Rihanna transcends the trends: from double denim to a suite of covetable vintage it-bags and every kind of animal print. Presented with that quintessential Rihanna attitude, she sets her own tone. But footless tights? That was always going to be a tough sell.
The pop star and beauty mogul attended partner A$AP Rocky’s AWGE fall 2026 show (his third runway) as part of New York Fashion Week last night, wearing a look that speaks to every Rihanna signature. Rih wore an as fresh-off-the-runway outfit as you can get, opting for an AWGE longline leather jacket with a low-slung belted waist and fuzzy cuffs. She styled it with layers of gold and diamond necklaces, drop earrings, oversized angular sunglasses, black textured pumps, and the aforementioned sheer footless tights. In many ways, adding an extra layer was quite a sensible spin on a spring collection look for Rih.
Footless tights retain a bad rep. For most people, they’re filed beside denim mini skirts from Abercrombie and Topshop bralettes. Slowly, slowly, we’ve seen the return of 2016 era fashion, so it was only a matter of time. And Rihanna makes a pretty solid case for their more elevated return.
And it totally works for Rih, who only recently stepped out in a mid-10s-esque look that featured leggings paired with a blazer and pointy pumps. She loves a statement shoe (usually care of Amina Muaddi or Balenciaga) so a footless stocking allows the shoe to shine without any heavy extra layers.
Hosiery is having a moment. Stirrup leggings have been spotted on Kendall Jenner, while designers like Julie Kegels are experimenting with shape and color, getting Kaia Gerber into seafoam thong socks. Choose your fighter.
