Amanda Gorman wowed the country when she read her poem “The Hill We Climb” during President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris‘s inauguration. Michelle Obama was in the audience proudly watching as 22-year-old Gorman recited lines calling for unity. 

Obama and Gorman first met at a White House event for the National Student Poets program in 2016 and later crossed paths in 2018 while they both were in attendance at an event for the female-empowerment organization, Black Girls Rock. Gorman is in the midst of a skyrocketing career with two best-selling books and an upcoming appearance at the Super Bowl—and now a Time magazine cover, which included an interview with Obama. 

“We’re living in an important moment in Black art because we’re living in an important moment in Black life,” she told Obama. “Whether that’s looking at what it means politically to have an African American president before Trump, or looking at what it means to have the Black Lives movement become the largest social movement in the United States…. What’s been exciting for me is I get to absorb and to live in that creation I see from other African American artists that I look up to. But then I also get to create art and participate in that historical record.”

Amanda Gorman was extremely poised during her inaugural poem. She struggles with a speech impediment (as President Biden has), but she’s overcome it and said it made her a writer. At one point in the interview, Obama explained her own experience with public speaking and the nerves she still feels. “No matter how many speaking engagements I do, big audiences always trigger a little bit of impostor syndrome in me,” Obama revealed. Gorman understood and replied, “Speaking in public as a Black girl is already daunting enough, just coming onstage with my dark skin and my hair and my race—that in itself is inviting a type of people that have not often been welcomed or celebrated in the public sphere.”

Gorman took the interview as a moment to clarify her speech’s theme of unity, explaining that not all forms of unity are constructive. “To me, unity without a sense of justice, equality, and fairness is just toxic mob mentality,” she said. “Unity that actually moves us toward the future means that we accept our differences—we embrace them and we lean into that diversity. It’s not linking arms without questioning what we’re linking arms for. It’s unity with purpose.”

Ella Emhoff and Amanda Gorman, two of the 2021 inauguration’s breakout stars, have signed with IMG models, People reports. 

Both young women (Emhoff is 21, Gorman is 22) had everyone buzzing on President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s swearing-in day. Emhoff wore a stunning Miu Miu coat we wanted her to run us over with; meanwhile, Gorman’s inaugural poem had the entire internet emotional. She also looked stunning in a yellow coat. 

Supermodel Gigi Hadid, also signed with IMG Models, took to her Instagram Story to congratulate Gorman on the news. “WERK @AMANDASCGORMAN @IMGMODELS FAAAAAAM ! MAJOR,” she wrote, according to People. Per The Hollywood Reporter, IMG will focus on brand endorsements and editorial opportunities for Gorman, who was also a Glamour College Woman of the Year. 

“You don’t have to be a poet, you don’t have to be a politician or be in the White House to make an impact with your words. We all have this capacity to find solutions for the future,” she told us in 2018. 

Ivan Bart, the president of IMG Models, told the New York Times about Emhoff’s singing, “It’s not really about shape, size or gender any more. Ella communicates this moment in time. There’s a cheekiness and a joy she exudes.”

“I was pretty surprised when everything with IMG was happening because when I was younger, I never saw that as being part of my timeline. As someone who, like a lot of young girls out there, had self-confidence issues, it is intimidating and scary to go into this world that is hyper-focused on you and the body,” Emhoff told the New York Times.

Congratulations to both Ella Emhoff and Amanda Gorman on this exciting new opportunity. Can’t wait to see what projects (and coats) y’all both have in store. 

Between Ella Emhoff’s coat and Bernie Sanders’s mittens, there was no shortage of memorable ’fits at President Joe Biden’s inauguration, but the most stylish person there was, duh, Michelle Obama. And while her maroon Sergio Hudson ensemble might have been eye-catching, what about her actual eyes? What about her makeup on the day, hmm? Well, it was Fenty Beauty. Naturally. Plus a little Pat McGrath and Glossier, which we can only imagine she shares with daughters Sasha and Malia.

Obama’s makeup artist, Carl Ray, shared all the details with Elle, including a step-by-step guide to achieving the look yourself, if you dare. First, start with Nars Creamy Concealer and Fenty Matchstix Contour, then set with Laura Mercier’s translucent powder. When your skin is perfectly matte but dewy, define your brows with Anastasia Beverly Hills’s Dip Brow Gel, Brow Definer, and Clear Brow Gel. Then it’s time to move onto the eyes.

“I wanted her to have a powerful beauty look that would need to be achieved by playing up the top half of her face…since her whole face wouldn’t be visible, the eyes and lashes would be the star of this particular look,” Ray told Elle of beauty in the age of mask wearing. Since it looks like we’ll have to stay masked for the rest of the year, expect the dramatic eye to stick around. 

