But as die-hard fashion fans, we can't think of a better way for Gabby to celebrate her new, shiny status than with a full-blown magazine photo shoot complete with glitzy designer threads. And the 16-year-old phenom got the chance to do just that thanks to the folks over at ESSENCE.
The glossy snagged an exclusive spread with Gabby, where she showed off her mega watt smile and worked her fabulous physique in a gold J. Mendel dress and Jimmy Choo stilettos (amongst other stylish selections) making for a seriously chic upgrade from those, er interesting, U.S. Olympic team uniforms.
Gabby's controversial coif was transformed by celebrity hair stylist Ted Gibson for the glamorous shoot. He decided to ditch Gabby's gym-ready ponytail for long wavy locks worthy of a Hollywood closeup. Gibson, who has worked with Angelina Jolie and Gabrielle Union, told ESSENCE that working with the pint sized athlete was one of the highlights of his career. We're hoping this new 'do will finally snatch the spotlight away from Gabby's hair and silence all the haters.
The shoot was also a family affair with Gabby's mom, Natalie Hawkins, and older sister, Arielle Hawkins, striking a pose with the golden girl.
Although the body-hugging dresses and sky-high heels seem a bit mature for the teenager, we think Gabby looks simply fabulous. Plus, what teenage girl doesn't love to play dress up?
Check out this behind-the-scenes video of Gabby's ESSENCE shoot below and make sure to look out for the story in the magazine's October or November issues. What do you think of her glamorous look?
And here's a look a some of our favorite Gabby moments...
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2012 U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic Gold Medal Team Rings The NYSE Closing Bell
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 14: Gabby Douglas of the 2012 U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic Gold Medal Team rings the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on August 14, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
2012 U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic Gold Medal Team Rings The NYSE Closing Bell
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 14: Gabby Douglas of the 2012 U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic Gold Medal Team rings the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on August 14, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
2012 U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic Gold Medal Team Rings The NYSE Closing Bell
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 14: Kyla Ross, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber of the 2012 U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic Gold Medal Team ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange on August 14, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
US Olympic Athlete Medalists Visit USA House
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: U.S. Olympian Gabrielle Douglas visits the USA House at the Royal College of Art on August 7, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for USOC)
US Olympic Athlete Medalists Visit USA House
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: U.S. Olympian Gabrielle Douglas visits the USA House at the Royal College of Art on August 7, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for USOC)
US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas performs du
US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas performs during the women' s beam final of the artistic gymnastics event of the London Olympic Games on August 7, 2012 at the 02 North Greenwich Arena in London. AFP PHOTO / THOMAS COEX (Photo credit should read THOMAS COEX/AFP/GettyImages)
Olympics Day 11 - Gymnastics - Artistic
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: Gabrielle Douglas of the United States competes on the beam during the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Beam final on Day 11 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at North Greenwich Arena on August 7, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Gabby Douglas, right, 2012 London Summer Olympics gold medal-winning gymnast, laughs with, from left, her aunt, Bianca Williams, her sister, Joy Douglas, and her mother, Natalie Hawkins, center, after arriving at Norfolk International Airport, Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012, in Norfolk, Va., on her way to visit her hometown of Virginia Beach, Va. (AP Photo/Virginian-Pilot, Ross Taylor) MAGS OUT
Eric Lindbergh of T.A.L.E.N.T. Murals works on the image of gymnast Gabby Douglas on the side of the Gator's Sports Bar & Grill on Holland Road in Virginia Beach, Va. on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012. The mural shows Douglas holding a gold medal with an American flag backdrop. It says "Way to go Gabby." (AP Photo/Virginian-Pilot, Steve Earley) MAGS OUT
Gabby Douglas performs in the floor exercise during the final round of the women's Olympic gymnastics trials, Sunday, July 1, 2012, in San Jose, Calif. Douglas was named to the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Gabby Douglas performs on the balance beam during the preliminary round of the women's Olympic gymnastics trials, Friday, June 29, 2012, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Gabby Douglas reacts after finishing her floor exercise routine during the preliminary round of the women's Olympic gymnastics trials, Friday, June 29, 2012, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Gabby Douglas
FILE - This June 10, 2012 file photo shows Gabby Douglas competing on the uneven bars during the women's senior division at the U.S. gymnastics championships in St. Louis. Douglas has emerged as world champion Jordyn Wieber
Gabby Douglas' historic Olympic performance has turned her into America's new golden girl. She's on cereal boxes, murals are being painted in her honor and she's practically ...
