There are issues I affiliate with Cardi B earlier than lengthy nails — however not many. For so long as she’s been a celebrity, the rapper has constantly worn extravagant, prolonged manicures that I, for one, wouldn’t have the abilities to navigate. In simply 2023 alone, we wrote about her nails a number of occasions, and every time, her nails had been glitzy, almost so long as her fingers, and nearly all the time pointy. Even when she skipped make-up, she by no means skipped an ornate manicure. So once I bought a glimpse of the fully out-of-character manicure she wore to the Vainness Truthful Oscar get together, I did a double take.

Cardi arrived on the all-but-official Academy Awards afterparty sporting a classic Atelier Versace robe that was equal elements beadwork and lace. The black gown had a blinding flamenco-meets-goth really feel, made much more glamorous by Cardi’s ’90s-supermodel hair and smoky eyes.

Understandably, I used to be absolutely anticipating her manicure to be additional lengthy, and maybe coated in crystals that echo the beading of her robe. However as a substitute, for what would possibly simply be the very first time in current and not-so-recent historical past, Cardi’s nails are brief — I am speaking simply previous the fingertips — squared off, and stylish, easy, goth black.