A$AP Rocky Wore Pleated Dad Pants & Beamed With Pride During Rihanna's Halftime Show

We were all excited to see Rihanna’s triumphant return to the stage during the Super Bowl LVII halftime show on Sunday, but perhaps no one was happier to watch her perform than her partner A$AP Rocky. A video shared by the NFL shows the rapper and producer gazing up in awe as RiRi’s set closed, followed by ecstatic cheering. Friends: find someone who looks at you the way A$AP Rocky looks at Rihanna. This would be endearing enough on its own, but on top of that, the soon-to-be-father of two was wearing an outfit I can only describe as “Boomer chic,” featuring an NFL branded leather jacket and pleated khaki pants. You guys: it’s so pure, and we have to imagine that all of our own fathers are delighted because this kind of representation matters.

The pair went public as a couple in 2021, though rumors swirled as early as 2013 when they went on tour together (Rocky was the opening act on Rihanna’s Diamonds World Tour). In an interview with GQ, Rocky describes Rihanna as “the love of my life” and “the One.” Samuel Hine, who wrote the article in question, noted that “As soon as I bring her up, he starts beaming like a teenager whose crush just accepted his prom invite. I could practically hear the angels singing.” It’s lovely to see that sort of adoration remains undiminished, at least based on this new video.

The beaming smile. The rapturous applause. The fact that he only films for a little bit before putting his phone away to sit in the moment and enjoy.

And, it must be said, those dad pants.

My husband has long said the only fashion rule he really understands as a rule is “No pleats on pants.” The look has long been viewed as a stodgy leftover from an earlier time... a time many of our Boomer dads refuse to let go of because “These are perfectly fine pants! Why would I get rid of these pants just because some fashion magazine says I should? I’ve had these pants since 1987 and they’re just as good as the day I bought them! They don’t make ‘em like this anymore!”

But Rocky enjoys flirting with looks favored by older folks (see also his 2019 love affair with babushka style head scarves) and we’re kind of here for it. It seems like a nice ode to going full-blown dad!

On social media, fans were really enjoy the pure sweetness radiating off the rap mogul; response to the “Dad pleated khakis” as one commenter put it, was a bit mixed...

“He looks so proud of her 🔥,” one commenter wrote on the NFL’s Instagram post.

“Recording like a mom at her son graduation,” wrote another.

“I wonder if he knows he's the luckiest man alive,” another mused on Rolling Stone’s re-share of the clip on Instagram.

Judging by his face, I’m going to go out on a limb and say yes.