Outdated Outfits Ariana Grande Has Been Caught Wearing
If it feels like Ariana Grande has been in the entertainment industry for quite a while, it's because she has. Teen Ari rose to fame in 2010 thanks to the Nickelodeon show "Victorious," in which she portrayed Cat Valentine, but acting wasn't really where her heart was. Soon after her breakthrough, Grande kicked her music career off, and she hasn't looked back since. Today, she's not only known as a successful actor and musician but also as a Broadway star and entrepreneur thanks to her brand, R.E.M. Beauty.
As with most celebrities in the industry, for Grande, fashion also played a major role in establishing herself as relevant while also allowing her true persona to shine through. In fact, Ari had quite a few signature looks that she often stuck to — her super-high ponytail and perfect dramatic cat eyeliner perhaps being the most recognizable ones. Over the almost decade-and-a-half that she has been in the spotlight, we got to see the star put her own twist on numerous trends, even though she admitted to Elle in 2024 that following crazes isn't really her goal. "I'm sort of anti-trend," she said. And while some of those stylish outfits have aged like fine wine, and we wouldn't mind seeing the star embrace them again — others have become very outdated. We can't imagine Ari rocking these ensembles in the mid-2020s!
Chokers were huge in the mid-2010s, but we have moved past them since
In the mid-2010s, chokers were a fashion staple. From Kylie Jenner to Rihanna, all the big fashionistas were wearing them, and Ariana Grande loved rocking them with her signature high ponytail. The '90s staple had a huge resurgence at the time, and it was often utilized to make an outfit a bit edgier. In 2016, Grande sported a simple black choker at the MTV Video Music Awards, and while we adore the way she combined it with all-black fashion, we have to admit that the look is a bit outdated today.
Of course, chokers are still popular, but not as intensely as they were at the time. Similarly, Grande's ombré hair color has also aged poorly, and if we saw somebody combine these two elements today, we would certainly think that they were paying homage to the mid-2010s.
A sheer maxi skirt was a trend that didn't last long
During the early 2010s, sheer maxi skirts, as well as high-low hemline skirts, were the "it-girl" item to have. We would see them in everyday life just as often as on red carpets as they could be easily dressed down and dressed up.
For the 2013 Radio Disney Music Awards, Ariana Grande decided to go with a monochromatic muted-pink outfit that consisted of a cropped tube top and sheer maxi skirt (potentially, this could have also been a one-piece with waist cutouts — it's difficult to tell). Of course, a look like this is definitely something we wouldn't spot Grande in today, not just because it's a whole decade out of date but also because the material is prone to wrinkling, which means that it photographs poorly. But hey, Ari was still at the beginning stages of her fashion transformation, so it's all forgiven.
Thigh-high boots and an oversized hoodie are so late 2010s
The late 2010s combo of thigh-high boots and an oversized hoodie was one of Ariana Grande's signature looks, as the musician adored rocking short clothes with boots that allowed only for a tiny part of her thighs to be visible. Frankly, Ari was the queen of this style (as we can see from the above photo snapped in New York City in 2018), and nobody pulled it off like she did — perhaps because the trend of a large clothing piece and exceptionally high boots wasn't really what one would traditionally put on somebody as petite as the "Yes, And?" singer.
However, the hoodie and tall boots combo slowly fizzled out, most likely due to the fact that plenty of people began rocking it. Today, we rarely see anyone wear it, let alone celebs. But just because this look is outdated today, that certainly doesn't mean that it won't be stylish again in the future. In fact, we do hope the trend comes back, as it provides a great way to combine casual, oversized clothing with fun and stylish statement boots.
Matching sets had their peak, but it has long since passed
One of the biggest fashion trends of the mid-2010s was undoubtedly the matching set. A top that is the exact same color and material as the bottom became an easy way to have a fun and cohesive outfit without putting too much thought into it. In fact, it was kind of like a dress, except most of the time, the midriff would be showing.
Stars like Taylor Swift and Zendaya adored the trend, but plenty of other A-listers rocked it, too. Of course, Ariana Grande was at the forefront of popularizing the look, as she often opted for fun matching sets for her performances. And while the sets suited the musician perfectly at the time, she isn't rocking them as frequently today. The reason behind that is probably the fact that they have dropped in popularity since. After all, in the world of fashion, what's on top of the trends today could be long forgotten in just a year or two.
