year was 2014, and Rihanna walked the famous steps of the Met Gala wearing a two-piece Stella McCartney look: a white crop top with a rhinestone collar and open back, and a matching, subtly draped, maxi skirt. Rihanna's then-stylist Mel Ottenberg told Vogue for a May 2018 article, "I wanted to do something minimal and incredibly glamorous — a Rita Hayworth moment."

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Well, not everyone appreciated the look. The New York Post apparently didn't love Rihanna's bare midriff, and the outlet criticized her messy updo, calling it "Cheetos hair" — whatever that means. Which, okay, we've seen better undone-done looks, but it was punk-rock and perfect for a young pop girlie. But she switches up her 'do often, and Rihanna's stunning hair transformation has been something to see. We'll also concede that by today's standards, sure, it'd be way too understated for what has become a fashion costume party of sorts. But, for the era, it works. Is it the best look she's ever worn? No. Still, it's sexy, the fit is sublime, it's fun, and it feels like Rihanna.  

Rihanna's 2014 Met Gala outfit may not have been the critics' favorite, but, if nothing else, she led a lesson on one of the ways to style a crop top beyond the basic. And to be fair, she's had a couple of other controversial moments. You might remember her 2015 Met Gala look, the canary yellow fur-trimmed coat with the enormous circular train that launched a thousand memes — with funny folks on the internet turning it into everything from pizza to omelets. We think that one was wild, but gorgeous nonetheless, too. 

There have been some rare misses, perhaps, depending on who you ask, but still, journalists and fans stalk the red carpet each year anticipating the arrival of the pop star-turned-mogul. A no-brainer, because Rihanna has enjoyed some other Met Gala moments that decidedly took a landslide victory in the court of public opinion. We're thinking of the ornate, jewel-encrusted silver look with the matching pope hat from 2018, and the reimagined pinstripe suit from 2025 that showed off her baby bump. Both are among the stunning Met Gala looks we'll never forget.