When Michelle Obama became the First Lady of the United States, her aesthetic was classy and refined. She was seen rocking a shoulder-length bob and wore stylish, yet conservative dresses that made her relatable to the masses. “When it came to my choices, I tried to be somewhat unpredictable, to prevent anyone from ascribing any sort of message to what I wore. It was a thin line to walk. I was supposed to stand out without overshadowing others, to blend in but not fade away,” she wrote in her memoir, “Becoming,” via Elle.
Since leaving the White House, Obama’s style has evolved into something much cooler, and her latest hairstyle had fans giving her their seal of approval. On National Book Lovers Day, the mom of two shared a photo where she’s browsing a bookstore while sporting an extra big waist-length braid. “The coolest first lady ever,” an Instagram user gushed. “Come thru, braid!!” another exclaimed. Prior to the giant braid, Obama experimented with lots of different styles, from curly spirals to long micro braids, and it’s clear that she’s in her fun hair era.
Michelle Obama had been wanting braids for a long time
Now that she’s no longer serving the country as the First Lady, Michelle Obama is free to dress and wear her hair however she wants. In 2019, she debuted a head of curly hair for the first time on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I love your natural curls — little girls are paying attention,” a fan commented. Obama continued with hipper styles while promoting her book “The Light We Carry,” and fans saw her in tiny braids while wearing fun, colorful clothing. Her go-to hairstylist Njeri Radway told Essence, “Mrs. Obama had wanted braids for a while. She knew she wanted to give her hair a break, but she wasn’t sure what kind of braids. While in California, Malia had braids. And she said, ‘You know what? I like that style. Let’s try that out.'”
Sadly, Obama straightened her hair while in the White House because she felt that the country wasn’t ready for braids yet (via The Washington Post). She got her chance during her official portrait reveal in 2022 as she viewed the artwork with her hair in pleats. White House correspondent Eugene Daniels praised Obama’s hairstyle and tweeted, “Something that will mean ALOT to Black people across the country: Former First Lady Michelle Obama wearing braids at the unveiling of her official White House portrait.”
