Oh, how we’ll miss her. Michelle Obama’s speech endorsing Hillary Clinton at the Democratic convention was, as Barack said, incredible. But it was also a bittersweet fashion farewell.
Obama was a fashion natural eight years ago when she first came to the White House and she has stayed that way ever since – whether in McQueen or J Crew. She has influenced a generation of women to wear bright cardigans and flared skirts, and made them aspire to have upper arms like hers. She appeared on the cover of Vogue, and helped American designers such as Jason Wu and Thakoon sell out of any dress of theirs that she wore.
Last night continued on the theme. To a room full of people waving purple “Michelle” signs (surely the accessory of the year?), Obama wore a Democrat-blue, capped-sleeve dress with that trademark flared skirt, designed by Project Runway winner, and Pokémon avatar lookalike, Christian Siriano. The earrings – spiky metal poles with pearls on the end – were a nice touch. But it was the hair that was the real triumph. As a podium pro, Obama knows the dress is one thing – but it’s all really about the TV shot.
So, the hair. It’s wavier than usual, and it moves, unlike the pob that her friend Hillary prefers. But, crucially, it’s nothing like that of first lady wannabe Melania Trump, whose hair resembles that of a Disney princess. Obama is her own woman, and imitation is not in her makeup. While Melania’s speech last week spookily resembled one that Michelle made in 2008, the first lady isn’t the kind to get involved in any fallout. Instead, she lets her hair do the job for her. As she said last night: “When they go low, we go high”. And you can’t get higher than hair that frames one of American fashion’s favourite faces. Like we said, we’ll miss her.
