Jill Biden is making waves — hair waves, that is — for her recent fashion accessory.
From Michelle Obama’s countless daring gowns, to Melania Trump’s infamous “I don’t really care, do u?” jacket — when wasn’t Melania turning heads with an outfit? — being first lady means that, like it or not, the spotlight is on your fashion game.
Americans look to the first lady to set an example and ever since the days of Jackie O. (or perhaps even earlier) headline-making outfits have been a part of that. Now, Dr. Jill Biden is following (pant)suit with one of her first major style moments. And it involves… a scrunchie?
On Feb. 12, 2021, the first lady posted a photo to social media while shopping at a Black-owned Washington, D.C. bakery, per The Washington Post, ahead of Valentine’s Day. “Dropped by @TheSweetLobby earlier to pick up some Valentine’s treats for the weekend. Shhh – don’t tell Joe!,” she wrote. According to WaPo, while Dr. Biden was sporting “floral earrings, a pink coat, and “a black mask,” many internet users focused their crosshairs (so to speak) on something else — her sporty, casual ponytail scrunchie!
WaPo called the relatable blue accessory a preview of Dr. Biden’s potential “radical normalcy,” after “four highly choreographed and manicured years,” style-wise. And the internet was quick to agree. Though others have emerged from this scrunchie sensationalizing … in an updo uproar.
So does the internet feel about Dr. Jill Biden’s hair scrunchie moment? Many felt “seen,” as the kids say, by the first lady’s casual application of this throwback accessory and how it may signal a more down-to-earth style sense.
“So part of what I never realized I needed was a FLOTUS in a scrunchie,” one Twitter user wrote, with 5.6k likes (and counting). “Just another badass woman rocking a scrunchie and visiting a local business,” wrote another. “The First Lady is wearing a scrunchie. She is truly of the American people. Thank you, Dr. Biden – we feel seen!” wrote a third.
Meanwhile, others felt we have bigger issues to comb through than a hair tie. (The original photo has 165.4k likes and counting). “id rather see medicare for all but a scrunchie is cool too i hate it here,” one Twitter user wrote. “I’d feel more seen with a $2,000 check lol,” wrote another. Hair enough.
Regardless, Dr. Biden is off to a positive start after sweetly decorating the White House lawn with giant hearts for Valentine’s Day, apparently her “favorite holiday,” per husband President Joe Biden. And perhaps she’s onto something, fashion-wise. As NPR wrote in 2019, “scrunchies are back after decades of being uncool.” Discussing first lady fashion may be distracting, as some felt, from bigger issues like COVID-19 relief, but much like an 80s trend making a comeback, doing so is arguably inevitable!