Since the very announcement of the election results, first ladies’ hairstyles and fashion choices have come into the spotlight. Jill Biden’s haircut seems to have changed only slightly in recent decades, but as she is stepping into this new role of a FLOTUS, many try to guess what Biden’s hairstyle tells about the first lady-to-be and how it compares to past first ladies’ looks.

See the most memorable hairstyles of Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, Melania Trump, and Jill Biden along with the story behind their hairstyle choices.

Why Does a First Lady’s Hairstyle Matter?

The Economist has recently been bold enough to claim that the FLOTUS’ hairstyle has a “political message in every strand”. Whether conveying a serious political message or giving away a natural feminine wish to look young and beautiful, any change in the first lady’s haircut does make a sensation in the media. Hillary Clinton once made a perfect joke about the idea, saying, “If I want to knock a story off the front page, I just change my hairstyle.”

As the first lady becomes a hostess of the White House, her hairstyle comes to convey the emotional atmosphere that a presidential family brings into the space. More than that, modern society increasingly sees first ladies as full-fledged political advisors and expects them to shape, not just reflect, their time.

And they often do. Promoting important social initiatives, these women of power also inspire thousands of women around the globe to try on a first lady’s look and mimic cuts. Here are the most memorable FLOTUS hairstyles we have seen in the last few decades.

Hillary Clinton Blowout Lob Hairstyle

Hillary Clinton’s hairstyle has been changing so often that the media even started suspecting indecisiveness and volatility in her personality. Hillary has been more than aware of this close attention to her haircut and prominently spread her life wisdom in the address to the Yale students in 2001, “The most important thing I have to say to you today is that hair matters. Pay attention to your hair, because everyone else will.”

One of the most flattering hairstyles Hillary wore as the first lady was a bouffant lob hairstyle with longer layers and soft curls. A truly gorgeous hairstyle making her look confident yet feminine.

Hillary Clinton Choppy Layered Bob

Whether responding to criticism for rapid hair-volution or attending to the recommendations of a new stylist, Isabelle Goetz, Hillary adopted her trademark choppy bob. An elevated quiff and the blown-back or tucked behind the ears locks perfectly open up her face.

Over the years, Hillary Clinton’s hair color ranged from blonde to caramel balayage. In 2015, the former first lady, and the presidential candidate, said she had been dyeing her hair for a long time now and promised that we are never going to see her turn white in a White House.

Laura Bush Hairstyle

Despite the opposing views on her husband’s presidency, Laura Bush is one of the most popular first ladies ever, largely due to her calm and friendly nature. The latter might have been reflected in her hairstyle, too.

Laura Bush has been consistent in her hair preferences, sporting some amazing short hairstyles for as long as we know her. Jagged cut and tapered into the back hair gives an elegant and neat look to the first lady, reminiscent of her experience as a grade school teacher and a librarian.

Laura Bush Short Haircut

Short, straight pixie cut with a side parting and feathered side-swept bangs is another noteworthy hairstyle of the FLOTUS. Uniform layers cut all through the back and sides show off lots of texture and create an overall sense of balance.

The hair color plays into the overall look. Namely, the golden brown shade of the brunette hair adds up to Laura Bush’s image of a natural and approachable beauty.

Michelle Obama Hair

Michelle Obama’s stylist confessed that he loved to change her hairstyles depending on the dress or occasion, and she did try lots of ’dos. Still, her first term as a hostess of the White House is primarily associated with relaxers and strengtheners.

This look features a chic blunt bob with a blowout and volume on the crown and is one of the most flattering hairstyles Michelle wore as a FLOTUS.

Michelle Obama 2nd Term Hairstyle

Michelle Obama celebrated her birthday and the second inauguration of her husband with a new haircut. The immediate reaction of the media and the president followed. “To address the most significant event of the weekend, I love her bangs,” has become one of the most cited words the president uttered during inauguration festivities.

This curl pattern and some natural fullness was a step toward embracing a natural hairstyle. Michelle made the final move only in 2017, though. While Michelle Obama’s natural hairstyle received universal acclaim, many regret that she did not send this powerful message while being a FLOTUS.

Melania Trump Hairstyle

A long hairstyle with a middle parting, long curtain bangs and soft curls directed away from the face made a signature Melania Trump hairstyle. The color of her hair has been brown with some caramel blonde highlights during all of the years of her husband’s presidency.

While the hairstyle conveyed stability and made the first lady look incredibly young, the glossy coif received its might of criticism. In particular, the ever-perfect blowouts and restrained emotions made the former fashion model look quite distant, not soft and open as her hairstylist describes her.

Melania Trump Updo

An excellent alternative to the iconic Melania Trump hairstyle is her elegant updos. This chic French twist updo with a bouffant and color highlights can leave anyone speechless. By the way, the first lady did resort to an updo hairstyle on Inauguration Day.

Jill Biden Haircut

Jill Biden isn’t new to the White House; she spent eight years as America’s second lady. What is new is that Dr. Jill Biden is the first FLOTUS ever to keep her paying job alongside her official duties as a hostess of the White House.

Will that mean that she won’t have much time to style her hair or care to know what the media thinks about it? Maybe. Thankfully, Jill’s iconic straight medium-length, layered haircut, with a middle parting and curtain bangs, is quite easy to style.

