First lady Michelle Obama always seems to know just the right thing to say, whether it’s for a long speech or a quick comment. The same can be said for her impeccable, timeless sense of style.
From holiday receptions at the White House and state dinners to the Oscars and inaugural balls, we have yet to see the first lady of the United States in an outfit that isn’t perfectly exquisite. With only a few months left in her husband’s term, I doubt we ever will.
It goes beyond Obama knowing what color flatters her best or what silhouette complements her figure. It’s the ways in which she seems to know how to make a statement through clothing no matter the situation.
For her husband’s first inaugural ball in 2009, a stunning Jason Wu, flower-appliqué gown in a vibrant white seemed to make a perfect statement for the commencement of a new era. White evokes a sense of cleanliness, which so perfectly resembled the beginning of a fresh slate with endless opportunities to come in the following eight years.
Flash forward four years, and her red, velvet and chiffon Jason Wu gown at the second inaugural ball embodied another bold message moving forward. A fiery red seemed to align with Obama’s passion and determination to keep moving the country forward. The show-stopping gown assured the world that her work as first lady was nowhere near done.
While she has an appreciation for the artistry of high-end designers, she also enjoys more affordable fashion just like everyone else. She pulled off a polka-dotted H&M day dress on “Today” and a yellow and white Talbots dress as she exited a plane.
One would never know her days as first lady are nearing their end by looking at her appearance. Obama’s fashion has been bolder than ever in the last couple of weeks.
The jaw-dropping Atelier Versace rose gold chain mail gown at her final state dinner earlier this month spoke volumes. The color symbolized victory, celebrating all that she has accomplished during her time in the White House, from creating the Let’s Move! program to reduce child obesity to simply being a voice that empowers women.
The other details of the Versace gown perfectly embodied all that is Obama. The daring choice of material made of chainmail aligned with her fearless power to make her presence known as a first lady who didn’t sit along the sidelines. She was instead right up alongside the president and working to make the United States a better place.
While I’m sure being the first lady has been a memorable and incredible experience for Obama, I think she’s ready for the country’s next chapter. In her most recent appearance campaigning for Hillary Clinton in Phoenix, she spoke in a midi-length ombré dress that gradually transformed from a deep black at the bodice to a bright white at the hemline.
The way the changing of colors on her dress eerily resembled embracing this time of change was no coincidence. It’s fitting that one of her final fashion statements as first lady seemed to encourage the world to continue moving forward and to allow a future in the hands of a woman to begin.
apoudrie@umail.iu.edu
