Malia Obama's Hair Transformation Throughout The Years

Malia Obama has had a stunning transformation since leaving the White House, and she also experimented with different hairstyles throughout her family's stint in the political spotlight. The Chicago native was ten-years-old when Barack Obama was elected as the 44th U.S. president in 2008, and her family spent a total of eight years in the White House. Since then, the former first daughter went on to graduate from Harvard University and release her first-ever short film, all while trying out a variety of looks.

While Malia hasn't opened up about her beauty philosophy or haircare routine, Michelle Obama has revealed how she practices self-care with her own hair choices, and spoke on the different beauty influences her daughters encountered at the same time. "They saw so many different versions of beautiful in Njeri [Radway], who had dreads, and Yene [Damtew], who changed her hair every other month," she said on the IMO podcast, referring to hairstylists she worked with while in the White House. "They have so many, so many real-life examples of how different and beautiful we are. I mean, that's how far we've come."

Given that Malia has sported her natural texture as well as braids and twists throughout her hair transformation, Michelle's estimation of her daughter's style inspo feels accurate. While she may have had plenty of positive influences growing up, Malia has surely provided just as much inspiration with her casually cool hair journey.

Back in 2004, Malia Obama appeared with her family at Barack Obama's 43rd birthday celebration and fundraiser, with her hair styled into adorable poofs. The look featured three sections in a row, accented by a pink hair clip near her face. The then-six-year-old paired the playful hairstyle with a pink-and-yellow floral dress and white cardigan. The overall ensemble was super playful and was definitely fitting for her young age, but she could also certainly pull off the poofs with her quirky Gen Z style today.

Malia Obama wore her hair down when ringing in her dad's presidential win back in 2008, appearing onstage at the Chicago celebration with a shoulder-length cut. The side-parted hairstyle might be familiar to those who followed the family, as the former first daughter commonly wore her brunette tresses around her shoulders during this era of her father's career. For this milestone event, the 'do was styled with loose curls and paired with a red dress and black tights, with young Malia looking both subtly patriotic and openly joyful.

Malia Obama looked cute and casual during a 2009 sighting, wearing her hair in classic cornrows when walking the White House's south lawn with her mom. She paired the hairstyle with a colorful outfit, wearing a yellow tee featuring a semi-sheer effect over a black shirt, orange cargo pants, and a blue zip-up hoodie. While Michelle Obama has opened up about her hesitation toward wearing braids as First Lady, it's refreshing to see that the eldest first daughter, Malia, felt free to experiment with different styles throughout her childhood.

In 2010, Malia Obama was photographed wearing Nubian twists when volunteering with the So Others Might Eat organization on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. She paired the adorable shoulder-length style with a green apron worn over a fuchsia-and-white checkered top and an unseen graphic tee. According to Michelle Obama, this was a go-to hairstyle for the young Obama throughout her tween years. "Malia's hair twisted up so nicely," she said on the IMO podcast. "She had the cutest twists until she became a teenager and was like, 'I need something else.'"

Malia Obama grew out her hair during her teen years, and her long tresses were well past collarbone length when she appeared with her sister Sasha at the White House's annual turkey pardoning ceremony in 2015. The side-parted look, which featured loose curls at the ends, was paired with a two-toned coat, striped turtleneck, and black tights for a totally autumnal ensemble. Whether she's opting for braided hairstyles or softly curled 'dos, this installment in Malia's hair journey proved that she can clearly do it all.

Next, Malia Obama embraced texture and volume when she was photographed at the Budweiser Made in America Festival in 2016. The former first daughter sported a thick ponytail along with her red Harvard baseball cap, looking casually cool with a "Smoking Kills" ringer tee, light-wash shorts, and a pair of high-top sneakers. The 'fit looked laid-back enough for a day spent at an outdoor festival, and overall aligned with the relaxed, cool-girl style she's become known for.

In addition to various cuts and styles, Malia Obama has experimented with different hair colors throughout her transformation. Back in 2017, the young filmmaker was photographed in Soho with her dark tresses infused with a blond ombre, adding her to the list of celebs who effortlessly pull off both dark and light hair shades. Her locks were twisted back into a half-ponytail, helping the blond stand out against the Chicago native's dark ensemble. While Malia undoubtedly pulls off this color combo, it's not the only time she's played around with distinct shades.

Those who've followed Malia Obama's post-White House endeavors know that she's ventured into the film industry, debuting her first-ever short film, "The Heart," at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024. When appearing at the event, the young artist showed off a subtle hair color change that was reminiscent of internet-approved cherry cola red. She styled the hue with small braids near the scalp that fell into long waves past her shoulders. While the Obama sisters have been caught wearing some outdated trends, this step in the eldest daughter's hair journey was definitely a stylish one.

Lastly, Malia Obama opted for a copper ginger color when posing for a family snapshot. Barack Obama shared the moment on Instagram to mark the 2025 Thanksgiving holiday, which showcased the smiling family of four in complementary outfits. While her hair was styled similarly to her film festival appearance, the Harvard graduate showed off her biggest color change to date, marking a stark difference from her typical dark brown. With all these hair milestones in her back pocket, it's clear that Malia has transformed both inside and out during her time in the spotlight.