if you were natural and was the first lady?

[Evolving78]

what would you do if you were natural and also the first lady? what if you didn't believe in straightening your hair? how would you style your hair or handle everyone's reactions to your hair? would you get sew-ins and wigs?

i think i would wear a sew-in or a wig because i know the world isn't ready for my afro and two strand twists!LOL!

 

[Evolving78]

bumping......

 

[TCatt86]

That's a tough one. I don't even think the world is ready for a wig or a weave. I would probably just cut it in a very low curly cut, so my afro wouldn't be too intimidating.

 

[TexturedTresses]

Sad that we have to think about this, but people would have never accepted michelle with a fro or even a 3c curl.

 

[Nonie]

Girl, I would wear my hair however the heck I want. I've never let the world or anyone else dictate to me how I should wear my hair. I would wear it neat and presentable just like I have been doing in corporate America. I would probably wear cornrows and puff, or just cornrows (think Mook's Hair), headwraps. I don't think I'd do anything different except I'd have someone keeping it way neater than I do now.

 

[soulie]

Girl, I would wear my hair however the heck I want. I've never let the world or anyone else dictate to me how I should wear my hair. I would wear it neat and presentable just like I have been doing in corporate America. I would probably wear cornrows and puff, or just cornrows (think Mook's Hair), headwraps. I don't think I'd do anything different except I'd have someone keeping it way neater than I do now.

But... as SandyRabbit said, people would never have accepted Michelle with a fro. Wearing your hair "however the heck [you] want" would have been detrimental to your husband's political aspirations. So, would having your hair styled the way the way you want have outweighed doing everything you could to help your husband? Would you have worn your hair in a "politically acceptable" style during the campaign and then switched it as soon as the votes were counted?

 

[NikStarrr]

I'd do what I've always done when looking for a job....wear my hair straight or in a bun for interviews, but once I got hired--let the natural hair free! haha

 

[Priss Pot]

I'd wear buns mostly. I love them anyway, so it wouldn't hurt me to bun it up the majority of the time.

 

[1QTPie]

If I were Michelle, I would bun it or wear a twist out... kinda like what I do right now. But I'll say it again, it'll never happen. Unless something unexpected happens like chemo, or some disease of the follicles that forces her to stop relaxing... yeah. I was told not to say never, but come on.

 

[Qt girl]

Girl, I would wear my hair however the heck I want. I've never let the world or anyone else dictate to me how I should wear my hair. I would wear it neat and presentable just like I have been doing in corporate America. I would probably wear cornrows and puff, or just cornrows (think Mook's Hair), headwraps. I don't think I'd do anything different except I'd have someone keeping it way neater than I do now.

But... as SandyRabbit said, people would never have accepted Michelle with a fro.

I agree with Nonie. I THOUGHT that people would never accept a Black man as president, but I was proven wrong on Tuesday.

If you had asked me that question a second before the votes were counted on Tuesday I would have doubts about how acceptable natural hair would be. My congressperson, Donna Edwards rocks a TWA and won by a landslide TWICE. Things are changing in this country, that's what I learned Tuesday.

 

[Maynard]

Sorry to bust your bubble, but Michelle is natural.

Looks like she's choosing to press it.

 

[Nonie]

But... as SandyRabbit said, people would never have accepted Michelle with a fro. Wearing your hair "however the heck [you] want" would have been detrimental to your husband's political aspirations. So, would having your hair styled the way the way you want have outweighed doing everything you could to help your husband? Would you have worn your hair in a "politically acceptable" style during the campaign and then switched it as soon as the votes were counted?

See, I find Mook's Hair's cornrows so becoming that I think I would have been wearing my hair like that during the campaign. I would have also worn it pressed, but not exclusively. I'd just do what I do: wear my hair in all its versatility. I don't know who it is that thinks cornrows and puff are not "acceptable". I have gotten the most compliments when I have worn my hair like that, than when I had my hair relaxed. No one cared when my hair was relaxed or even noticed when I made an effort to style. This style in particular actually led my boss to stop in mid-sentence at a meeting and just rave about how beautiful my hair looked. I have never pressed my hair for an interview. I think people learn to accept you if you are comfortable in your own skin. Natural hair pulled back into a tidy puff to me is just as neat as relaxed hair worn in a bun. In fact, when I wore my afro puff and it shrunk more than I would have liked everyone raved about my beautiful "bun". I probably would have worn my hair like that. But why I'd prefer Mook's Hair do, is there is no risk of fly-aways or puffing up if it rains so hair stays neat all day.