Gabby Douglas' historic Olympic performance has turned her into America's new golden girl. She's on cereal boxes, murals are being painted in her honor and she's practically ...
Gabby you are a beautiful young lady. Oh and that other thing, you are a gold
medal olympic champion for the USA!
You can wear whatever you want one style, two or all of them
Seriously the hair issue on a whole is beyond ridiculous.
There are so many choices out there now, but yet it remains a topic
of conversation!
Hertford_Williams: Gabby you are a beautiful young lady. Oh and that
I love her to a lot but I wish she did not changer her hair. I was hoping that should she could be a role model for the way she was born. Watch the movie "good hair" to understand
Vincent_Mancini: I love her to a lot but I wish she
GABBY DOUGLAS.... You are a WINNER! And, I know your parents are very proud of you as well as the rest of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA citizens. Continue to keep up the excellent work and enjoy life.
Several of the entertainment staff would love for you to think about acting for a career, too. You would play the first lady "MICHELLE OBAMA" childhood screen very nicely. Next time you talk to her please mention it to her so she can get it done for the world to see. WE LOVE YOU!
Carter_NA: GABBY DOUGLAS.... You are a WINNER! And, I know your
She had a perm then! You try sweating eight hours a day in work outs, I cut my 'fro off at basic training. I couldn't take the Alabama heat and the 2 mile runs every day. I'm back natural and will NEVER use chemicals again.
BrownSugarC: She had a perm then! You try sweating eight hours
Gets glamorous! My heavens she already was and is. Oh, to be sixteen again. On second thought, no way. I will just admire her from afar. She, along with her team members, kick starts this old man's heart. Cheers everyone.
ArdentV: Gets glamorous! My heavens she already was and is. Oh,
I can't help feeling a bit sorry that Gabby has decided to have her hair "done" after all those nasty comments from a bunch of negative white people. It makes me sad that so many black women that I see, and that I know personally don't love themselves as is, and spend so much time and money trying to hide that with wigs and weaves and all manner of torture. Every woman, starting from girlhood, which is where Gabby Douglas is, should be allowed to glory in exactly who they are. Kudos for landing the shoot in a major fashion magazine, but this problem is deep...sort of like Bill Clinton's mistresses getting nose jobs and such after the media made fun of their looks.
slvrfox857: I can't help feeling a bit sorry that Gabby has
White people weren't the ones who started all those nasty comments about Gabby's hair,
It was majority Black people who started/made those initial comments that grabbed the media's attention and White people (including many Blacks) were the ones that were confused and at a total loss about the whole thing.
Black people started it and White people piggy backed off of it.
As for the rest of your comments, I agree 100%.
Many Black women have to get their priorities straight because the focus is totally on the wrong thing in life and focusing mainly on Gabby's hairstyle while she performed in the Olympics winning double gold and not seeing the excellence in the achievement from a 16 year old as their first reaction instead of wondering why her hair had thick gel, pins and pulled back ponytail because of the sport she's in when all her teammates and competitors all had the very same standard hairstyle say a lot about their total ignorance and where their priorities in life are.
OooZzzzz: White people weren't the ones who started all those nasty
It's my understanding that this whole thing with GD's hair began with African American women on Twitter. Speaking as a white woman myself, I didn't think her hair looked bad at all--she looked just as nice and groomed as her white teammates. If anything, Gabby might consider orthodontia, but even though it's not classically aligned, her smile lights up a photograph. I think Gabby is a cute girl with a bright future and hair that looks fine.
Nadine_Pierce: It's my understanding that this whole thing with GD's hair
I'm tired of Huffpost pushing the likes of the fake and vapid Beyawnce and her "n-word, bytches, and hoe" husband Jayz, as the exemplars of black culture and success. Nothing could be further from the truth.
michelleobamaok: THIS is true Black Power and accomplishment. I'm tired of
I think Essence did a great job with the shoot. The dresses are stylish yet not too mature looking for her age. The shoes are terrific. These are styles you see on the girls going to prom.
Gabby just looks beautiful! Her smile is the icing on the cake.
sfsunst: I think Essence did a great job with the shoot.
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Huffington Post | By Julee Wilson Posted: 08/20/2012 3:25 pm Updated: 08/21/2012 12:12 pm