The tweet that made me lose it–
now let it marinate.
Photoshopped… yes, sadly, but I can stare at it all day long. Hell, I might even print it and pin it up.
Also, whoever is responsible for this… *raises hand* me next!
The Twitterverse is buzzing with the following sentiment- ‘it’s gorgeous but America ain’t ready.’
What say you?
Ms. Obama is gorgeous no matter what she does or doesn't do with her hair, but I would LOVE to see her wearing it curly. It looks amazing.
Yesterday I was having a natural curl meltdown. I wasnt feeling good anyway and my "do" was doing what it do (lol) but then a male friend of mine sent me this pic of Mrs Obama and I nearly fainted. Then I saw it was photoshopped but IDC-its looks great on her. Straight or curly our FLOTUS is georgeous, intelligent and a woman of substance. As for the natural/processed debate, each of us have had different experiences, both good and bad, with this subject. My eldest daughter hates my hair curly and refuses to wear her hair any way but flat ironed. Her daughters have curly hair and although she wont let the 4 y.o wear her hair curly, the 1 y.o has curls that will not be tamed so she has no choice (I admit I take perverse pleasure it this fact, LOL). My teen daughters love my hair but wont embrace their own beause of fear of being teased or ostracized, (kids can be evil) so YES there is pressure to "conform" to the status quo. Reactions to my hair have been interesting. An aunt constantly asks me when im going to tame "that mess" and my male friend likes it-even when i'm not 100% happy with it(lets be real what woman is ever really 100% happy with her hair?) The reasons one chooses to wear their hair the way they do is purely individual with strands of similar truths that connect us. I know that when I interview for positions I wear a wash & set-I was a recruiter so I KNOW the amazingly ignorant things some employers use to equate a successful candidate. The business and political sectors are the last bastions of "genteelism" and wont back down without a fight. I know many women who wear wigs all week and rock naturals on the weekends because they know the culture of their workplace.(I did it for 3 years at one job before I strolled in with my hair in all its curly-coily glory) Anyway, all this is to say that we have different experiences and reactions to said experiences that will sway our choices between natural or processed. So ROCK that afro, kinky-coil, dred, weaved, processed, shaved, dyed, braided,wigged style my sistahs! India.Irie said it best, "I AM NOT MY HAIR-I AM THE SOUL THAT LIVES WITHIN!"
What a beauty!!! Ahhhh … I think it would give alot more curlies the confidence to do it – from the professional to the student – instead of it making her more radical. Much Love
goes to show you that true beauty comes through no matter what!!!!!!
May 1,2012, 5:35 PM
Miss Canada
I'm HAIRSTYLIST…Michelle O you look awesome
Will be rocking that style myself….
She looks so good with the natural style! Somebody needs to get First Lady a curly sew-in ASAP!!! J/K but someone should advise her to go natural!
Okay she looks good with that natural hair.
B U T, to me the way the hair is in the picture is not a style any women of high authority wears. Maybe its just me but it would be beautiful for her to embrace her natural locks, just not with this look. it kind of looks too casual.
and its not negativety , seeing that im a natural chica !
Wow her beauty is amplified with her curly hair
I think she looks awesome with curly hair. I thought it was real. LOL. Her personality just seems so much bigger. She looks like a cool rebel. Her expression combined with the big hair is awesome.
Some comment about this photo have bother my soul 1 she can never get this look because of her type 2 it would take to long to……….. she the FLOTUS I'm pretty sure she got HAIRSTYLIST like ami I the only that think that………..anywho I just love straight or natural
(Wow … sad to see so many negative comments directed towards other readers. ***sigh***)
But anywho….I think the First Lady looks awesome natural or pressed.
Miss TeeTee
This is Mae's (aka Natural Chica) hair photoshopped on Mrs Obama!
http://www.essence.com/2012/03/22/michelle-obama-natural-hair-natural-chica-nikki-mae-photoshopped-image/
I have no doubt that Michelle Obama rocks her hair the way that she wants to rock it. Just as we have the choice to be natural, she has the choice to be straight. And I don't think folks would like to see photo shopping of straight blonde hair on say, Esperanza Spalding, so lets be careful here.