In this case, the perfect daytime smoky eye was achieved with the Taupe to Black shades from the Viseart 01 Eyeshadow Palette, plus a little Pat McGrath Eyedols Eye Shadow in Divine Mink in “the center of the lid.” And because only one eyeliner simply would not do for the occasion, he also added both Pat McGrath Labs’s Permagel Eyeliner in Xtreme Black and Fenty Flyliner Longwear Liquid Eyeliner.

For the final touches, Ray used Glossier Lash Slick mascara and Lilly Lashes. Perfection.

And if you’re coveting every aspect of the former FLOTUS’s glam, her hairstylist, Yene Damtew, revealed a few secrets too. “I keep my celebrity clients’ information confidential, so I won’t share specifics [on Michelle Obama].⁣⁣ However, I do have this video that shows how I achieve my signature bouncy curls,” she captioned an Instagram video showing her heat technique.

Taking notes for next time we get invited to an inauguration. Listen, it could happen!

Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman may have been the most inspiring part of January 20th’s inauguration ceremony, but Bernie Sanders was the coziest, watching the event while bundled up in his signature brown jacket and sporting now-famous chunky mittens. The look was instantly meme-ified, and the Vermont senator is well aware of that. He addressed the “Bernie in a chair” viral phenomenon on January 21 on Late Night With Seth Meyers; when Meyers mentioned that he knew Sanders had attended the inauguration, the senator quipped, “I heard about that!”

“I was just sitting there trying to keep warm, trying to pay attention to what was going on,” he said of his now-famous pose. “What was really nice is the woman who made the mittens lives in Essex Junction, Vermont, she is a schoolteacher and a very, very nice person. She has been somewhat overwhelmed by the kind of attention that is being shown to her mittens,” he added. Meyers explained that the woman is unable to make mittens for all who want them, then pivoted to the other photograph of Bernie that went viral: his mysterious manila envelope. What’s inside? “I’d love to tell you, Seth. It’s top secret,” says Sanders. Well, there you have it. However, we’d like to think this joke on Twitter is the truth: “Inside the envelope is an article Bernie cut out of the newspaper that he thought Biden would find interesting.”

On the topic of giving credit, that viral chair photo was taken by Brendan Smialowski. Sanders also said of the occasion, “I was in tears seeing the new president getting sworn in,” and praised President Biden for the seriousness with which his administration is facing the challenges of this moment. Watch the full conversation here:

That’s our Bernie Sanders. Always cozy and ready to fight.

Lady Gaga gave a spellbinding performance of the national anthem at President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, January 20. And she did it in a look that had the internet cheering. 

Gaga dressed in custom Schiaparelli for the occasion, rocking a flowing red skirt and navy top. She completed the outfit with a large dove pin (a universal symbol of peace) and her hair was intricately braided. 

As for the singer’s makeup, her longtime makeup artist Sarah Tanno spilled all the tea to Vogue. “While her makeup was classic and romantic, with the perfect shade of red lipstick, which felt appropriate for such a vibrant day, the rest of her makeup was soft and luminous,” she told the mag. 

So what was that “perfect shade of red lipstick” that held up beautifully during Gaga’s inauguration performance? Naturally, it’s from her own line: Haus Laboratories Le Monster Matte lip crayon in Warm Pure Red 1950. 

Meanwhile, Tanno made Gaga’s eyes pop with Marc Jacobs Beauty’s Velvet Noir mascara and the Tawny pigment from the Haus Laboratories palette, The Fame .

As for her cheeks? Tanno applied two more Haus Laboratories products: the Heat Spell bronzer in Desert and Head Rush blush in Flirt.

The last notable time Gaga performed the national anthem was at the 2016 Super Bowl, and her makeup look was very different. She went classic, maximalist Gaga: heavy, glittery eye makeup, bright blue nails, and her hair long. Her range! 

Ahead of the inauguration, Lady Gaga posted a hopeful message to her Instagram account. “I pray tomorrow will be a day of peace for all Americans,” she said. “A day for love, not hatred. A day for acceptance not fear. A day for dreaming of our future joy as a country. A dream that is non-violent, a dream that provides safety for our souls. Love, from the Capitol.” 

Adults understood what it meant to watch President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris get sworn into their respective offices at the inauguration. Witnessing the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president assume office was a historic moment. Even though kids might not grasp the complete significance of Inauguration Day, celebrities like Mindy Kaling and America Ferrera are sharing their children’s sweet reactions to the event. 

