Imitation was the sincerest form of flattery when 3-year-oldParker Currydressed up asMichelle Obamafor Halloween.
In March, a picture of Parkergazing in wonderat the former First Lady’s portrait in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., went viral. Later that month, young Parker and Mrs. Obama, 54,met up and jammedtoTaylor Swift‘s “Shake It Off.”
On Wednesday, Parker had a full-circle moment when she posed as the portrait she so admired. In a lookalike dress — which Alisha Welsh ofMagnolia Lake Children’s Clothingcustom-made for Parker — the stylish trick-or-treater rested her chin on her hand and leaned on her knee, just like Obama did in the painting.
Parker had an answer ready whenJessica Curryasked her daughter what she had in mind for a Halloween costume, Curry toldBuzzFeed News.
Jessica Curry
“Flat out. No hesitation. Half of a second later. ‘I want to beMichelle Obama,’ and I was likeWhoa,” Curry said. “I thought she was going to be like, ‘I want to be Elsa or some other character like that.’ ”
Welsh had floated the idea of crafting a dress for Parker at the height of the little girl’s viral fame. “I knew it was kind of last minute but I was hoping that she would still do it, and she still did it for us,” Curry explained to the outlet. “I don’t know how she did it. But she did it and she’s amazing and we love her for it.”
Parker was thrilled with Welsh’s handiwork. “She saw the dress and she was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ And I was like, ‘Do you like it?’ And she was like, ‘It’s perfect!’ Literally those were her words: ‘It’s perfect!’ ” Curry said to BuzzFeed.
Amy Sherald/Instagram
“Parker was in front of the portrait, and I really wanted her to turn around so I could get a picture with her, and she genuinely, honestly would not turn around,” her mother Jessica Curry toldCNNin March. “She was uncooperative with me because she was just so focused on the portrait and studying it, and she was just so fascinated.”
“I realized that she believesMichelle Obamais a queen, and she wants to be a queen as well,” Curry added to CNN. “As a female and as a girl of color, it’s really important that I show her people who look like her that are doing amazing things and are making history so that she knows she can do it.”
Michelle Obama/Instagram
Parker’s fascination caught the attention of Mrs. Obama, who saw the viral photo and wanted to meet her fan, sources told PEOPLE at the time.
“Parker, I’m so glad I had the chance to meet you today (and for the dance party)!” the former first lady wrote onsocial mediaafter the hang-out. “Keep on dreaming big for yourself…and maybe one day I’ll proudly look up at a portrait of you!”
“Parker talks aboutMichelle Obamaevery day,” Curry told BuzzFeed News. “She lets people know every day that she is the one who metMichelle Obamaand she is friends withMichelle Obama.”
Mrs. Obama reacted to Parker’s Halloween look on social media, writing on Thursday morning, “You nailed the look, Parker! I love it!!!!”
source: people.com