We are so focused on her hair because its a hair blog! Duh!
Michelle Obama is absolutely stunning!!,,,,
MICHELLE OBAMA IS BEAUTIFUL AND I LOVE THE CURLY LOOK ON HER,
,
I
Michelle Obama looks awesome either way I wonder what the presidents thoughts are. I wish he could see this pix of her I think he would like it!,Can't you see him smiling at her!,,,,
Well said @ Anon 3:01pm
She looks beautiful to me no matter how she wears her hair, even if it were bald. I don't have a criticism of the one who photo shopped this. But I just wonder on a super consciousness level if we have an underlying desire to see our leaders natural. I wonder. I wonder because there are so many women who are not in leadership roles who refuse to wear their natural for whatever reason. And that's cool for them. But what makes us think that necessarily the first lady should choose this option. However, honoring the position that this was done just to see what she would look like is one thing, but seeing the first lady as somewhat not having been evolved(whatever that means…) is another. It's most difficult to be a high profile black in any venue and when there is inference that the person is not all they can be that can be a "black tax" to carry. I've not seen this before done on other first ladies unless to poke fun at their hair. I really think the author was being positive; but I wonder what message this sends to many people.
So my opinion: I would rather honor whatever the choice is of the "first lady" and not guess what hairstyle or choice of fashion elements would in my subjective opinion look best on her. She's smart, She's beautiful and she's complete as she is.
LOVE IT.
I wish more women (all races) opted for natural hair: texture and color.
Thanks for sharing.
HOW AWESOME WOULD THIS BE!!!!!!!!!! Whoever photoshopped this pic did an excellent job. The FLOTUS looks fierce, fab and beautiful!!!!
@ anon 1:12pm, why would her hair "never look like that." If you frequent curly nikki, I'm sure you should realize by now that a looser curl pattern has nothing to do with the way you look. It seems as though you're insinuating that because she's full black (presumably), she's regulated to the 4 abc spectrum of things. Just really ignorant. Also why are you using yourself as a barometer for how her hair behaves? Fine maybe you have to do a zillion steps to get your hair looking like that, but she could easily be a wash and go type of lady. Please do your research and stop contributing to the ignorance surrounding natural hair and black (appearing un-mixed) women.
~Allicia M.
I think this is all great BUT if Michelle went natural her hair would never look like that. Her hair would probably be a 4c. If her hairs anything like mine, to get it to look like that would mean it isn't natural anymore!
Her butt still makes national news. If they can't embrace her ethnic body type, then I'm positive they won't embrace her natural hair. You'll start to see political cartoons depicting Black Panthers in the White House.
Maybe for a second term?
White boy here who just thinks FLOTUS is hands down best ever thinks this would just be fantastic. Being it out in acceptance eve and let the Tea Partiers fret.
Anon 6:57 am, I was anon 9:12 pm and the only point you are making is that you like to think you know what every.other.Black.woman is thinking regarding their hair. A lot of Black women stay believing this, it's like a comfort for you. No one here is "fronting"–you recently learned how to do a twistout from online tutorials-great for you. But the same way you want to believe ALL Black women who straighten feel insecure, as many people will believe you are either an angry militant with nappy hair, or that you simply cannot afford the salon. My mother and sister started wearing afros in the seventies, I started my natural hair in the late nineties because I wanted thicker hair. Now I love my hair, and if it was super thick (and I wasn't afraid of heat damage-something else I knew about before the natural sites) I would flat iron sometimes just for a different look, just for fun. Not because of anything you might have learned in Black history 101-it ain't that deep for some of us and ain't nobody "frontin". Me and a lot of other ladies just are not all excited because we've known the hair on our own heads much longer than a brand new chick.
