Cardi B Loves To Go Retro, But This 2000s-Inspired Hair Is Something Special

There’s been so much talk about the early ‘00s resurgence taking over fashion and beauty, but those who really lived through the era know most of those Y2K-inspired looks take some... liberties in interpretation. The exception to the rule, however, has always been Cardi B. Though she was just a kid in the 2000s, her referential style is what can only be described as historically accurate. Just look at Cardi B’s hair bow and poufed ponytail, a style-accessory combination that looks like it practically comes with its own iPod Nano. Considering the the flippy plaid skirt and graphic t-shirt she paired the updo with, a distinctly 2004 vision was in her crosshairs all along.

In classic Cardi fashion, the “Enough (Miami)” rapper dropped a full series of photographs documenting the look on her Instagram, complete with a collection of alluring poses and equally notable makeup. She’s staying true to the piercing blue contact lenses she’s worn all through her current musical era, playing them up with graphic winged eyeliner and sharp brows. The updo, though, is the real star of the show. She gathered her long, raven hair into a high ponytail, securing it right atop the crown of her head with a loosely-tied white ribbon. True to the decade she’s referencing, she left plenty of wispy pieces free-flowing around her face, and teased the front into a Snookie-style pouf with tons of volume.

The hair pouf, while not born of the 2000s necessarily — a teased, towering front-piece has been a thing for decades — the otherwise-sleek ponytail with a prominent bubble in the front sure is. It’s synonymous with the Total Request Live years, seen on every hot star of the era: a just-went-solo Beyoncé, The Olsen Twins, assorted MTV reality starlets, and Lindsay Lohan herself, arguably the patron saint of the aughts.

Cardi’s far from the only star who’s tried the look out recently, too. Just a few months ago, Rihanna stepped out for dinner with a big, teased hair pouf, accentuated by a similarly era-archetypal pair of side-bangs. Bella Hadid’s worn the style several time, usually accompanied by a 2000s-favorite barrette clip. Kerry Washington even incorporated a modern take on the front-piece bouffant into one of her best-ever black-tie updos, giving the entire look fresh life.

With Cardi B joining the chorus, it wouldn’t a be a surprise if the hairstyle reached 2004-level popularity once again.