A Recent Street Photo of Malia Obama Has Turned Her into an Instant Fashion Icon

Photo: Ron Sachs (Getty Images)
Photo: Ron Sachs (Getty Images)

Malia Obama, the former first child, is being called “Timeless” and “Iconic.”

Why? The now-iconic “Malia look” was captured in a recent photograph taken outside a convenience store in Los Angeles. Smoking a cigarette, Malia channeled Lisa Bonet, and Gen-Zers are loving it. But the cigarette only played a small part in this moment. It was the fits that got everyone hollering. Michelle’s mini me was clad in viral “man pants, ” the pleated ones, a cropped cardigan, platform shoes and long auburn boho braids flowing down her back, and she paired it with the most care-free demeanor.

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“It’s giving Lisa Bonet and I’m here for it,” said several users on social media, referring to Bonet in the 80s and 90s. It’s true. Malia’s outfit choice is reminiscent of Bonet back in the day when she was a young actor on A Different World. Like Malia, Bonet always looked confident but casually cool and androgynous in her stylistic choices.

“Emotionally this picture of her has been how I felt manyyyyy times,” commented a Tik Tok user. Much like Bonet, Malia is echoing an effortless and carefree attitude that is not always extended Black women. She is carving out a lane of her own, and she’s certainly piqued our interest.

“The trousers, to be sure, are the real stars of the show here; to borrow the words of my GQ colleague Avidan Grossman, they invoked ‘“one dart, two pleats, zero notes,’’ wrote GQ writer Eileen Cartter in a recent article on the website titled “Malia Obama Is a New Menswear Icon.”

Truth is, Malia scored 10s across the board and we have no choice but to acknowledge her license to “just” be.


UNITED STATES - AUGUST 17: Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet in NYC 1987 (Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
UNITED STATES - AUGUST 17: Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet in NYC 1987 (Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)



UNITED STATES - AUGUST 17: Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet in NYC 1987 (Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)

“Malia Obama is my post fashion month mood,” said one X (nee Twitter) user following the development of the photos. To put it frankly, Malia Obama is just like the rest of us, and we are all here for it!

This isn’t the first time Malia has caught our attention with her fits and it won’t be the last. The internet is waiting to see what Malia puts on next since she is the one to watch. And for the record, we all know that Malia does not miss.

Aiyana Fewell is a senior at Howard University and reporter for HUNewsService.com.

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