A $600K toe ring: Appalling or appealing?

RiRi is definitely having a moment. After not performing for years, she headlined the 2023 Superbowl, making waves when she revealed her pregnant belly. But did she take her baller status too far with a massive diamond toe ring? Let's dive into her toe ring and the history of the controversial fashion accessory!

Pop star and fashion mogul Rihanna recently showed off a dazzling diamond toe ring in a TikTok video she titled “quiet luxury,” referring to the fashion phenomena where the mega-rich boast non-flashy but very expensive items that may look average on the surface. Maybe she was being ironic?

Image: rihanna / TikTok

As a pop star and the founder of the Fenty empire, Rihanna is known for setting global fashion trends. She’s also known as one of the richest celebrities in the biz. Forbes values her net worth at $1.4 billion.

Rihanna first donned the toe ring during a night out before the 2023 Met Gala, pairing it with a stunning black-and-white feathered outfit and Chanel logo glasses. However, she spotlighted the toe ring weeks later in a video featuring only her feet.

Image: badgalriri / Instagram

According to media reports such as Page Six, the 9-carat ring on her middle toe was custom designed by Beverly Hill-based XIV Karats. Her crystal-embellished Georgia sandals, by the designer Amina Muaddi, were worth nearly $1,400.

Image: rihanna / TikTok

House or toe ring? House or toe ring? For most of us, that would be an easy choice, but for Riri, there’s no either/or. According to Page Six, the luxury jewelry company said it’s worth $600,000.

Some fans speculated that the toe ring might be an engagement ring, especially as Rihanna wore a bridal-like gown to the Met Gala​. While fans think Rihanna and her partner A$AP Rocky dropped hints that they are married, it hasn’t been confirmed.

Despite the toe ring’s price tag, Rihanna fans were eating it up. Actress Christa Allen commented: “And on that day, a toe ring revolution began.” Others confessed they ran out and bought toe rings to follow in her opulent footsteps.

Toe rings were first mentioned in an Indian text dating back to around the 6th century BCE. They have traditionally been worn in India as a symbol that a woman is married. Men also wore toe rings in some Indian cultures to indicate marital status.

Photo: Freysteinn G. Jonsson / Unsplash

Marjorie Borell, unofficially dubbed the toe ring queen, is credited with introducing toe rings to America in the 1970s after a trip to India​.

Toe rings became a popular accessory in the Y2K era, favored by celebrities such as Lindsey Lohan and Paris Hilton. As that once-cringe style is back on trend, perhaps toe rings are inevitable.

Photo: Tara Reid's feet

In 2018, Grazia magazine pointed out that Jenniffer Aniston and toe rings go hand-in-hand (or foot-in-foot). The article speculates that she had forgotten to take the gold band toe ring off because it showed up in pretty much every picture of the actress since the 90s.

Photo: Jennifer Aniston's feet in 2011

Toe rings reached high fashion status when Julia Roberts, a lover of Indian culture, wore two on the Golden Globes red carpet​.

Despite celebrity endorsements, toe rings have struggled with a somewhat mixed reputation. In the West, they have often been viewed as a youthful experiment rather than a fashion staple​. To make matters worse, they are notorious for falling off.

Toe rings also made a strong pop culture appearance in the film ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’ In it, there’s a closeup of Anne Hathaway’s transformed character wearing one, perhaps to symbolize she still doesn’t totally fit the fashion wold. According to the Los Angeles Times: “no fashion magazine assistant or editor would don a toe ring. Ever.”

Image: The Devil Wears Prada, 20th Century Fox

Thinking toward the start of the next open-toe season, it might be the perfect time to reconsider the toe ring as a statement accessory. According to Vogue, an anklet can effortlessly upgrade your outfits, too.