Barack Obama goes viral in custom "44" jacket at Duke-UNC game
Barack Obama can now add style icon to his list of titles. The former president turned heads when he showed up to a basketball game wearing a custom black bomber jacket with "44" embroidered on the sleeve.
Mr. Obama cheered courtside as the Duke Blue Devils faced off against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, Wednesday night. The highly anticipated game was dramatic in its own right — the sole of Duke's star player Zion Williamson's Nike sneaker completely fell apart less than one minute into the game, leaving him with a knee injury.
But another item of sportswear also caught people's eyes — Mr. Obama's jacket. The customized Rag & Bone bomber featured the number "44" on the left sleeve as a tribute to his presidency.
On social media, many were thrilled by the look, dubbing the jacket the "O-Bomber" and also praising his trendy Allbirds sneakers. Some even asked the designer to release the jacket as official presidential merchandise.
Obama out here in the O-Bomberrrrrrr!! #44
— Era (@ERA_wav) February 21, 2019
Good morning to President Obama’s “44” bomber jacket. The swaggiest thing about #BlackHistoryMonth to date. By far. pic.twitter.com/Q7sgTWyRwf
— April (@ReignOfApril) February 21, 2019
Barack Obama's jacket erased my credit card debt, fixed my posture, charged my phone, cleared my skin, called my mom, emptied my inbox, prepped my meals for the week, canceled my free trials, cleaned my bathroom, and paid my rent. pic.twitter.com/OG9qBNtWve
— Emmy Bengtson (@EmmyA2) February 21, 2019
obama wearing a bomber jacket and allbirds to the duke-unc game is the level i want to be at pic.twitter.com/PbZojgnTvW
— alexa (@alexabtn) February 21, 2019
This isn't the first time Mr. Obama's wardrobe choices have gone viral — though the reaction hasn't always been so positive. He's well known for his love of "dad jeans," not to mention the infamous tan suit controversy back in 2014.
Since leaving the White House, he has embraced a more distinct personal style, fully flaunting his "cool dad" status with leather jackets and backwards hats.