Mindy Kaling

“I was at work, but apparently she said: ‘Is that mommy? It looks like mommy,'” Kaling captioned a photo of Katherine as she watched the inauguration. ”Best compliment I ever got! It matters. Happy Inauguration everyone.”

Rachel Bilson

Rachel Bilson shared a photo of Vice President Harris being sworn into office. Her daughter, Briar, commented on the moment: “My little girl this morning said, ‘Mommy can I be the first woman president,’ to which I replied, ‘Absolutely.’”

Andy Cohen

Cohen posted a photo of himself holding his son Benjamin’s hand as they watched President Biden give his inaugural address.

Hilary Duff

Duff posted a series of photos to her Instagram Stories of her son, Luca, saying the Pledge of Allegiance with his school friends. She also posted a pic of some presidential treats that she undoubtedly shared with her son and daughter, Banks.

America Ferrera

America Ferrera is mom to children Lucia and Sebastian, who was with her to watch the inauguration ceremony. She shared a photo on Instagram of her crying while holding Sebastian. “’Why you crying?’ ‘What is democracy?’ ‘Where did JLo go?’ – a little easier to answer Baz’s questions today,” she captioned the post. “So much work ahead to build the world we want our babies to inherit. Grateful for today’s victory and for @amandascgorman ‘s words: ‘There is always light, if only we are brave enough to see it, if only we are brave enough to be it.’ #bethelight #inauguration #BidenHarris.”

January 20, 2021, is a day that will go down in history. Our generation understands what it means to see this diversity in the White House. It’s our dream that the younger generation won’t even remember a time when women weren’t elected to the highest positions in the country. 

John Legend is performing during the 2021 inauguration festivities, so, naturally, Chrissy Teigen and their two kids (Luna and Miles) came along for the journey. Some online are taking issue with Teigen’s decision to go, though, given Washington, D.C.’s heightened security measures and the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Hey Chrissy DC residents aren’t very ‘happy’ right now and can’t even ‘happy pack’ their cars to drive to the grocery store because of the military state the city is in but yeah LOL come on down especially in a pandemic. How happy,” one person tweeted, according to BuzzFeed. (This was in response to Teigen saying she was “happy packing” for the inauguration.) 

Teigen said in response to the user, “This is not my fault but I’m sorry you’re frustrated. I just like to share what we are up to and whatnot.” 

According to BuzzFeed, this same person also said of Teigen, “What I do blame her for is being tone-deaf and planning a ‘happy’ trip to the center of the issue, when John is doing a gig no one will even be able to see. It’s all privilege and really minimizes what D.C. is going thru.” 

They continued in a separate tweet, “Literally no one will be there to see him perform, because no one is allowed to. Why couldn’t he do a virtual performance and also why does his whole family have to go when literally no one can move about the city? Like…yeah, exactly. She should turn the TV on….”

Teigen quote-tweeted that second message then wrote in response her defense: “For fucks sake why are you guys always always mad at me, all I wanna do is make you happy or at least leave you with a neutral feeling of indifference.” 

Earlier on inauguration day, Chrissy Teigen took to Instagram to celebrate the end of Donald Trump’s presidency. “Today our great national fuckup is over, but the shame will last forever. with 2 impeachments, the creation of 3 million LESS jobs, 403,000 dead, a record low approval rating and god knows how many crimes, we can officially say Donald J Trump is the greatest at being the fucking worst,” she wrote. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to have the guy with barely enough well done steak with ketchup fueled brainpower to power a lightbulb who doesn’t even know how to close an umbrella run the country. History will not be kind to you, you absolute psychopath. But I never was anyhow.” 

Just before her jaw-dropping arrival at the inauguration of President Joe Biden, Michelle Obama marked the end of an era of “chaos and division” by sharing a message of hope for America’s future.

On January 20, the former first lady shared an image from her husband Barack Obama’s second inauguration in 2013, in which she and her husband are accompanied by their daughters Malia and Sasha Obama. “Today is the day. After a disturbing era of chaos and division, we are entering the next chapter of American leadership with the inauguration of @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris,” she wrote. “Right now, I’m feeling more than just relief at putting the past four years behind us. I’m feeling genuinely hopeful for what’s to come.”

Without mentioning Donald Trump, Obama shared her excitement over the new administration. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the kind of leaders our nation deserves—decent, hardworking people who reflect the best of our values. Most of all, they’re guided by empathy, honesty, and a willingness to put the needs of our country before their own,” she continued. “They’re determined to make life better for all Americans, and I know they will bring us back the stability that has been sorely lacking through what has been a devastating pandemic. Not to mention, we’ll have terrific examples of leadership in Dr. Biden and Douglas Emhoff, as our new First Lady and Second Gentleman.”

