Rihanna Wore an Alligator-Print Skirt With the Highest Side Slits

It's almost time for the Rihanna concert this weekend. You know, the one that comes with a side of football? Ahead of her performance at Super Bowl LVII in Arizona (Sunday on Fox, in case you need a reminder), the superstar spoke at a press conference with Apple Music, the halftime show's new sponsor.

For the occasion, Ri wore a shearling coat that slipped off her shoulders to reveal lingerie-inspired bra straps and an alligator-print — and shaped — skirt that was longer in the middle and featured sky-high side slits, all from Alaia. She finished the look with strappy, lace-up shoes and wore her hair up with two face-framing strands. She accessorized with a bold metal Cuban-link choker and intricate hoop earrings, as well as red lipstick and nail polish.

While there are no clues (yet) as to what Ri's setlist will be, she has plenty of earworms to pull from, including “Umbrella,” “Don’t Stop the Music,” “SOS,” “Disturbia,” “Rude Boy,” “Only Girl (In the World),” “We Found Love,” “Diamonds,” “Work,” “Needed Me” and “Love on the Brain.” All of which would be perfect for the energy of the show. (Her Oscar-nominated Black Panther ballad "Lift Me Up"? Not so much.)

Rihanna's upcoming performance doesn't come without a side of controversy. Back in 2019, she told Vogue that she had been approached about performing at the big game in the past. However, she was standing in solidarity with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and his silent protests during the national anthem.

"I couldn’t dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people. I just couldn’t be a sellout. I couldn’t be an enabler," she said at the time. "There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way.” 

USA Today notes that there has been a change within the NFL since Ri's comments. Her friend and mentor, Jay-Z, is now a consultant for the league and has worked to expand the "cultural influences of the league" and the Super Bowl. 

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