Jill Biden Hairstyle with Curls and Flicked Ends

A shoulder-length haircut with flicked ends, wispy bangs, and a side parting is another look Jill Biden is sporting. A messy touch, and shiny hair the color of sand, gives away her extremely fun-loving nature, which has been pointed out by the media and her five grandchildren, alike. It also makes the first lady-in-waiting look friendly and approachable.

 When we want to dry hair fast, we normally reach for a hairdryer, often with some remorse for all the blow drying hair damage we are going to cause. What if I told you that I know how to make hair dry faster and with less damage at the same time?

Read on to see some ‘healthy hair drying’ myths busted and to adopt the best drying routine.

Does Blow Drying Damage Hair?

The short answer is yes, it does. Hairdryers expose your hair to heat, which makes it rough and brittle and causes split ends. Here is how it happens.

Your hair remains strong and shiny when its outer layer, the cuticle, is safely protecting the inner cortex containing water. Too much heat damages the cuticles and makes the trapped water form bubbles and break the hair.

Is cold blow drying bad for hair then?

You might have guessed right, it’s not. The sad part is that it won’t let you dry your hair fast either. Thus, while cold air drying does miracles defining shine and setting naughty strands in place, blowing cold air through your soaking wet mane is both vain and unpleasant.

Photo Credit: PEXELS

Air Drying vs. Blow Drying

Before you ditch your hairdryer and start sacrificing time to air dry your hair instead, please be informed that it is not always better to let your hair dry naturally.

Adam Reed, ghd global ambassador, warns that hair absorbs much water while washing, and waiting for all the water to evaporate in the air takes much time. The problem here is not only that nobody has time for that; the longer time the hair stays wet, the more the cortex swells and cracks, causing permanent hair damage.

Recent research carried out in Korea confirms that a long-lasting wet stage is as harmful as exposure to high drying temperatures. More than that, researchers suggest that the right blow drying technique brings much better results than natural hair drying.

5 Steps to Drying Your Hair Quickly Without Damaging It

Thankfully, a healthy hair drying routine exists, and the process is not long or painful. Just follow these 5 steps and learn to avoid the mistakes women are prone to make.

1. Use Hair Conditioner

I can almost hear you saying that applying a conditioner is part of washing your hair, not drying it. But hear this: Hair conditioners not only nourish your hair and prevent breakage making it easy to detangle your hair after washing, but they also actually help your hair dry faster.

The secret is that conditioners create a gentle coating that repels water and prevents excessive soaking of your tresses. If you have curly hair, using leave-in conditioners will also let you stop hair frizzing after washing.

2. Be Gentle and Use the Right Towel

Drying hair with a towel is not a good way to dry your hair fast without a blow dryer. Instead, it is another myth that needs to be busted. The fact is, wet hair is very susceptible to damage, so rubbing the moisture out can seriously harm the cuticles.

To make your hair dry faster, use a super-absorbent hair-drying towel to blot excessive moisture or, if you have long thick hair, wrap it up, turban-style. Soft microfiber towels work best here, but you can also dry hair with a cotton T-shirt, piling your hair on your head for 10 to 20 minutes.

Photo Credit: PEXELS

3. Fluff the Roots of Your Hair

Roots remain wet longer than the ends and leaving them half-dry can be dangerous, especially in cold weather. This is why so many women prefer to be safe than sorry and blow dry on high heat, running the risk of fried hair.

To dry your roots fast without causing damage, make sure they get as much airflow as possible. Shake your head from side to side, turn it upside down, or run your fingers through hair strands, thus opening up the roots. Needless to say, do this outside the humid bathroom where you have just showered.

4. Comb Your Hair

Note that brushing hair when it’s wet is one of the damaging hair habits stylists recommend to avoid. Still, using a wide-tooth comb to separate some hair strands will promote airflow and make your hair dry faster.

Another option is to use a microfiber brush with soft bristles that soak water. The brush does not damage the cuticles but allows getting down to hair styling faster.

5. Use Protective Blow-Drying Techniques

Now, when your hair is rough-dried, blow dry it to get the necessary volume and styling. To blow-dry hair without damage, follow these simple rules:

• Stick to cooler temperatures;
• Use an ionic hair dryer that dries hair faster even on cooler settings;
• Hold the blow dryer 6 inches away from your hair;
• Move the blow dryer around letting separate strands cool down a bit before a new round of heat;
• Apply heat protectant products.

You may finish styling with cold hair blowing; this will help close the cuticles and make hair smooth and shiny.

Photo Credit: PEXELS

A Bonus Speed-Drying Hack

A tricky way to save time drying your hair is not washing it at all. In fact, there are many good reasons to stop washing hair daily, and escaping the chance to stress your hair with the drying routine is just one of them.

Wash less frequently or use dry shampoos every other day, and your hair will be more than grateful.

Bottom Line

Drying your hair fast does not need to harm your tresses. Blot the moisture and rough-dry your mane, then blow dry it with warm air, holding the hairdryer at a distance and moving it around. Finish with some cold air blowing to fix your hairstyle, and here you are, ready to go out sporting your gorgeous, healthy and shiny hair.