Rama Duwaji did not wait for a red carpet to become a style star. The Syrian American illustrator, now known worldwide as New York City’s first lady after her husband Zohran Mamdani’s historic victory on Nov. 4, stepped into public life with a look that felt fresh, real, and quietly fearless. In a city that loves originality, she delivered it in a way that felt effortless. Fashion editors noticed. Social media noticed. Young women noticed. Then the hair salons followed.
From the moment Mamdani was ceremonially sworn in at City Hall on New Year’s Day, interest in Duwaji’s personal style took off. She arrived not dressed like a politician’s spouse, but like an artist who lives in Queens and has places to be. That detail matters. New York has always rewarded authenticity, and Duwaji’s look reads as lived in, not styled within an inch of its life.
What made her explode into It girl territory was not a designer gown or flashy accessories. It was her haircut.
The Bixie Haircut That Took Over New York City
According to Vogue, Duwaji’s hair sits somewhere between a bob and a pixie, a hybrid known as the bixie. The cut first rose to fame in the 1990s and has quietly made its way back into fashion, but Duwaji gave it a modern reset. Clean lines. Soft edges. Just enough messiness to feel human.
Devin Toth, a hairstylist at Salon SCK in New York City, told Allure that the bixie works now because it feels like a more customized take on short hair. In other words, it looks intentional without feeling stiff. That is exactly what Duwaji’s version delivers. It frames her face, moves with her, and photographs beautifully whether she is walking into City Hall or sketching in a café.
Since New Year’s Day, some young women have been paying tribute to Mamdani’s win and Duwaji’s sudden cultural moment by asking for what is now called “the Rama cut.” It is a sharp reminder that style can carry political symbolism without being heavy-handed. Hair has always been a way to say something about who you are, and right now, a lot of people want to look like a woman who blends creativity with confidence.
How a Stylist Helped Turn a Haircut Into a Movement
Xavier Velasquez, the stylist who worked with Duwaji for the big night, knew he was walking a fine line. Velasquez, who confirmed to HOLA! that he was born in California to Mexican parents from Sinaloa, told Vogue that his references were Audrey Hepburn, Taylor Russell, and Kelsey Asbille. Those names point to elegance with edge. He wanted to elevate Duwaji’s look without turning her into something she was not.
Velasquez put it simply. Duwaji is 28. She is an artist. She air-dries her hair. He was not trying to make her look like a stereotypical politician’s wife. That decision paid off in a way few people expected. The final look felt cinematic but not staged. It looked like a person you could run into on the subway who just happened to be quietly iconic.
Once images from the swearing-in began circulating, the response was instant. Social media is filled with posts calling it the new It girl haircut. Some people joked about not being able to pull it off. Others were already booking salon appointments.
Why Rama Duwaji Feels Like a New Kind of It Girl
The term It girl usually suggests glamour, wealth, and trend chasing. Duwaji brings something different. She is not performing status. She is living her real life, and it just happens to be very interesting. As a Syrian American illustrator, her creative identity is not a side note. It is the core of how she shows up in the world.
That authenticity is why her style hits harder than a thousand influencer outfits. Her clothes look worn, loved, and chosen. Her hair looks like it belongs to her. In an era where so much fashion feels optimized for algorithms, Duwaji feels refreshingly offline.
Her rise also reflects a deeper shift in what people want from public figures. The audience is tired of polished perfection. They want texture. They want stories. They want people who look like they actually live in the cities they represent.
New York City, especially, thrives on this energy. The city does not crown its It girls for being flawless. It crowns them for being unforgettable.