Cardi B’s Divorce Inspires a Revenge-Coded, Fashion Era
“Some women dye their hair blonde after a break up… and then there’s Cardi B.”
From her love of Chanel tweed suits to her new-alternative era, Cardi B‘s celebrity style is constantly evolving. With iconic music collabs in flow — cue Shakira — and a cheating scandal, the Bronx rapper seemingly ditched her hubby Offset for, well, herself and her kids. The result? A revenge-coded era even Princess Diana would gag at.
If you’re unfamiliar, Princess Diana’s “Revenge Dress” is the fashion reference we’re eating up decades later. In 1991, her husband, Prince Charles, publicly confirmed what she found out on their wedding day: he was cheating on her with Camila Bowles. Of course, following the news, everyone wanted to see how Princess Diana was doing. Would she show her face? Would she hide ashamed? No. She popped out in a custom black dress that broke every fashion rule the Royal Court must follow. From that moment, revenge became the hottest fashion aesthetic and Cardi B is reveling in it.
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Following the last of Offset cheating rumors in 2023, the Bronx rapper confirmed the split. “I been single for a minute now,” she vulnerably shared after unfollowing her husband on Instagram. Known for her top tier sense of humor, Cardi B appears to be channeling her breakup into her music and respective looks, which is exactly what fans were hoping for.
On March 21, the “WAP” rapper posted an unapologetic photo to Instagram with the caption “I’m better now.” Knowing the artist, its most likely teasing the next phase of her album rollout. But fans have taken the caption literally and begun sharing their thoughts on the Cardi B-Offset split. “Offset, who?” While another wrote, “How do you fumble this????” And of course, a slew of comments echo the same sentiment: “One thing about Cardi she’s always on point with fashion…”
“Some women dye their hair blonde after a break up… and then there’s Cardi B.”
If you’re wondering who to thank for this era, just know that Cardi B has remained loyal to the same stylist from the beginning: Kollin Carter. Known for the most iconic pulls — including that Mugler moment — their collaborative efforts will now live exactly where they deserve to be: in museums.
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Culturally, the moment reminds us of Princess Diana’s iconic revenge dress and the discussions its sparked. From her million-dollar smile to her Royal-Court-defying dress, it was clear she was better off without then-Prince Charles. And in the case of Cardi B and Offset, the same applies.
Keep scrolling for our favorite revenge moments.
Mugler Mami
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She’s “Much Better” Off
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As her fans screamed in the comments, “Offset, who?”
A Sultry Oscars After Party
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Lionel Hahn/Getty Images/Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Filmmagic
Her first “solo” red carpet appearance since the split, Cardi B attends the Vanity Fair Oscars After Party with stylist, Kollin Carter.
I Just Murdered My Rich Husband-Core
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A controversial sighting that cost celebs thousands of followers, Cardi B stunned us as a surprise guest at Balenciaga‘s off-calendar showcase in Hollywood. Donning her soon-to-be-signature thin eyebrows, she stole the show.
Remaining True to Exotic Dancer Roots
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Despite its growing popularity in the past year and retail prices that give luxury, body stockings are literally stripper attire and cost no more than $15 USD at the sex store. Remaining true to her sex-positive roots, Cardi B dons the body stocking in “Enough” music video which cleverly taps hit girl group TLC’s afro-futuristic aesthetic.
The Hoochie Mama Inspired ‘Do
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Some women dye their hair blonde after a break up… and then there’s Cardi B. Unbeknownst to many, her iconic hairdo pulls influences from the Hoochie era, popular amongst Black women. The hairstyle is a cultural marker of sex-positive women who proudly carried themselves as hoochies, despite the stigma. How fitting for the “WAP” queen.
The 90s Love Interest
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One of our first Cardi B sightings since her split from Offset, she once again tapped the art of hair to get the message of her singledom across. If you’re a lover of Black love films, you’re familiar with the “Nia Long” hairstyle, that became synonymous with her characters in Black films. Its known as the sexy hairstyle for Black femmes, specifically worn after a break up.
Coquette Cardi
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Clearly dabbling in her coquette era, Cardi B keeps it cute with the bow trend and Marc Jacobs’ Kiki boots.
In other sex and dating news, Mia Khalifa merges style and sex-positivity.
This article was originally published April 2024.
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