The Real Housewives of Miami (RHOM) star Larsa Pippen is once again in hot water over her controversial box braid hairstyle.
The 48-year-old - who originally shot to fame in season one of the show in 2011 - is known for being a fan of the braided style, which is a protective hairstyle rooted in African culture and worn predominantly by African people and the African diaspora.
For years, the style has been a hot topic of conversation - especially as more and more white women choose to sport it for fashion without acknowledging its cultural significance. In fact, Teen Vogue detailed how a Black Zara employee was told her braids were "unprofessional" at work, something hundreds, if not thousands, of Black women have experienced.
So, naturally, when Pippen donned some cascading braids as a fashion statement while on a cast trip to the Bahamas for RHOM, it became a topic of conversation.
After sharing a snap on Instagram, people flooded to the comments section to hit out at Pippen's braids, with one person writing "take those damn braids out".
During the show's hotly anticipated reunion episode - which can often be split into three episodes, depending on the amount of drama and cattiness between the women - host Andy Cohen read out some questions from viewers to the women.
Usually, these questions are a way to reignite nastiness between cast members or, in this instance, an attempt to hold them accountable for their actions.
"Watching the tease for the season, I noticed you were sporting braids in the Bahamas," Cohen asked Pippen, via People. "Fashion-wise, you can pull it off. But do you think it's really culturally appropriate? I think you're going to get a lot of backlash."
The mom-of-four - who has Syrian, Lebanese, and Moroccan heritage, but was raised in Chicago - replied: "I mean, I'm not White. So I don't know - my mom used to wear braids."
She then revealed that she has a braider often come to her home to braid the hair of her children, whom she shares with African-American NBA player Scottie Pippen.
She added that she'd chosen to have her own hair braided so she "didn't have to deal with it" on the trip. "I have a braider who comes and braids my kids' hair every 10 days...My son's had braids literally for the last four years [...] I'm going on a trip, I don't want to have to deal with my hair, I'll have her braid my hair," Pippen said.
"My grandparents are Moroccan. My mom had braids when she was a kid. I've been braiding my hair every time I've gone on vacation since I can remember. My honeymoon pictures, my hair was braided. When I was 18 years old, my hair was braided. I've always worn braids when I travel," she also remarked.
Pippen's 23-year marriage to Scottie ended in 2021, and she was open about her new romance with Michael Jordan's son Marcus Jordan, 32. Many fans think this dynamic is slightly awkward, given that Jordan played alongside Pippen's ex-husband for the Chicago Bulls during the 80s and 90s.
"I feel like a lot of people don't understand... I just met him a few years ago. I never met him before," she told Cohen during the reunion.
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