There are things I associate with Cardi B before long nails — but not many. For as long as she’s been a superstar, the rapper has consistently worn extravagant, lengthy manicures that I, for one, do not have the skills to navigate. In just 2023 alone, we wrote about her nails multiple times, and each time, her nails were glitzy, nearly as long as her fingers, and almost always pointy. Even when she skipped makeup, she never skipped an ornate manicure. So when I got a glimpse of the completely out-of-character manicure she wore to the Vanity Fair Oscar party, I did a double take.

Cardi arrived at the all-but-official Academy Awards afterparty wearing a vintage Atelier Versace gown that was equal parts beadwork and lace. The black dress had a dazzling flamenco-meets-goth feel, made even more glamorous by Cardi’s ’90s-supermodel hair and smoky eyes.

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Understandably, I was fully expecting her manicure to be extra long, and perhaps covered in crystals that echo the beading of her gown. But instead, for what might just be the very first time in recent and not-so-recent history, Cardi’s nails are short — I’m talking just past the fingertips — squared off, and chic, simple, goth black.

Cardi posed on the red carpet with what seemed to be almost an intentional emphasis on showing off this major manicure departure, even putting one of her fingers in her mouth at one point — something that was probably too dangerous when she was wearing long, sharp nails.

Personally, I’m here for Cardi’s new short, dark nail phase, if only because it’s manicure inspiration I find realistic to reproduce. But I’m sure it won’t be too long before we see sparkling, dagger-like nails on her once again.