Rihanna Shows Why Knee-High Gladiator Sandals Should Never Be Nude

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We know that the YNS community widely criticizes the knee-high gladiator sandal trend. And as much as we believe you should try something before you knock it, there’s a line regarding this shoe trend that even we think shouldn’t be crossed.

Rihanna flaunted her legs in sleek black Siwy shorts, a captivating Mary Katrantzou top, and jaw-dropping Tom Ford gladiator heelsRihanna flaunted her legs in sleek black Siwy shorts, a captivating Mary Katrantzou top, and jaw-dropping Tom Ford gladiator heels in New York City on April 30, 2013 (Credit: Javier Mateo / Startraksphoto)

Rihanna, always the fashion rule breaker, of course, stepped on that line and was seen strolling around New York earlier this week in a pair of knee-high gladiator sandals.

There was nothing to it — we even love how she styled them like ordinary everyday sneakers –, but they looked more like prosthetic devices rather than couture pieces because they were nude.

Rihanna's bold, thigh-high, bondage-inspired boots not only made a statement but also accentuated the pop star's enviable legsRihanna’s bold, thigh-high, bondage-inspired boots not only made a statement but also accentuated the pop star’s enviable legs (Credit: Javier Mateo / Startraksphoto)

We’re huge fans of Rihanna’s high-end street style, but even she isn’t selling these Ace brand bandage gladiator boots to us. We thought maybe they’d look better in motion, so we looked up the paparazzi video of Rihanna in them. We thought wrong.

The leg-lengthening color that we love so much on pumps doesn’t translate so well on the knee-high gladiator boots. We don’t know why Rihanna went for the nude color …

Nude Tom Ford Spring 2013 Knee-High Gladiator Sandal BootsNude Tom Ford Spring 2013 Knee-High Gladiator Sandal Boots, $3,690

… when she could’ve gone for the arguably cooler-looking black pair:

Tom Ford Spring 2013 Knee-High Gladiator Sandal BootsTom Ford Spring 2013 Knee-High Gladiator Sandal Boots, $3,690

We’d even take the metallic silver or gold colors!

We do, however, give props to Rihanna for wearing these gladiator boots with the fierce attitude that they should be worn with. Anne Hathaway tried with her own Tom Ford gladiator boots, but Rihanna does it so much better.