Former First Lady Michelle Obama is opening up about personal style, self-expression, and cultural pride in her new coffee table book, The Look. In an interview with People, she discussed how her relationship with her hair has evolved since leaving the White House.
Michelle shared that during her years as First Lady, she didn’t feel free to wear braids or natural styles, explaining, “I wasn’t sure whether the country was ready for it.” She reflected on the unspoken pressure to maintain a certain image and how that shaped her public appearance.
Now, she says she feels liberated to experiment with her hair — whether it’s straight, braided, curly, or colored. “As women of color, the way our hair naturally grows out of our head is beautiful,” she said. “If I want to wear it straight, if I want bangs, if I want braids, if I want them up, if I want to add a little color to it, let that be my business. Nothing is inappropriate.”
Michelle’s new book, The Look, blends fashion with empowerment, celebrating individuality and self-acceptance in every form.