And since you so badly need to believe Michelle feels pressured to straighten, why would she allow her girls their unstraightened, beautiful hair. Get out of the amen sista corner for a few minutes, and stop trying to project issues onto all Black women. To many of us it truly is just hair, not everyone lives for natural hair sites. Besides I wonder if there would be as much support for that photoshopped pic if it was short untwisted, 4c hair and not curly huge hair like Curly Nikki's. And I'm guessing since you know all about why Michelle straightens her hair, you also know all about her academic and career achievements
/sarcasm.
Absolutely Love It!! It's nice when you can see a pic of some one with straight hair/natural hair side by side and be able to really see which style looks more natural for the individual. Huummmph! I was going to straighten my hair this weekend….I Dont Thinks So Now!!
Nikki, Ben does work in Photoshop you hear me? You should see these folks before..smh
Mrs. Obama is a beautiful lady. Gorgeous dressed up or down; straight or curly. @Annabel thx for link. She's so gracious as she hugged all those kids! Awsome.
@ anon 9:12pm
the idea that black women are pressured to wear their hair straight is a simple fact…it is true. If it wasn't then it would actually be no big deal when they chose not too. Since it is a big deal when black women wear their hair curly, it MUST be the case that wearing it that way is out of the norm. If it is out of the norm then by definition that means that there is social pressure to wear your hair straight. I dont even know why i have to make this point, which goes to my point about being jaded. If you rewind the clock 10 years, there were far fewer black women who felt confident enough to wear their hair natural and nothing anyone says can change that. Yes some women always wore their hair natural, but Im just saying if there were as many folks that did it then, as claim they did then, now…we wouldnt have any need for this cite. I hope Im making sense here. It seems like people are confusing the confidence they have now, with the way they have always felt. Its just not true. Also, where exactly do preferences come from? So Michelle likes her hair straight the way a lot of folks 'prefer' the aesthetics of a skinny white woman. What you like or 'prefer' has a lot to do with what society at large likes or prefers. I know a black girlfriend who at first said, she would never go natural because 'that mess is to hard to maintain and looks sloppy'. Five years later, someone must of showed that girl a thing or two bc she rocks them damn two strands errrday, and guess what, NOW, wearing her hair natural is "NO BIG DEAL"…so Im just saying a lot of chicks are on hear fronting. Just my opinion, can I get a witness
Forget about the hair, can we talk about her shoulders– I need to get on that fitness plan! I'm so proud to have her as my first lady. She is intelligent,effortlessly beautiful, and so good natured: http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2012/02/16/first-lady-surprises-white-house-tour-visitors
I could care less if America is ready, she represents America on a national and international level. She's a woman of substance and whether her hair is natural or straightened… does it really matter?
I think that is a gorgeous look for Michelle!
@ Anonymous 9:08pm…..EXACTLY!! I looked at all the posts and that's pretty much how I feel about the whole thing. I don't want to have to feel like I should justify my hair style choice, to ANY one at all. My boss, my DH, random strangers on the street who make comments about "yeah girl, keep it natural like that!" x.x Would they have said anything if they'd caught me during one of my processed/flat-ironed/twisted hair phases? Who knows….none of their business anyhoo. Not making a statement with natural, not a Barbie Clone when it's processed. I'm just me.
My son's school principal commented once in a 'just us girls' tone of voice, "Hehe, I wish I could wear my hair like that, but it wouldn't work for my job.". "Like that" is a mass of curls in no particular style. For that particular instance, it was the unprocessed version. How is that going to be seen as unprofessional? *sigh*
So like I said, not a statement of my hair-beliefs, just accepting the fact that I'm uninterested in styling it and so let it do what it wants to. 🙂
Sometimes it's processed, some times not. But I'm still me, still hair-style-less, and I don't much care for being told about it either way. Don't like being told Go girl stay natural and I don't like the implication and sometimes flat out accusation that if I process my hair I'm doing it cause I was brainwashed or forced to. Puleeeeze ladies. It's all personal choice, remember? That's what makes it beautiful. Mrs. Obama being who she is, is what makes her beautiful…not just the hair.
