In 2008, as Barack Obama took the oath of office, newly minted first lady Michelle Obama proudly stood next to him. When he took vows to our nation, she carried a bible and wore a custom lemongrass Isabel Toledo dress and coat, smoothing her coiled curls into a voluminous silk press. Her outfit, which reflected Jackie Onassis’ clean-cut pink suit and unforgettable pillbox hat aesthetic, was modern and memorable, but we haven’t seen her since then. We were ushered in by the times. Her friendly J.Crew picks sold out in minutes. His POC designers on a small scale like Jason Wu have become famous, their versatility has been featured on television and become part of history.
While Michelle’s clothing choices and mere presence in the White House seem to indicate progress in Western society, her hair choices signaled that America still has a long way to go.
During her tenure with FLOTUS, her hair choices remained what many would consider “safe.” Silk Her press was often worn Monday through Friday by fellow black women, and Karl only appeared on weekend laundry days or during tropical vacations.Not just the style, but the chic bob that the former lawyer-turned-politician meant jobs;brage when feeling bold; and sweeping updos for state dinners and attention-grabbing galas.
On Michelle Obama’s book tour the light we carry in Atlanta.
On her latest book tour, we didn’t see box braids, top knots, or natural-looking protective styles.while advertising The Light We Carry: Navigating Uncertain Times in Washington, DC, Michelle told the audience that in the office, she strategically decided to straighten her hair so as not to shift the focus and dialogue from politics to hair. I was just “adapting”. “Keep your hair straight,” she told the audience, referring to the beauty optics she carefully presented at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. When you’re carrying and trying to do your job, it’s an extra burden to overcome.”
Last month, Republican senators blocked the CROWN Act, a California law that prevents workplace discrimination against blacks who wear their hair in protective, traditional hairstyles such as locks, afros, twistouts and wash-and-gos. .This disdain for curly, curly coils is evident when you walk into the American workplace, to everyday space. Removed blackheads; Despite the variety of styles our tresses can transform into, many black women feel more comfortable with their hair straightened. and 25% of black adults have been sent home from work or faced disciplinary action for wearing their hair in a natural or protected style.
In the same survey, 58% of black adults said hair discrimination impacted their ability to advance in the workplace.There’s a lot of pressure on black women when it comes to their hair, The emotional blow Obama took while in the White House, Why would you expect anything less than Kamala Harris’ Easter-inspired silk press? And who among us can really blame her?
Vice President Kamala Harris is campaigning in Los Angeles with the California Democrats.
Harris’ legacy is undoubtedly her title as the United States’ first female vice president, but her hair offers an opportunity for a beauty revolution. What does that mean for women? The irony that it’s more shocking to see the Vice President in a box braid than a Democrat kneeling in a Kente cloth is laughable. Why Michelle alone? Show us her texture and true style now?
Sasha Obama at the White House during Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s official visit to Washington DC
Despite calculated moves by their elders, children of the political elite relentlessly take personal hair decisions into their own hands. After the family’s summer trip to Martha’s Vineyard in 2018, Malia Obama took more creative liberties with her hair, whether she flaunted her short curls in a wash and go with bangs. . Or Sasha’s braided crown for the White House State Dinner in 2016. And when Kamala Harris takes office in her 2022 presidency, her stepdaughter Emma Emhoff will be wearing her Proudly wore natural Jewish curls at the inauguration. But America wasn’t as involved with box-knit Maria or Sasha as we saw them while hiking in Los Angeles in 2022.
I can’t wait to stroll through the National Portrait Gallery and see the first lady in hazmat suits posing proudly in knotless braids. Or, even better, a portrait of the President of the United States wearing a freshly plucked oiled afro. The shackles of implicit hair oppression imposed on black women leaders in , show America’s scrutiny of black women and girls.
beauty director
Danielle James is ELLE.com’s Digital Beauty Director. She previously served as fashion and beauty director for HelloBeautiful.com and MadameNoire.com. She is signed to The Cut, InStyle, Allure, Business of Fashion, Nylon, Essence, Good Housekeeping, Griot, and The Huffington Post. Daniel is sailing, thrifty, Japanese She is whiskey, Naomi She is Campbell’s runway walk, Rihanna comments She enjoys the section.
