The year was 2007, and Barbados’ 19-year-old pop starlet Rihanna was ready to take control of her music career, image and ultimately herself with her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad.
Thanks to the critically-acclaimed LP and its 2008 reissuing, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded, the singer-songwriter ditched her wholesome island image and departed from fresh pop sounds to give fans a taste of a woman who was ready to take the world by storm.
In hindsight, Good Girl Gone Bad was the launchpad for Rih to become the “bad gal” we all know and love today. Some small fashion and style choices during this era of her career made a huge impact, and may have served as the inspiration for some of her later looks in videos and in life. Don’t believe us? Check out a few of our reasons why below.
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Edgy Hairstyles
How could we forget Rihanna’s first iconic hairstyle: the sleek, asymmetrical black bob? Now an adult, the Bajan beauty ditched the long curly hair for something a bit more edgy and mature for her next musical phase.
She also played around with her hair in different wigs, like the strawberry-blonde bob with blunt bangs in the video for “Disturbia.”
Since then, how many hairstyles has Rihanna had that we’ve adored? From the black messy updo, to the pixie cut, to her half-shaved auburn look, to her bright blonde hair, there have been so many looks throughout her career that we couldn’t get enough of. However, we’ve got to give props to the O.G. bob, which we see as Rih claiming her individuality and confidence as an artist and person.
Colored Tresses
If you take a look at Rih’s video for “Shut Up And Drive,” you’ll notice that the singer sported some very subtle blue streaks in her head-turning bob.
Up until this era, Rihanna’s hair was long and brown with blonde highlights. Testing the waters with some brighter colors, albeit small, definitely had the fans wanting more.
The streaks were tiny, but definitely could have served as the catalyst for some more effervescent hair color choices, especially during her Loud era, where she sported bright red, long hair.
Statement-Making Accessories
In several of the videos during this era, Rihanna had several in-your-face accessories that made a statement. In “Hate That I Love You” featuring Ne-Yo and “Rehab” with Justin Timberlake, Rih Rih rocks large-yet-tasteful bangles, earrings and rings, while the shoes, jewels and ornate headdress in “Disturbia” had us begging for more. We also can’t forget the finger cuffs she donned in the “Umbrella” video.
Now as a bonafide sensation, she seems to have no qualms about certain fashion choices. Lest we forget the assortment of gems and diamonds she wore in the “Pour It Up” video, as well as the dope accessories showcased in the video for “Where Have You Been,” such as headscarves, long printed gloves and bejeweled eye accessories.
She also takes her accessorizing skills to events. Take a moment to remember her iconic Swarovski crystal outfit from the CDFA Fashion Awards in 2014, which was paired with a boa, gloves and matching headscarf.
Bold Makeup
Rihanna started taking risks with her makeup choices, going from simple to bold. She sports a strikingly glam red lipstick in the “Take A Bow” visual and had several fierce looks in “Disturbia,” from eye-black to white contacts that give a bone-chilling effect.
Ms. Fenty hasn’t toned anything down since. We’ve seen some incredible makeup choices from vibrant and bright in the “S&M” video to the daring look in “Hard,” not to mention some of her gorgeous looks in real-life, from this year’s Met Gala to her night’s out-and-about.