She looks so incredibly beautiful with natural hair. Why does it matter if America isn't ready? I'm a West Coast Canadian, so it's likely that I'm missing something, but I'd like to think there'd be a wave of national pride at having such a ridiculously gorgeous First Lady. She'd look crazy good.
It looks great. I don't think "America" would really care. She would get tons of support. Everybody is going natural. I can't come out the house without seeing another natural head. It's just not that shocking anymore. Look at all the print & tv ads. And I'm willing to bet that if her husband wins another term she WILL go natural. No promising that her hair will ever look like the pic tho. Going nat is like a box of chocolates.
The status quo is never ready for change. We have to make them ready – be it a Constitutional amendment, legislation, social unrest and something as personal as a hair style. If the first lady is genuinely interested in a natural style, she should rock it. Hopefully during the 2nd Obama term, she will try a natural style. 😀
If we are saying this about the most powerful public face of Black femalehood, where is the hope? YES, curly hair is unpredictable and that is part of what makes it unique. Controlled (read straight) hair is not more professional or more elegant. Just look at Esperanza Spaulding, who I think is so elegant.
A person in a powerful position has the influence and authority to set the norm. Just think of what could happen if such a powerful public figure was herself, natural hair texture and all. Maybe people who looked the same would not be afraid to be themselves.
gorgeous but seriously f' america and what they are ready for. that mentality did not get us where we are now. whats wrong with looking the way that you are??
The real and shopped styles look beautiful on the FIRST LADY!
To some: may I remind you that America supposedly 'wasn't ready' for a Black president. A hairstyle? I think the country would survive your predictions of a nap-pocalypse!
@ Anon 5:09 pm, I don't understand why so many natural haired women make generalized statements that Black women who straighten their hair are pressured to do so, and that this is probably why Michelle does it. Maybe she (gasp) just likes straight hair better on her? She doesn't strike me as a woman obsessed about her hair, the way a lot of us are. And who said anything about some women being jaded and the speculation–believe it or not, there ARE plenty Black women who have worn their own natural hair for a long time now. It's not a shiny new toy we're just getting used to. I've been natural for about 15 years, and think that sleek sideswept bang in the real pic above is pretty cool too, would be really pretty with some highlights.
And I agree with Anon 4:00 pm, why do so many Black women care so much about Michelle's hair? imo it's like looking for some validation in hoping she will show up with a BAA. Maybe we should focus more on meaningful, non shallow aspects of her life and how to emulate them–like her biceps-lol
She needs to rock that for real! BEAUTIFUL!!!
Contrary to what some think, the online natural hair community is a very small microcosm in the overall African-American community, which is a very small microcosm in the American community at large.
I would LOVE for her to wear a style like that but trust and believe the shouts of praise would be outnumbered by the screams of outrage. She's the First Lady of America-At-Large, not the First Lady of the Online Natural States of America. America-At-Large IS NOT READY for a twistout on the First Lady. Sorry.
(I wonder who would be the First Lady of the Online Natural States of America?)
OMG i LOVE this picture she looks STUNNING! Had to put it up on the KandyCurls facebook page! : )
Everyone always says "she can't do it because we're not ready" but since when do you wait for everyone to be ready before you do something? If we just relegate curly hair to people who aren't professionals how will it ever be accepted as professional? Her hair looks healthy while straight, so I'm sure her stylist would be able to help her make her curls look good. If all else failed it could be pulled back. Seriously, I don't think having relaxed/straightened hair makes you less threatening to someone who is really going to have a fit over your blackness no matter what, so the biggest response if she changed her hair would probably be from other black people because serious critics already have stuff to complain about. Yah it's hard for high profile people to break the mold, but someone has to do it so we all need to stop waiting!
I wish she would
She will probably do it next term when they don't have anything to lose. Can wait!
