Nicki Minaj is known for her outlandish outfits and colorful ensembles, particularly while performing on stage, but the Super Bass hitmaker debuted a very different look in New York City on Wednesday.
The Grammy Award-winning rapper was attending the eighth annual Forces of Fashion event in Lower Manhattan where Nicki gave an onstage speech titled 'Nicki Reloaded', and was joined by Vogue global editorial director Anna Wintour for the high-profile occasion.
Nicki, 41, looked sensational wearing a navy blue bodycon dress with a high neck and capped t-shirt style sleeves, complete with a thigh-high split and draped hem for her appearance in the Big Apple.
© Yvonne Tnt/BFA.com/ShutterstockThe star polished off her demure ensemble with her raven locks in a sleek, straight style and a bold red lip. Nicki accessorized with large, gold bangles on each wrist and a small gold clutch.
She paired it with simple yet chic black strappy heels and, in one photo, kept out the NYC fall chill by draping a black trench coat over her shoulders.
Speaking on stage at the fashion event with Eva Chen, Vice President of Meta, Nicki told the room: "A few different women in my life, at different times in my life, told me: 'When you get to a certain age, you're going to be so happy.
"The things you used to worry about, think about, care about you won't anymore. You'll have this confidence."
© Yvonne Tnt/BFA.com/ShutterstockShe continued: "And I said, no. I was sweating the small stuff so to speak. And of course, they were all right. They were all right.
"What happens is you realize who cares! You realize I have all these blessings in my life and I'm choosing to focus on the people who don't like me?
© Jamie McCarthy"I feel like when you turn 30, 40, 50, like milestone ages, especially for women, your confidence grows and grows."
The Trinidad-born artist added: "You start understanding yourself better. When you understand yourself better, you forgive yourself.
"You're able to love yourself and you're able to love the imperfections that you never loved before."
Nicki finished her impassioned speech by urging young girls and boys to start loving who they are.
"I hope that you know that one day you're going to look back at those pictures you hate, and you're going to realize: 'Oh my god, look how beautiful, look how pretty, look how cute I was', so do it now."
Nicki took to her Instagram to share a series of photos from her time at the fashion event which also welcomed famous guests including Victoria Beckham, Saoirse Ronan and a heap of experts and creators from leading fashion houses such as Bottega Veneta and Jean Paul Gaultier.
