Public Image

 After years of dying her hair red to play Cat Valentine, Grande wore extensions while her natural hair grew out.In 2015, she reported with apparent relief that her natural "healthy curls" were back, although she continued generally to wear it straightened in her familiar half-ponytail.Anne T. Donahue of MTV called Grande "aesthetically relevant" and argued that her bold and whimsical fashion choices should receive more critical attention:

Grande's ponytail is ... as famous as her voice and ... a massive component of the pop culture zeitgeist. ... While pulling off a high ponytail takes courage and commitment, so does her recent fashion ode to Marilyn Monroe at the [2016] MTV Movie Awards and her homage to crime-fighting heroes in her 'Dangerous Woman' cover art. ... She's boasted floor-length red gowns, chokers, crop tops, and oversize jackets and everything from theater garb (see: flapper dresses) to Mickey Mouse ears to A-line minis. Which, in an industry rich in self-branding, is a beautiful rarity ... deft whimsy. ... So why aren't we giving her credit? ... Dismissing Ariana Grande as a fashion force is an easy and lazy way of categorizing her. ... We fail to mention her in the same breath as fellow aesthetically relevant pop stars. Fashion is best when it's an extension of self and a wearable form of expression. (Plus, we know that when we see someone take risks, they understand fashion on an intrinsic level...).

Although Grande drew criticism for allegedly impolite interactions with reporters and fans in 2014, she dismissed these reports as "weird, inaccurate depictions". After considering the incidents most frequently mentioned in the press and the available evidence, PopSugar concluded that Grande's was "just normal star behavior" and "not the most ideal situation, but ... not exactly the sign of a diva". Rolling Stone wrote: "Some may cry 'diva', but it's also Grande just taking a stand to not allow others to control her image." She was praised in the press and by female celebrities like Taylor Swift, Rita Ora and Selena Gomez for an "empowering" 2015 essay posted on Twitter decrying the double standard and misogyny in the focus of the press on female musicians' relationships and sex lives, instead of "their value as an individual". Grande noted that she has "more to talk about" concerning her music and accomplishments. In 2016, E!called her "a feminist hero" in an essay examining Grande's feminist statements. In July 2015, Grande was seen on surveillance video in a doughnut shop licking doughnuts that were on display and saying "I hate Americans. I hate America. This is disgusting." She responded to critics, writing that she is "extremely proud to be an American" and that her comments related to American obesity.She later released a video apology for "behaving poorly". The incident was parodied by The Muppets and featured in Miley Cyrus' Saturday Night Live cover of "My Way", about the regrets of the summer of 2015. Grande mocked the issue herself on Saturday Night Live in 2016.