Lawd O Lawd!!! The First Lady looks EVEN MORE stunning as a curly/kinky woman!!! But, given all the racist crap of our shared American history, and recent events (murder of young Mr.Martin)ain't no way America is ready for this-aint no way! Fine, elegant, fit, intelligent, witty, excellent mother, awesome daughter, and I'm certain a marvelous wife-It's just too much for their minds to bear. And that is why I say respectfully,Mrs. Obama, if you're natural, rock the curls/kinks every blue moon just to shake these mofo's up! Give em hell!
@ anon 4:00pm,
No offense and I respect your opinion but here it goes. I'm real tired of these folks that are all jaded on natural hair. It seems like more and more folks are like, Oh yeah I been natural for 20 years girl…I don't see what the big deal is. shrugs… If everyone was always natural, than pull out the photos from the 90s so we can see. Also if that's true than why do sights like these exist in the first place and why are they so popular? Why did so many black women have hair that was thin and breaking off if its no big deal how other people wear their hair. Black women felt pressure to straighten their hair bc that's what everyone around them does, which I imagine is also the reason that Michelle doesn't wear her hair natural…folks aint ready.
That looks soooo good!!!
That looks SO AWESOME on her!! LOVE IT!!
THAT'S HoTTTTTTTT! She has to at least wear it this way once!!
LOVE this!
Had we waited until people (black and white) were "ready", we would still be on the back of the bus!!!
Im just sayin'
I love Michelle Obama either way she looks gorgeous. I hate to say it but I would have to agree America aint ready for a natural first lady. Will we ever get there? Abosolutely the way this Natural Hair Movement is progressing. Slowly but surely it will be widely accepted.
I don't know why people are so invested in how Michelle O wears her hair. It's a personal choice and I think she looks great as she is. Plus that is someone else's hair, so it is really silly to start growing out her hair based on how much you like what someone else has, esp. for the women who don't know their hair.
I don't like when people read too much into other's reasons for having relaxed or otherwise straightened hair. I have never liked straight hair, and even though I at one point had a relaxer, I've never envied what whites or Asians or even some black people have.
And I do think that black people have more issues with it.
She has accomplished so much, and I wish more people would try to imitate other aspects of her life, like her education and family life rather than kvetching over the fact that she wears her hair straight.
I think she has a lot more to teach a lot of black women in America than the other way around.
I soooooo wish……
But she lets her girls were their hair out sometimes
Mrs. O. could rock that style! It looks fake photoshopped though. Didn't fool me for a minute.
If Mrs. O. is contemplating a natural style, she should maybe consult Oprah's stylist for starters – because Ms. Winfrey wears some bee-you-tiful curly styles.
There will always be some "A-merry-cans" who will have a hissy-fit about a "natural haired" FLOTUS. See how they portrayed her on the July 2008 cover of "The New Yorker".
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/13/yikes-controversial-emnew_n_112429.html
Some of you Philadelphian's may remember the flack newsanchor Lisa Thomas-Laury caught when she went natural due to health issues. Station WPVI got so many complaints.
I believe if Mrs. Obama starts simply, there shouldn't be anything for them to get all torqued up about.
SWAGGERIFFIC! She could just put a patent on SWAGU with the that do! I wished it were true.
(I'm a poet and I don't even know it..lol)
She would look great. JR in Michigan
Ugh! This pic made me all happy for nothing! Lol 🙂 Irs beautiful but America ain't ready, especially Black America. Imagine what would happen if she wore that hairstyle. The media would have a frenzy.
We ready…that's all that matters!!!!!!!
my reaction:
"*GASP* YESSSSSSSS!!"……(scrolls down)…"NOOOOOO"
Yeah… Yeah.. Yeah.. she would have looked amazing if that pic wasn't photoshop BUT I let me tell you what's really on my mind.
I need to get that haircut when my hair grows longer! That hair style is HOT!
Whoa. She needs to just go ahead and do it.
(celebrateyournaturalbeauty.blogspot.com)
That's hotter than hot right there!!
She looks GORGEOUS with her hair curly like that! My goodness!
Michelle could rock it!
Not ready at all….it was good to dream though.
