Michelle Obama wearing braids at the Democratic National Convention on August 20 is probably the biggest, and most important, way her style has changed since her days as first lady.
Obama took the stage on night two of the convention wearing a navy Monse suit with cropped trousers and a sleeveless vest, belted at the waist, and accessorizing with Jimmy Choo pumps and diamond hoop earrings. But her biggest fashion statement was her hair, which she wore in tight braids, styled in a long, braided ponytail.
It’s a much different style than what Obama wore when she was in the White House. During her years as first lady, Obama typically straightened her hair and wore it in a shoulder-length, side-parted bob. In 2022, she explained that even though the straightened style was a lot more work than braids would have been, she didn’t think the country was “ready” for a more natural hairstyle. While promoting her book The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times, Obama said that at the time, the American people were “just getting adjusted” to having a Black first family, per the Washington Post, and she didn’t want the administration derailed over conversations about her hair. “Let me keep my hair straight,” she said. “Let’s get health care passed.”
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