Rihanna's Surprise Performance With Jay-Z Channels the Beyoncé-Approved Capri Pants Trend
It was a big weekend for capris.
Jay-Z's final anniversary show at New York's Yankee Stadium started three hours late. But it was certainly worth the wait: On July 12, the rapper ended his sold-out, three-night residency with surprise performances from Beyoncé and Rihanna. For her grand return to center stage, RiRi sang two of her hits in the Beyoncé-approved capri pants trend.
For Jay-Z's "Extra Innings" show, stylist Jahleel Weaver dressed his star client in a skintight chocolate brown leather look from Saint Laurent, which featured a fur-trimmed, off-the-shoulder top and calf-length leggings. Contrasting belly chains, multiple belts, and razor-sharp slingback pumps from Saint Laurent brought the slightly different shades of leather together. (See how it all shone under the stadium spotlights, here.)
The Grammy winner said she "missed this" after singing "Run This Town" With Jay-Z. Her on-stage style was missed just as much.
Hours before joining Jay-Z at Yankee Stadium, Rihanna endorsed the sports jersey trend, too.
It's been three long years since Rihanna publicly serenaded her devoted fanbase. She kickstarted her vocal hiatus after performing the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hit, "Lift Me Up," during the 2023 Oscars. One year later, she performed at a private wedding (videos of "Umbrella" still went viral).
Rihanna's taste in performance attire has certainly evolved. Back in the day, she preferred baggy over form-fitting outfits (as proven by her 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show jumpsuit from Loewe). However, it's not the first time she has worn leather on stage. At the 2023 Academy Awards, she accessorized her Maison Margiela by John Galliano performance look with dramatic leather opera gloves.
Rihanna's last public performance was at the 2023 Oscars.
But why capris, you ask? Well, Spring 2026 fashion shows presented no shortage of cropped pants. Ralph Lauren, Proenza Schouler, Dries Van Noten, Maison Margiela, and Carolina Herrera brought the circa-1950s silhouette back.
Celebrities have likewise embraced the trend. Just days earlier, on July 10, Beyoncé wore capris during Jay-Z's debut Yankee Stadium show. Perhaps the "Drunk In Love" singer's pinstripe pair and matching blazer from Giuseppe di Morabito became Rihanna's blueprint.
Beyond the confines of Yankee Stadium, the celebrity style circuit had a capri pant-heavy weekend, too. Charli xcx wore the summer staple before her own surprise show in Brooklyn; Lily Collins and Cynthia Erivo gave the look the tennis-core treatment at Wimbledon 2026; and Zara Larsson danced at Portugal's NOS Alive Festival in a denim pair. Trend takeovers like this warrant a summer shopping spree or two, right?
Shop the Capri Pant Trend Inspired by Rihanna
