Michelle Obama is keeping it real about the significance of Black hairstyles and upkeep. On October 28, the attorney and former First Lady of the United States spoke to People about her latest project, a hardcover coffee table book titled The Look. Of course, Obama looked incredible in an olive green top and high-waisted pants, and as the interview continued, she moved on to the topic of hair.
“It’s freedom,” Obama says at one point as she discusses her affinity for braids. “This is what we understand about our hair as women of color.” She then goes on to explain that, while curly hair is absolutely beautiful, trying to fit into a society that praises the opposite, the time and monetary costs that come as a result are astronomical. The protective style allows her to actively participate in her own very hectic life, without all the frills. “When I am out of the public eye, I am swimming, I am playing tennis, I work out. I like to be active,” Obama says. “I don’t want to have to have a stylist with me.”
