She’s the toast of the country and the object of admiration of millions of women, African-American and otherwise.  She’s the new First Lady, Michelle Obama.  Already, the nation is dissecting and obsessing over her appearance and fashion sense; her hair stylist, Johnny Wright, already has a development deal for his own reality show.  Clearly, we’re on the cusp of a new era not only in style but in the concept of female beauty in this country.

We say that because for the first time, we have a black first lady, a fact which puts African-American features, hair and style front and center.  For most of the past century, for mainstream America, female beauty has equated to a certain set of characteristics: Caucasian, tall, model-thin, large-busted, and charming.  Intellect wasn’t really a requirement, and certainly African-American women—even stunning ones like Beyonce or Halle Berry—were sort of on the periphery.  But now we have a woman at the crux of American social and political life who’s not only black, but curvaceous, strong-boned, educated, brilliant (she’s a Harvard Law grad and an author in her own right) and clearly just as strong as her husband.  It appears that we’ve finally left the “delicate flower” image created by Jackie Kennedy in the past.

This was a process started by Hillary Clinton, who also refused to smile in the background when her husband was president, and caught heat for it.  But she began the process of making the powerful, accomplished, highly intelligent woman into an icon of style, confidence and beauty.  Michelle Obama is taking the baton that the new Secretary of State handed her, and she seems to be gaining speed.  What does this mean for the American perception of beauty?  For one thing, it means that for millions of African-American women, their form of physical loveliness will be more regularly in view.  This may mean that the unique qualities of African-American hair (though Michelle currently wears her hair straightened, and it remains to be seen if she’ll allow it to become more “ethnic” as time goes on), complexion and body will hopefully become more a part of our lexicon of what is beautiful.

It also may mean that African cultural style, including traditonal clothing, may become something more than a curiosity but more part of mainstream fashion.  The Obamas are already talking about adding art to the White House that reflects the African-American experience; can it be too long before the First Lady shows up to a state dinner wearing a kitenge (a Kenyan traditional sarong-like dress)?  We think this is all incredibly healthy for our national Inner Beauty for several reasons:

• At the simplest level, a generation of African-American women and girls are going to see themselves reflected in the nation’s most visible woman and enjoy having their own physicality and style widely regarded as beautiful, a boost for self-esteem.
• As more Americans open their minds to the new ideas of beauty embodied in Michelle Obama’s charisma, strength and intelligence, we begin to see beauty in new areas and new people.  And as we have said before, seeing beauty throughout life is a hallmark of Inner Beauty.
• The greater tolerance of difference that we hope will come from having a black President and First Lady should make us all more loving and understanding of the differences between us.

Many pundits have already remarked on the ways in which the Obama presidency represents a watershed moment for the nation.  Allow us to call Michelle Obama what we believe she is: the symbol and embodiment of a new era of more inclusive beauty for everyone.

Stay beautiful,

Debi & Eva