Michelle Obama’s XXL Braid Strong Message at the Democratic Convention

Since leaving the White House, Michelle Obama has freed her style from social constraints and regained control of her hair. Here’s what he explained Tuesday, August 20, during the second night of the Democratic Convention at the United Center in Chicago. Indeed, Barack Obama’s wife took to the stage decked out in an ultra-long waist-length ponytail, braided from root to tip. A hair look that’s a radical change from the look she wore when she was US First Lady from 2009 to 2017.

“Elegant and powerful look”

This strong bias was not trivial, as revealed by American hairstylist Njeri Radway, who worked with him for a decade. “Ms. Obama has been wearing braids for several years, but this is the first time that she wears them during an important political speech,” he said in an interview with the American publication. Vogue: published on Wednesday, August 21. And clarify. “Her hairstyle was meant to emphasize an elegant and powerful look, which reflects her speech. Both powerful and gentle.”

There hairdresser Also shared his own feelings about this style. “I felt the braid was a little off, as many people across the country feel as Election Day approaches. What I saw last night is that there is a lot of hope for people to come together, like Mrs. Obama’s braid,” she says.

Political hair

This choice is rare enough to be highlighted. Indeed, Michelle Obama herself has already spoken about the issue of her hairstyle during her husband’s two terms as President of the United States, as the article states. Washington Post published in November 2022. At a conference in Washington to promote his book, This light in usShe admitted that she gave up wearing her straight hair in public rather than braiding it, explaining that the country was not yet “ready” to accept her natural hair.

The mother of Sasha and Malia Obama believed that Americans were just “getting used” to seeing a black president in the Oval Office and a black family in the White House. So while this look required a lot more work and it would have been easier for her to maintain her braids, she didn’t want the focus to be on her hair at the risk of creating a media firestorm, but fulfilling her husband’s campaign goals. After Barack Obama’s term ended, she was finally able to wear braids during the day.

The former lawyer confided that her dilemma was an “extreme” example of the decisions black women have to make every day to “accommodate the politics and sensitivities of their workplace in general.” The 60-year-old says it’s “often easier, healthier and safer for them to wear braids, dreadlocks or an afro”, but that “they feel pressured by white beauty standards and local work norms”. have them chemically straighten their hair’ to look ‘more professional’ and ‘clean’.