Tuesday night. All eyes inside the House of Representatives Chamber fixed themselves on a smartly dressed Michelle Obama sitting high above the crowd in a Barbara Tfank creation. The sapphire blue dress she chose for President Obama‘s State of the Union Address flattered her curves and, as always, showed her impeccable style.
According to France’s Elle magazine, Mrs. O’s ‘black-geoisie’ style is worthy to be praised by Blacks for being a deviance from our typical streetwear.
Wait. What?
In a blog post entitled “Black Fashion Power,” writer Nathalie Dolivo compares Michelle’s style to Jacqueline Onassis, only more “jazzy” and highlights the Obamas as the first to bring such a sophisticated style to African-Americans.
“In this America led for the first time a black president, the chic has become a plausible option for a community so far pegged to its codes [of] streetwear,” Dolivo wrote.
She goes on to explain this new black-geoisie style is the integration of “the white codes of fashion,” but our ethnic references are still ever-present, reminiscent of our roots (i.e. a batik-printed turban/robe, shell necklace).
Luckily, it didn’t take readers long to express their frustrations.
How, in 2012, in a France where there are at least three million blacks and mixed people, can you write such nonsense? You are too kind when you write that in 2012 we have incorporated the white codes … what do you think, in 2011, we dressed in hay and burlap bags?”
“You really think we waited until the Obamas to know style and let go of our ‘street wear’ proclivities?”
From the Rihanna “NiggerBitch” debacle of 2011 to the “slave earrings” celebrated by Vogue Italia, it’s clear racism is still alive and well– no matter how neatly you try to dress it.