Rihanna Expertly Styles the Rich-Girl Trench Coat Trend With a $6,900 Bottega Veneta Bag

She somehow managed to make the preppy staple look edgy.

Rihanna was seen celebrating New Year’s Eve at a cozy local bar in New York City wearing a leather jacket and boots with a bottega veneta bag
(Image credit: Backgrid)

Though khaki trench coats are widely considered one of the most timeless and wearable outerwear trends in fashion history, they're certainly not everyone's cup of tea. The preppy staple is beloved by minimalists and rich girls, but for those on the edgier end of the spectrum, it often feels off-brand.

Rihanna, for example, is one of the most well-known fashion risk-takers of our generation—she'll wear massive fur hats, leopard print onesies, and tighty whities as pants without a second thought, but has only sported the khaki trench a handful of times throughout her decades-long career. Frankly, it's a bit basic for her boundary-pushing style.

Never one to pass on a trend, however, the beauty mogul has pinpointed a styling technique that makes the classic look feel appropriately edgy. She regularly eschews the usual taup for luxe leather versions that feel more "S&M" than "You Da One," if you know what I mean.

Rihanna has been employing this method for years, having worn leather styles on several occasions even in the past month. On Jan. 29, she stepped out in a longline version of the classic moto jacket and two weeks later, on Feb. 13, was spotted wearing a moss green Phoebe Philo iteration as a dress.

Rihanna arrives back at court in Los Angeles as deliberations continue in A$AP Rocky’s case. The singer remains by her partner’s side, showing her unwavering support. The high-profile trial continues to draw attention.

Rihanna styles a dark green leather trench with cool-girl accessories.

(Image credit: Backgrid)

Living up to her Bad Gal Riri handle, the star doubled—nay, tripled—down on cool-girl outfit add-ons. She styled her statement coat with a pair of knee-high snakeskin boots from Amina Muaddi and a noir mini duffel from her handbag maker of choice, Bottega Veneta. The piece is made of woven Intrecciato leather—the brand's stylistic calling card—and rings in at $6,900 retail.

It's undeniable that tan-colored coats are certainly having a moment, but their leather counterparts, too, are trending in the fashion space. In the past few days alone, the rocker style has been worn by Emma Stone and pretty much every editor at fashion week, in addition to Rihanna.

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Kelsey Stiegman
Contributor

Kelsey (she/her) is a freelance fashion editor and writer, specializing in e-commerce and fashion news. With more than ten years of experience in digital media, Kelsey has a knack for turning top-performing content into top-selling content. At Marie Claire, she provides witty celeb style commentary, unpacking the style choices of stars like Zoë KravitzDua LipaSelena Gomez, and her fashion superhero, Rihanna. When she’s not tracking the personal style of Hollywood’s elite, Kelsey also covers designer collabs and industry news.

Before taking her talents to Marie Claire, Kelsey was the Senior Fashion Editor at Bustle, where she oversaw the site’s fashion coverage and launched a successful luxury handbag series called Secure The Bag. Prior to Bustle, she came from a six-year stint at Seventeen, during which she managed the team’s fashion and beauty verticals and led e-commerce strategy. In her freelance era, Kelsey contributes to publications like InStyle, CosmopolitanGlamour, and more. She also offers consulting services and content creation, in addition to writing and editing. Follow @klstieg on Instagram for 'fit pics and travel recommendations.