 

[Southernbella.]

But... as SandyRabbit said, people would never have accepted Michelle with a fro. Wearing your hair "however the heck [you] want" would have been detrimental to your husband's political aspirations. So, would having your hair styled the way the way you want have outweighed doing everything you could to help your husband? Would you have worn your hair in a "politically acceptable" style during the campaign and then switched it as soon as the votes were counted?

I'm not sure if you saw the thread in the Political Forum, but the consensus generally was that Michelle can wear sweats and no makeup and it has no bearing on her first lady status. I'd count natural hair in that too, if that's the case.

If it were me, I'd wear it straightened sometimes, in twists, a puff, wash n gos, twistouts, and natural updos.

 

[Qt girl]

Sorry to bust your bubble, but Michelle is natural.

Looks like she's choosing to press it.

My bubble wasn't burst by that. I'm just saying that I think the first lady can choose to wear her hair in what ever way she wants to wear it. I don't believe that wearing your hair in its natural state has to be intimidating. It's all in how you style it.

 

[Country gal]

It's a moot point since Michelle wears her hair in a natural style. She gets it straightened. Her hair looks really great. I love that we have a first lady of color sporting natural hair and so are her daughters.

 

[soulie]

I'm not sure if you saw the thread in the Political Forum, but the consensus generally was that Michelle can wear sweats and no makeup and it has no bearing on her first lady status. I'd count natural hair in that too, if that's the case.

If it were me, I'd wear it straightened sometimes, in twists, a puff, wash n gos, twistouts, and natural updos.

I was one of Michelle's staunchest defenders in that post.

 

[jazzyto]

I would opt for a weekly press and curl. though the heat may prove to be just as damaging as the relaxer. I think now that he elected, she could possibly rock some natural styles and braided up dos.

 

[Southernbella.]

I was one of Michelle's staunchest defenders in that post.

Then do you agree that a first lady who can wear sweats and no makeup could also wear her hair natural? If her looks have no bearing on her intelligence and position, that extends to hair, right?

 

[Liberianmami26]

I love that Michelle is natural and im gonna be fully natural in the next two years and was thinking bout that when i become first lady too lol to your question ill do like french twists so it looks very elegant, and really nice buns and on occasion get a press and when they snap my pictures ill have a big ol afro puff while doing my first lady morning jogs lol

 

[blkbeauty]

Sad that we have to think about this, but people would have never accepted michelle with a fro or even a 3c curl.

Or with a weave or wig!

 

[soulie]

Then do you agree that a first lady who can wear sweats and no makeup could also wear her hair natural? If her looks have no bearing on her intelligence and position, that extends to hair, right?

Yes - but. In that thread I made a distinction between her private and public life. I clarified for someone how I interpreted a public appearance versus "going out of the house". Michelle can rock braids if she likes (and the girls sometimes do). What I had said in THIS thread was if a natural style was NOT acceptable or well-received by the voting public, would someone STILL wear her hair natural even to the detriment of her husband's campaign. Her wardrobe was re-worked to make her more acceptable; do you not think the same would have been done for her hair?

 

[JustKiya]

Girl, I would wear my hair however the heck I want. I've never let the world or anyone else dictate to me how I should wear my hair. I would wear it neat and presentable just like I have been doing in corporate America. I would probably wear cornrows and puff, or just cornrows (think Mook's Hair), headwraps. I don't think I'd do anything different except I'd have someone keeping it way neater than I do now.

See, I find Mook's Hair's cornrows so becoming that I think I would have been wearing my hair like that during the campaign. I would have also worn it pressed, but not exclusively. I'd just do what I do: wear my hair in all its versatility. I don't know who it is that thinks cornrows and puff are not "acceptable". I have gotten the most compliments when I have worn my hair like that, than when I had my hair relaxed. No one cared when my hair was relaxed or even noticed when I made an effort to style. This style in particular actually led my boss to stop in mid-sentence at a meeting and just rave about how beautiful my hair looked. I have never pressed my hair for an interview. I think people learn to accept you if you are comfortable in your own skin. Natural hair pulled back into a tidy puff to me is just as neat as relaxed hair worn in a bun. In fact, when I wore my afro puff and it shrunk more than I would have liked everyone raved about my beautiful "bun". I probably would have worn my hair like that. But why I'd prefer Mook's Hair do, is there is no risk of fly-aways or puffing up if it rains so hair stays neat all day.