Of course, having stood by her husband’ as well as Joe Biden’s side throughout their terms as president and V.P., she knows better than anyone what is at stake—and what is possible. “It’s no secret that the work ahead will be challenging. And no one person, even a president, is capable of waving a magic wand and fixing the problems that persist in this country,” she wrote.

Michelle Obama concluded her post with a message of hope. “But this past year I’ve seen folks from all over America step up like never before, whether it was peacefully protesting against racial injustice, registering first-time voters, or simply making sure a neighbor could safely get their groceries. It feels like we might finally be getting some momentum,” she wrote. “And with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House, we can once again start thinking about building the future we want for ourselves and our children.”

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For someone who famously dislikes politics, Michelle Obama never fails to turn out a look for a political occasion. At President Joe Biden’s and Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic inauguration, the former first lady looked downright regal in her burgundy Sergio Hudson trousers, turtleneck, and overcoat with black gloves, boots, and a face mask. Obviously, her outfit was flawless, but it’s her pressed, silky hair that have people tweeting at a record rate.

If you’re scrolling on Twitter, you probably noticed an eyebrow-raising search term. “Laid” already has more than 130,000 tweets. Why, you ask? Because Obama’s hair looks gorgeous. The volume? Unparalleled. The sheen? Inspiring. The waves? Game-changing. 

Just look at the perfect mixture of bounce and hold in this clip Obama’s hairstylist, Yene Damtew, shared on Instagram of Barack and Michelle Obama entering the inauguration. That, friends, is laid.

The biggest praise is coming from Twitter—and most notably, Black Twitter. Queen Michelle has set the standard for hair (not even a pandemic will stop her from neglecting those edges!), and people are taking notes. “‘LAID’ is trending nationally. The power of Black Twitter,” one user wrote. Another added, “Just wanna let y’all know… What Michelle Obama will do, is SERVE you a LOOK with that HAIR LAID for the GAWDS.”

As we pointed out, the hair was just the icing on top of her inauguration look. “She got that hair laid,” one social media user tweeted. “She got the waist cinched. She got that outfit on drip mode, and she came to not mess around hunny.”

And let’s not gloss over the fact that it’s not easy to keep hair looking that good for hours… outside… in the wind… in the dead of winter. “MICHELLE. These bundles said, WHAT WIND????? I DARE A BISH TO BLOW! HAIR IS UNMATCHED AND UNMOVED!!!! Whomever laid this look had a chunk of grease on the back of a hand, and a rat tail comb with the first 7 teeth missing,” one person joked.

Please enjoy this hair moment…

Truly, it doesn’t matter whether she’s rocking her natural curls, a protective style, or a flawless pressed look, her every hair move ends up in the group chat. That’s just the power of Michelle Obama.

America’s first Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman gave a powerful reading of her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the 2021 inauguration. (And she did it wearing jewelry that Oprah Winfrey gave her!) Here are just a few moving lines from it: 

We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation rather than share it,

Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.

And this effort very nearly succeeded.

But while democracy can be periodically delayed,

It can never be permanently defeated.

In this truth, in this faith, we trust.

For while we have our eyes on the future,

History has its eyes on us.

In another part of the poem, Gorman says, “Somehow we weathered and witnessed / a nation that isn’t broken but simply unfinished.” Read the full text here. 

To say people were emotional over this poem is an understatement. The reactions quickly poured in, with many expressing how proud they are of Gorman, who is just 22 years old. 

April D.Ryan, The Grio’s White House correspondent, posted, “I can’t help but think that Maya Angelou is looking down from Heaven proud at the #BlackGirlMagic that is Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman. Amanda’s #InaugurationDay poem ‘The Hill We Climb’  was beautiful and wonderfully delivered.” 

Stacey Abrams was beaming with pride too. “Amanda Gorman’s message serves as an inspiration to us all,” she tweeted. 

Abrams’s and Ryan’s thoughts really sum up this moment. Not only was Gorman’s poem exactly what America needed to hear, the young writer emerged as a voice for the next generation—and a voice for the country’s future. “Amanda Gorman personified the promise of our youth,” one person tweeted. 

Another added, “THIS is what pursuing the best version of America is about, this is what we can be, this is beautiful. Amanda Gorman.”

Gorman is a former Glamour College Woman of the Year. In 2018 she told us, “You don’t have to be a poet, you don’t have to be a politician or be in the White House to make an impact with your words. We all have this capacity to find solutions for the future.”

That’s true, but it must be pretty damn cool to be a poet speaking at a presidential inauguration. It’s official: A star is born.