Five Basics You Need to Get Rihanna's Style

A few years ago Rihanna decided to trade in her ho hum R&B / pop princess style for something cooler. Now her style is edgier - a mixture of avant garde rock and roller meets dominatrix tomboy. Here's the 5 key pieces you need to get her style:

1. Leather Jackets

A main component of Rihanna's style is the leather jacket because it instantly makes even her simplest outfits look cool, and it also gives her feminine pieces a tough edge. Rihanna wears a ton of different leather jackets in various styles, but even her most basic jackets are never simple - they always have interesting details.

For instance, she often wears black leather jackets, but she's worn a bomber style with sleeves that unzip, another jacket was cropped and had a ruffled collar, and she's also donned a men's style bolero.

She also has worn several quilted black leathers. One version was collarless and cropped; another style was hip length and had pronounced slanted shoulders and a fur trim. And another quilted jacket was a fitted blazer that she wore as a dress.

Rihanna's also worn biker jackets in fun colors. One had a black and white graphic pattern, another had a denim blue body with black sleeves and zipper details. She's also worn a bright yellow patent leather blazer with gray lapels and black trims.

So to get Rihanna's style go for styles that are hip length or higher, and look for cool ones like basic biker styles or those with interesting details like exaggerated shoulders, graphic patterns, bold colors or zippers. But also don't pass up on the daintier jackets that have quilting, ruffles, and no collars because the rest of Rhianna's wardrobe will make it cool.

2. Cool Boots

Another huge staple in Rihanna's wardrobe is her collection of boots.

Her mainstays are booties and ankle boots which give her outfits a bad-ass vibe. Rihanna wears them with any and everything from shorts, to leggings and jeans, to sexy mini dresses and skirts, and even laidback floral print summer dresses.

Buy a black leather bootie with cool details like perforations, fringe, hardware, peep-toes or other cut-outs. Or get dominatrix style ankle boots that lace up.

For a softer look go for sheer ankle boots with bows like the black ones by Chanel that she wore. Or lighten up and get a pair of suede nude colored booties with fringe or an ankle boot with a fun leopard print.

When she's not rocking an ankle boot Rihanna prefers thigh highs that fall over the knee or right below it. She usually sticks to fitted ones in soft black or gray leather or slouchy styles in tan colored suede and black leather. She wears them with mini skirts and dresses, shorts, or leggings.

Her taller boots are usually more classic in style like a simple thigh high with a heel, or a flat riding boot. But she occasionally wears styles with fringe, gladiator details, tassels, perforated leather, or bondage style ones with thick laces.

3. Skinny Jeans

Another key to Rihanna's style is the skinny jean. She typically wears low rise versions in a standard dark blue rinse or black denim.

But this is Rihanna we're talking about so she also goes for edgier styles, like black leather jeans, acid wash high rise jeans, and ripped jeans in white or pale blue. Wear them with heels or booties.

4. Leggings

Another basic in Rihanna's style is her leggings. She doesn't wear them capri length she only wears those that hit at the ankle. Her mainstays are plain black leggings made from either sheer or shiny spandex, or leather. But she's also worn black ones with lace stripes running down the sides, ones with a gray lattice print, and spacey silver leggings.

On her casual days she'll throw a pair on with a leather jacket, long t-shirt and a pair of bright Nikes or she'll wear them with a long sweater and tall boots. For a sexier look she'll wear her leggings with a long blazer and heels, or with a corset underneath a man's oxford.

5. Tanks

While Rihanna's jackets and boots usually have fun details, for the most part she keeps her tops really simple and relaxed. She usually goes for a simple cotton tank (hip length or cropped versions) that she usually wears with a pair of jeans or leggings and a leather jacket.

She tends to wear plain ones in gray, black, or white. Occasionally though, she'll wear tanks with black and white stripes, or a white tank with a black graphic print or vice versa.