Rihanna is making a case for one of the most recognisable outfit combinations of the 2000s: a sporty zip-up jacket worn with a tiny denim skirt and heels.

The singer and Fenty Beauty founder was photographed in New York on 21 August while out with A$AP Rocky and their children. She wore a candy-pink Miu Miu track jacket with a dark-wash denim mini skirt by Meryll Rogge, bringing together two staples strongly associated with early-2000s dressing.

The Miu Miu jacket has a cropped fit, ribbed cuffs and hem, and contrasting cream stripes running along the sleeves. Rihanna wore it zipped most of the way up, with the collar turned up and her hands tucked into the pockets. The soft pink shade is also familiar territory for the era, recalling the pastel tracksuits and baby tees that were everywhere in the early 2000s.

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The denim mini skirt gives the outfit its strongest Y2K reference. Its dark wash, low-rise cut and frayed edges are deliberately reminiscent of the decade, while the exposed white pocket linings add another detail to the otherwise simple denim piece. The skirt’s uneven hem, with a longer section falling at the front, keeps it from looking like a straightforward vintage throwback.

Then there are the shoes. Instead of trainers or flat sandals, Rihanna chose strappy snakeskin heels by Amina Muaddi. It is a small but important styling decision: the track jacket could easily have pushed the outfit towards casual sportswear, but the heels take it in a more dressed-up direction.

Her accessories continue the reference. She wore oversized rose-tinted aviator sunglasses, large hoop earrings and a broad gold choker, while carrying a black quilted bag. The jewellery and sunglasses are particularly suited to the outfit because they echo the larger accessories that were central to celebrity style at the time.

Rihanna kept the beauty look equally recognisable. Her hair was worn in voluminous curls, paired with a glossy brown lip and a deep red manicure. A white pedicure was visible beneath the open-toe heels.

The look also arrives during a week in which Rihanna has repeatedly returned to early-2000s fashion. Just days earlier, she wore a burnt-orange Chloé velour tracksuit for dinner in New York, complete with snakeskin sandals, oversized sunglasses and gold jewellery.

Photo: Getty Images

What makes this latest outfit worth noting is the way the pieces are mixed. The jacket is sporty, the skirt is deliberately tiny and distressed, and the heels belong to a completely different part of the wardrobe. Nothing is trying to make the outfit look like a perfectly matched set.

That approach is particularly relevant to the current return of 2000s fashion. Instead of bringing back every element of the decade at once, Rihanna has taken a familiar formula and adjusted it through proportion and accessories. The result is recognisably Y2K without relying on a head-to-toe recreation.

For anyone who remembers the original era, the combination will be immediately familiar. For those discovering the trend for the first time, Rihanna’s version offers a clear lesson in how to update it: keep the sporty jacket, bring back the mini skirt and let the shoes and accessories change the mood.

Kate Middleton may have found her summer hair color. The Princess of Wales was spotted with noticeably blonder hair and a sun-kissed glow as she joined Prince William and their children for church in Scotland.

On August 23, Kate was photographed in a car with Prince William, who was driving, as they made their way to Crathie Kirk near Balmoral. The couple’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were also with them. The family is currently spending part of their summer at Balmoral, the royal family’s traditional retreat in the Scottish Highlands.

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She wore her hair in loose, undone waves, with blonde highlights. The new hair color was paired with a white high-neck blouse, a grey blazer, a dark pillbox-style hat and gold drop earrings. The look had a slightly vintage feel, especially with the ruffled collar peeking out from underneath the blazer.

This is not the first time Kate has moved away from her usual darker hair. Her color has gradually become lighter over the past year, with honey and bronde tones appearing in her hair before this latest, noticeably blonder look.

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King Charles and Queen Camilla, along with other members of the family, were also present for the church service at Crathie Kirk. The church is regularly attended by the royal family when they are staying at Balmoral.

Aside from Kate’s new look, this appearance also comes days after news broke that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are planning to move back to the UK with their children, Archie and Lilibet. The children are expected to begin school in Britain in September, although the Sussexes are not expected to return as working royals.

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Harry and Meghan stepped down from royal duties in 2020, and their strained relationship with William became more public in 2021 following the couple’s interview with Oprah Winfrey and their Harry & Meghan Netflix docuseries.

A source said the Prince and Princess of Wales are “very concerned” about the return of the Harry and Meghan because they could seek a “half in, half out” arrangement similar to the model Queen Elizabeth vetoed at the Sandringham Summit in 2020. The source added that while King Charles is happy to have Harry back in Britain, the breakdown of trust remains an issue for William.

Harry’s return could also give the brothers an opportunity to repair their relationship. One source described it as the “best opportunity” they have had to reconcile.