Cardi B isn't perfect but her taste in clothing might be. As she works her way through mandatory community service, Cardi is delivering outfits equal parts insane and awe-inspiring.
The 30-year-old rapper and mother of two has been in and out of court over the past couple years, mostly successful in fending off legal challengers. In January 2022, for instance, Cardi B won a libel case against a YouTuber and, in October, she won another suit against a man who complained about his tattoo appearing on a Cardi B album cover.
However, in September, Cardi B pled guilty to charges filed over a 2018 fight in a New York City strip club. Her punishment? Pay the defendants' court fees and 15 days of community service.
So, she's taking those hours on in typical Cardi B fashion. And fashion is indeed the operative word.
The outfits that Cardi wore to do community service ought to go down in the legally-obligated-outfit hall of fame, right next to Lindsay Lohan's legenary courtroom outfits and Winona Ryder's genius Marc Jacobs flex
Thus, a fitwatch is a must.
On February 21, her first day of community service, Cardi wore a Chanel beanie and bodysuit tucked into Maison Margiela Tabi boots (her new signature look and itself a bit of stylistic brilliance).
On February 22, Cardi graced us with a Rick Owens bomber, more Tabi boots, and a pink animal beanie to match her Chanel bag.
Same animal beanie on February 23, and the return of the painted white Tabi boots, where she tucked her sweatpants.
On February 24, Cardi brought back the Rick bomber and beige Tabis, now paired with a Chanel beanie and Balenciaga back to complete the flex.
Of course, this being Cardi B, we're getting both 'fit pics and inspirational messages.
"DONT COMMIT CRIMES!" she said in one tweet. "I have to do a lot of hours today and I’m very sleepy... YOU DO THE CRIME YOU DO THE TIME!!!!!"
People toss the word "iconic" around a lot these days but this is a good example of when it actually deserves to be used.
This is the endearing earnesty that distinguishes Cardi from so many other cookie cutter celebs who seem so far removed from us regular schmucks as to be entirely unrelatable.
I mean, I'm never getting my own signature McDonald's meal but, frankly, I feel like I could actually hang out with Cardi on a human level.
Cardi displayed a similar sense of self-awareness in the statement she issued after the court case that sentenced her to community service.
“Part of growing up and maturing is being accountable for your actions,” Cardi B (and, presumably, her legal team) wrote in September 2022. “I’ve made some bad decisions in my past that I am not afraid to face and own up to. These moments don’t define me and they are not reflective of who I am now.”
No, if Cardi B' gonna be defined by anything, it may as well be her amazing sense of style. Community service in Chanel — who else?
