That now appears to involve pulling an oversized baseball ... after a dinner date with her current squeeze Matt Rutler. Once again she relied on her big black baseball cap to try and shield ...

Rihanna was out at dinner in Santa Monica in a dramatic black ... that is usually nowhere near the fashion world: a baseball cap. Hers was embroidered, but it was a baseball hat nonetheless.

On Friday night, Rihanna headed to dinner at celebrity hot spot Giorgio ... blonde hair down straight and covered by a black baseball cap embroidered with a white and red graphic design.

In some cultures, for example, burping at the dinner table is considered a compliment to the cook. In American culture, it's considered rude. Ball caps indoors don't, for the most part ...