Light-denim shorts and dark stockings are something we wouldn't combine today
When Ariana Grande broke onto the scene thanks to "Victorious," it was clear that her personal style hadn't fully developed just yet. In fact, the then-teen was all about wearing pieces that were trendy without putting too much thought into them — and the light-denim shorts and dark stockings paired with beige cap-toe ballet flats that she wore to a game-day event at Nickelodeon Studios in 2011 was clear proof of that.
This may have passed for stylish at the time, but today, it's one of those trends that we really can't get behind, and we wonder how her team let her out dressed like this. We love TikTok's outfit sandwiching trend, but this combination was certainly not the right way to do it. Luckily, Grande grew, and her style evolved immensely — and something tells us that even she would cringe at this 'fit today.
An oversized bulky puffer jacket isn't really that fashionable today
Since their beginnings in the 1930s, puffer jackets have almost always been in style. However, different types of puffer jackets have risen in popularity through the decades before becoming unstylish again, and in the late 2010s, it was all about that oversized and extra puffy version. At the forefront of the trend was musician Rihanna, who was the talk of the town in summer 2016 after rocking an ultra-large puffer jacket that was essentially her entire outfit.
Ariana Grande, being the fashionista that she is, also jumped on this trend. During the second half of the 2010s, we got to see her rock oversized puffer jackets every time the weather got cold, like the above version she wore in 2018. Of course, while this was highly fashionable at the time, the puffer jacket trend has calmed down since, and today, a regular-sized jacket is certainly more stylish. In fact, there are even ways you can take a puffer coat from comfy to chic.
Skinny leather leggings with platform pumps could never pass on a red carpet today
The early 2010s certainly had very defined fashion trends, particularly thanks to Tumblr girls who often dictated what was cool. Platform pumps were a staple at the time, and the thicker the platform, the cooler your shoe was. Another popular item that added edginess to any look was leather leggings. Obviously, combining these two trends meant that one was uber-fashionable, and they knew what they were doing.
About a decade later, an ensemble consisting of these two is certainly giving the outfit a time-capsule energy. Ariana Grande rocked the combo in 2013 for an interview at the "Elvis Duran Z100 Morning Show", and to make the outfit even more era-specific, the musician combined it with a subtle peplum top. Again, this is definitely a 'fit that we would have adored at the time, but in the mid-2020s, it looks pretty outdated.
Lingerie-like outerwear was a brief trend that has very much passed
Even though rocking lingerie as clothes is by no means completely out of style, the trend certainly isn't as popular today as it was in the second half of the 2010s. In fact, in the 2020s, you'd probably only rock it if you really wanted to impress someone, but in the late 2010s, "lingerie as outerwear" was everywhere. The trend was a staple for nights out and partying, and the rich and famous loved it just as much as us regular folks.
In 2016, Ariana Grande decided to show up at the American Music Awards red carpet in a lacy black bustier, which she paired with white pleated pants. The star kept the rest of her look sultry and simple, with dark lips and classic jewelry. However, if you showed us this outfit without any context, we'd immediately be able to pinpoint it to the late 2010s or so. And while this look is, in theory, outdated, it's certainly one of the better ones on the list — and we wouldn't mind seeing the trend come back.
A dress with multiple cutouts would look outdated today
Edgy cutouts were huge in the second half of the 2010s, to the point that the more cutouts your outfit had, the cooler you were. Cutouts made their way into every sphere of fashion, from glamorous red-carpet gowns to casual everyday tees. Enter any clothing store in 2015, and you would have 100% found something with cutouts.
For the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, Ariana Grande decided to go with an intricate black-and-blue graphic gown, which had at least six cutouts (if we're counting correctly) without taking into account its deep-V neckline, which could technically be considered a cutout as well. While this look was peak fashion at the time, since then, we have certainly calmed down with the trend of adding cutouts to everything — and you'll rarely see a dress with this many cutouts today. Nevertheless, we have to acknowledge that Grande's 2016 look is still fabulous, even though it is a tad outdated.
