Mirror, Mirror: Rihanna makes a fashion move - and we follow

Nobody really sets out to copy Rihanna's style. After all, not many of us could (or should) don a dramatic Big Bird-yellow, fur-trimmed cloak, anywhere - let alone to the Met Gala - the way Queen RiRi did this spring.

Instead, we take our cues from the Bajan-born pop star without really knowing it. That's because Rihanna, 27, has a tendency to adopt a new look for a hot second (like a day) and immediately throw it back into the zeitgeist. It may linger on Instagram for a few months - where Rihanna has 28 million followers - before fashion's earliest adopters find the confidence to try it out.

And then the rest of humanity makes it ubiquitous.

This fall's trends are teeming with Rihanna's fashion firsts: the deep-hued lip, the pixie cut - whether fiery red or washed-out gray - tattoos right along the breastbone, statement jewelry, and, yes, body chains.

Even the somewhat rebellious but undeniably comfortable pairing of sneakers with an evening dress was initially a Rihanna move. More than a year ago, she wore Lanvin sneakers with a gold slip dress to the 2014 Teen Choice Awards. (See Sasha Obama in the burgundy sheath and classic K-Swiss tennis shoes at homecoming last weekend.)

"Anything Rihanna does, anything she wears - first it's like, 'Ugh, really?' Then it grows on you," said Sequoia Hall, a 20-year-old Temple University student who hails from central New Jersey and who credits her affinity for dark lipstick, bright-red hair that eventually became a blond bob, and a strategically placed tattoo to what are now old-school Rihanna looks.

"She can rock any outfit. And it's her attitude, too. That's why I admire her so much. She doesn't care what anyone has to say about her relationships, her music, and especially her fashion."

On the pop-culture scene since 2004, Rihanna isn't quite yet an icon - I think it takes at least 20 years for a celebrity's look to be fully cemented in fashion history, not to mention a signature look or two. Think Katharine Hepburn's trousers, Madonna's lace, Salt-N-Pepa's asymmetrical bobs.

Rihanna is anything but consistent. In June 2014, she wore a see-through nude sheath by Adam Selman to the Council of Fashion Design Awards, and in February, she donned a completely covered, flouncy confection by Giambattista Valli. Her hair ranges from a kelly green, straight bob to a dark, doobie style (the pinned-up hairstyle black women wear to bed).

"If only someone would do a coffee-table book that showed off all of Rihanna's looks," said Pamela Edwards Christiani, beauty and style director of Essence magazine. "She's a master of crafting looks for herself."

It's that mastery and fearlessness that makes her an inspiration not just for everyday young women, but for the entertainment industry's new stars like FKA twigs, Rita Ora, and Zendaya.

Of course, no one has managed to do originality like Rihanna.

Hence her presence in the world of extreme high fashion: She was the face of Dior's spring 2015 Secret Garden campaign, making her the first black woman to represent the brand in advertisements. And Olivier Rousteing, the creative director of Balmain, frequently refers to Rihanna as his muse. To date, she's been on three Vogue magazine covers, and in November, she will be the Vanity Fair cover girl, where famed photographer Annie Leibovitz captures her dressed in sleek monotones as well as naked.

In September, Rihanna collaborated with Puma to launch a collection of platform sneakers called Creepers, which have sold out twice already.

"I like the way Puma incorporated fashion into the sneaker," said Whitney Conner, 23, of Maple Shade, who wants to buy a pair. "I'm not a sneaker person at all. But there is something about them that are relatable."

Rihanna may be relatable, but she's also unpredictable, even unchecked.

She has no problem settling Twitter beefs publicly, and in her most recent music video, she plays a knife-wielding diva out to get money owed her.

So young girls can try all they want to emulate her style and creativity - wearing dark lipstick or sneakers with a dress, or even a really ugly, yellow gown to a party - but they might want to stop there.

ewellington@phillynews.com

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@ewellingtonphl