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Cardi B just added nearly a foot of height to her 5'3" frame, and she didn't do it with a pair of skyscraper heels—she did it with an updo so tall, so massive, so enormous, the word “towering” comes to mind.
OK, we may be exaggerating just a bit, but there's no denying that this was the definition of a major hair moment. Cardi wore the updo to accept the Impact of the Year Award at the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event in New York City on September 4. Her hair was curled, then piled alllll the way up on her head in a beehive shape, with the front portion pulled out to frame her face and give the look a touch of ‘90s Pamela Anderson-esque bombshell vibes. It’s a classic updo on steroids, supersized to make the ultimate red carpet statement while still retaining tons of glamour. And we do mean tons, because this updo is big! Cardi's forthcoming sophomore album is called Am I the Drama?, so why not bring the glitz with an opulent updo like this one?
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Cardi paired her updo with a strapless, asymmetrical black tulle gown, classic glam details, and a fall-ready, all-black manicure on long, square-shaped nails. “I am so happy to be part of something [hip-hop] that has always been a part of me,” she said in her speech. “Everything I do, I want to be one of the best. I want to be a legacy.”
Celebs have been giving us lots of updo inspo lately, so if you've got a formal occasion on your fall schedule, take a cue from one of our faves and ditch the blowouts and beach waves in favor of an upstyle. Go big and bold like Cardi, try a romantic, tousled twist like Martha Stewart, or consider Hailey Bieber's tight, knotted ballerina bun, which the Rhode founder has been wearing on repeat. Time to restock the bobby pins!
