When Rihanna shared the news of her first pregnancy the world rejoiced. Amid Government lockdown scandals and the bleak January weather, it was the serotonin boost many of us needed.
And Rihanna looked phenomenal as she strode through Harlem in a bubble gum pink Chanel coat that was unbuttoned to showcase her bump to the world for the first time.
With low cut denim mom jeans and rainbow pearl chains draped across her stomach, she announced her pregnancy with enviable levels of cool.
After the images were released, the world was obviously obsessed. Searches for ‘pearl necklace’ were up 237%, ‘pink jacket’ surged by 194%, and ‘maternity range’ skyrocketed by 523%, according to Google Trends research{
But some Twitter users had qualms with the instantly iconic outfit. While Rihanna and A$AP shot their pregnancy shoot in New York, the city was experiencing a heavy winter storm that brought more than ten inches of snow to parts of the city. And Rihanna's stomach was bare.
‘Rihanna looks so good but the picture of her belly in the cold is stressing me out,' one fan wrote after the photos were published. ‘I really am getting old because I saw those Rihanna pics and was thinking: It’s too cold for her to be bearing that bump like that, baby probably in there freezing,’ added another.
‘Rihanna was really walking around in the freezing cold with her belly out like that baby cold girl zip up,’ a third person said. ‘Congratulations to Rihanna and Rocky but please cover up, it's cold as hell,’ chimed in a fourth.
Below freezing weather can, of course, give your skin frostbite if you’re exposed to it for an extended period of time. But it’s fairly obvious that these images were an arranged photo opportunity and Rihanna doesn't seem to have been papped with her stomach out in the snow for more than a few minutes.
Taken by her friend and photographer Miles Diggs, described by Vogue as ‘fashion’s favourite paparazzi’, these street shots show a very light dusting of snow, which suggests they were taken before the storm hit New York and were organised and scheduled with the intention of debuting Rihanna’s bump on the date she chose was right.
Either way, we shouldn’t have to justify Rihanna’s clothing decisions because her body is her business. She’ll get her pregnancy advice from medical professionals who she has chosen to guide her through her journey to motherhood… Not from fans on Twitter.
From bright orange shearling coats to electric blue windbreakers, up until now Riri has been hiding her bump beneath oversized outerwear to keep her pregnancy under raps. We can’t wait to see what fitted or tailored looks she opts for now that the happy news is out.
READ MORE: Of Course Rihanna's Maternity Style Is Already Epic – What Were You Expecting?