Heck yeahthat to all of it. I don't even have the energy to get into the rant that had been building up about women and their beauty standards for women in the public eye - I just really don't, but lord knows I'm about up to here with the consistently propogated repression that demands that women may no longer be humans when in the public eye, but must instead preen and 'prettify' themselves to satisfy the demands of the rabid public. I'm really, really, really, tired of women being judged by whats on their face and how they've styled their hair rather than what they can do and what they are about.... but I guess we haven't come far enough to be judged on more than how much of an 'appropriately styled sidekick' we are to our famous husbands.

Makes me wish I was famous just so I could walk around barefaced and nappyheaded and tell folks to kiss all of my above a size 10 behind. *sucksteeth*

 

[Hairsofab]

I would wear my hair however I wanted. You can have conservative and classy styles that are natural.

 

[naturalgurl]

If I'm the first lady then who gives a darn? I'm the first lady, deal with it. With that said, I'd wear my hair the way I do now. I wouldn't Erykah Badu it for appearances, but wearing a nice neat puff, bun or braid out would be cool. Otherwise paparazzi pics of us on our time I would wear however I'd like.

 

[lildhe]

To be quite honest , I think that we as "black people" have the problem with our hair . Im a flight attendant and whenever I wear my natural hair out -in puffs and such "they" are the ones that comment on it the most on how pretty it looks and wish they could do that and it's some of the sistas and bruhs that I get that why dont you put a relaxer or something in that hair . I said it before and I will say it again I dont understand why "we" have such a problem with our hair . We always say we are Wonderfully made so why do we have a problem with our hair. If we all wore our hair the way it came out of our scalp then who would "they" compare us with ? Our hair isnt straight by nature but we alter it ,why ? I just wish that "we"would one day get over it and accept our beautiful hair. I'm just saying,who wouldnt accept Michelle's fro ?

 

[Country gal]

To be quite honest , I think that we as "black people" have the problem with our hair . Im a flight attendant and whenever I wear my natural hair out -in puffs and such "they" are the ones that comment on it the most on how pretty it looks and wish they could do that and it's some of the sistas and bruhs that I get that why dont you put a relaxer or something in that hair . I said it before and I will say it again I dont understand why "we" have such a problem with our hair . We always say we are Wonderfully made so why do we have a problem with our hair. If we all wore our hair the way it came out of our scalp then who would "they" compare us with ? Our hair isnt straight by nature but we alter it ,why ? I just wish that "we"would one day get over it and accept our beautiful hair. I'm just saying,who wouldnt accept Michelle's fro ?

My biggest issue has been with our people. We are the harshest critics.

 

[naturalgurl]

To be quite honest , I think that we as "black people" have the problem with our hair . Im a flight attendant and whenever I wear my natural hair out -in puffs and such "they" are the ones that comment on it the most on how pretty it looks and wish they could do that and it's some of the sistas and bruhs that I get that why dont you put a relaxer or something in that hair . I said it before and I will say it again I dont understand why "we" have such a problem with our hair . We always say we are Wonderfully made so why do we have a problem with our hair. If we all wore our hair the way it came out of our scalp then who would "they" compare us with ? Our hair isnt straight by nature but we alter it ,why ? I just wish that "we"would one day get over it and accept our beautiful hair. I'm just saying,who wouldnt accept Michelle's fro ?

Hi five girl! This is so true. "They" always compliment me on my hair, "we" usually turn up a nose or say cruel things like Aunt Jemima. Maybe we can begin to heal now that we KNOW we can!

 

[princessnad]

I would wear natural updos. I think they are usually more intricate and interesting that relaxed ones anyway.

 

[Solitude]

Sad that we have to think about this, but people would have never accepted michelle with a fro or even a 3c curl.

You don't know that. People said that America wouldn't accept a black president, period & that was wrong.

If I were natural and Michelle, who was working in a corporate environment and an Ivy-League trained lawyer before all of this, I would wear my hair the same way that I wore it to work every day for 15 + years.

 

[Solitude]

Sorry to bust your bubble, but Michelle is natural.

Looks like she's choosing to press it.

Natural and wearing her hair BONE STRAIGHT all the time? Or at least whenever she is in the public view? ok.....Yeah, I know some people do, but it reminds me of this thread:

Do you believe everyone that says they are "natural."
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=302481


BTW, I think Michelle's hair has been very pretty, I'm just saying....