Michelle Obama Test-Drives New 'Tuck-Up' Hairstyle

At first glance -- and for most observers, that came Tuesday at the White House's country music night -- it seemed that First Lady Michelle Obama had cut her hair pretty short. Obama-watcher websites headlined the "new look" and started analyzing it for deeper meaning.

It turns out, though, that Mrs. Obama had a new do -- at least for that occasion -- but no haircut.

"She did not get it cut," an East Winger told me. "Just pulled up for the night."

Johnny Wright, the first lady's hairstylist, explained the new look to urbanbeautycollective.com:

"There are two things I do. The up-tuck, like you are tucking something in. Then I do a tuck-up. The up-tuck is when I position a small ponytail somewhere on the head, and then . . . a tuck-up is when I take the hair and gather it all in the back and I twist it and I pull up and tuck."

He said he told the first lady "that this would be a nice length for her whenever we decide to cut it, and she said yeah. So now, whenever we do cut it, I'll probably go shorter now because everyone thinks that's the cut!"