Platform sandals are a late-2000s trend that hasn't come back yet
Platform shoes were everything in the late 2000s and early 2010s, and celebrity red-carpet fashion clearly proves that the bigger your platform was the cooler you were as an A-lister. At a Make-A-Wish Foundation event in 2010, Ariana Grande wore brown sandals with platforms so big we can't help but wonder how she managed to walk so graciously.
Apart from the chunky sandals, the rest of Ari's outfit is also very much early 2010s-coded. Between the floral romper and the boho accessories, we could also easily place her at the Coachella festival at the beginning of the decade. In fact, some might say that the festival experienced its peak at the time thanks to fashionista Vanessa Hudgens setting the festival's fashion and style trends, which mostly revolved around bohemian aesthetics. Either way, Grande's 2010 'fit is the epitome of fashion trends from the period, most of which are rather outdated today.
Overalls come and go — but most of the time, they are out of style
If you love overalls, nothing should stop you from wearing them, not even the fact that they're not trendy anymore. After all, true style is all about personal preference, so don't let us stop you from fulfilling your fashion dreams. Having said that, anytime we see a celebrity rock overalls on a red carpet, we can't help but think, "Uh-oh — they're going to regret that in a year or two from now."
Ariana Grande wore wide-legged denim overalls to a press junket for NBC's "Hairspray Live!" in 2016, and while there's no denying that she looked cool (it's Ariana Grande, after all), the outfit hasn't really aged well. In fact, it was probably already outdated the next day, as overalls tend to only come back in style for very brief periods of time. Of course, it also depends on where you decide to rock them — a stroll around your neighborhood? Totally fine. A casual red-carpet event? We really wouldn't recommend it.
A plaid button-up tied around the waist was peak Tumblr girl-era
The years 2015 and 2016 were undoubtedly the King Kylie fashion eras, as the youngest Kardashian-Jenner was carving a space for herself in the entertainment industry. Plenty of her success was thanks to social media, where she often shared her grungy and cool outfits, which seemed like peak rebellious teen style at the time. This, plus the fact that Tumblr-girl fashion was at its peak, resulted in the resurgence of '90s trends like the infamous plaid button-up casually tied around one's waist, combat boots, and the staple accessory — the choker.
For a performance at the 2016 Summer Concert Series by ABC's "Good Morning America," Ariana Grande decided to embrace these trends to the maximum, with denim mini-shorts and a tied-around-the-waist button-up included. This entire outfit was an incredible fashion hit at the time, but almost a decade later, it's clear that fashion has changed tremendously since. But hey, if the fashion cycle continues as predicted, it's only a matter of time before this particular Tumblr-girl aesthetic comes back!
Skinny jeans and a tight tank top are certainly out of style these days
With Gen Z slowly taking over the fashion trends, the millennial skinny jeans ended up becoming a very undesirable item. Of course, anyone who lived through the 2010s and was old enough to explore fashion knows that skinny jeans were the basic item everyone (and we mean absolutely everyone) had in their closet. Skinny jeans could easily be dressed up with a pair of heels and a cute top or dressed down with a tee and some sneakers. But with the 2020s, they have unfortunately entered their era of being unfashionable.
In 2011, Ariana Grande appeared on SiriusXM, and for the occasion, she went with a rather casual look, at least in terms of celebrity fashion. The star opted for classic skinny jeans, which she paired with a beige tank top and matching beige pumps. Apart from the jeans — which are a dead giveaway that this isn't an outfit from today — the long length of the tank top and the shape of the heels are also very early 2010s specific. While skinny jeans have been out of style for a while now, an expert told us exclusively why they believe this trend will come back soon!
A green utility jacket was a staple that everyone had, which led to it becoming outdated
Utility jackets were a huge part of 2010s fashion, but they have since been replaced by other trendy jacket types like denim and trenchcoats. Of course, this doesn't mean you can't rock your favorite utility jacket, but if it's green and long, like the one Ariana Grande wore while traveling in 2016, anyone who knows a thing or two about fashion trends will probably guess that you've had it since the mid-2010s.
Grande combined hers with classic Converse sneakers, a sweatsuit, and a large Chanel bag. The mismatched combination of casual, grungy, and chic was very popular at the time, and even though she's probably dressing differently nowadays when she's headed to the airport, we can't help but adore this combination. Or maybe we just adore Ari, who has proven over the course of her career that she can pull off anything, whether it's outdated or not!