I was Hype when I saw this photo! To bad it's photoshop.
kcrummedy@hotmail.com
It has been reported that the first lady does not use chemicals on her hair. She's just got a bomb blow out team (pun intended)
http://voices.yahoo.com/african-american-hair-michelle-obama-has-lye-free-2390979.html?cat=69
I was so excited at first too! but then I thought how did that happen so fast she didn't looks like she was transitioning at all…lol! That would look good on her, but I agree, America is not ready for the first lady to rock a natural do…
Hope she sees this and decides to give it a go, she looks so beautifully powerful.
Its beautiful but lets be real, Black America aint ready. I don't think that white American really pays that much attention to our hair as much as we do. I have gotten so many compliments with my braid outs, twist outs, etc. from white women. They are curious but the aren't stupid they know our hair is different. But, we have been so brainwashed to think that straight is more acceptable, that we attack sisters who choose to do so. I think if she tried a natural style, especially the one above she would get many compliments. Viola Davis went natural and she was called best dressed, best hair, everything.
She looks beautiful with natural hair! But I have to agree with a lot of people that this would have to be a second term look. Some people are still getting used to the idea that an African-American being in office to begin with.
She would look beautiful with her hair like that. Her daughters wear twist outs from time to tim. Maybe they can talk her into it. Sadly, I think she would have to do it in his second term. Not enough Americans — white or black — appreciate beautiful African-textured hair.
I literally smiled and took a huge gasp when I saw this. Then upon further reading followed it up with a sigh and an awww man! One thing's for sure though, Mrs. Obama looks gorgeous either way! 😀
That hair style on ANYONE would make us stare!! I want this LOOK ON ME….LOL!!
I think it should be her 2nd term look 🙂
OMG…awesome pic! She's 'BAAAAWSE' with those curls!
GORGEOUS!!!! It may inspire her to go natural 🙂
My coworker has a serious "thang" for our First Lady…and he LOVES natural hair. I can't wait to show this to him…just to tease him a little bit. LOL!
Someone needs to send this to Michelle. This is TOOO FIERCE!
It would be a wonderful sight to behold!It can happen.
Beautiful and I'm with you Nikki, I want to be photoshopped with some lovely hair too!
It's weird, but the hair makes her look more relaxed, outgoing, rebellious.
"Wow, she looks amazing; this really fits her" were my first thoughts. Then I thought "This is bold."
It's unfortunate, but wearing your hair natural gives the stigma that you don't conform. You want to stand out. You are loud. And that usually is not the image a First Lady is going for.
Yo but I wonder if she saw this if she would be inspired to go natural because she looks pretty amazing
WOW, she'd look amazing with some curls on her head! (not that she isn't stunning now)
I THOUGHT THIS WAS REAL! HBIC would look great with natural hair.
she looks so fierce with that hair!
@Guyanesesista, my head DID explode, lol. Girl, I lost my mind. It's so real and so luscious! The woman is fly morning, noon and night… classy, timeless and chic, but this… this right here…
Oh my god my head almost exploded when I saw it. But it looks nice.
She would be gorgeous with her hair like that.
Wow that looks like it could really be her hair :), now that is some great photoshopping. Makes you wander if she saw the picture, and would contemplate going natural. Either way she is gorgeous.
I know the pic and post are meant for fun only, but I have read some women kvetching over how fantabulous it would be if Michelle wore her hair unstraightened. Many of us with curly kinky hair know how unpredictable it can be, imagine praying for a great twistout right before a State dinner-lol. Some people (like Michelle & Oprah) have healthy thick hair that looks just as beautiful flat ironed or relaxed.
My First Lady is as fabulous as they come but that right there would be an amazing look.
Oh my goodness!!! She would be so BADASS!!!
That hair is sweet. Love!
I didn't think she could be even more FABULOUS! She'd rock it all the way! If only…
ahhh phooey!! I was hype for a quick minute!
Miz Frizz
Thanks lady!
Nope. The pic above was Photoshopped.
Here's another pic from that same event:
http://topnews.in/usa/files/Michelle-Obama2.jpg