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Michelle Obama served the people and served lewks. As FLOTUS, she set a new standard for first ladies as the first Black woman to hold the position. Now, she is walking us through how she did it in The Look. This coffee-table style book, co-written with her stylist Meredith Koop, will revisit the ways she amplified artists like Jason Wu and Prabal Gurung by wearing their designs. It will also highlight how she promoted affordable American retailers like White House Black Market and H&M as First Lady #44.
Facing Friction As The First Black First Lady
Obama faced unprecedented scrutiny during her time as first lady of the United States. The first lady is an unofficial title but it comes with heavy expectations. Her brand of Black beauty did not fit into the picture of what some people thought should represent our nation. She was criticized for wearing shorts on Air Force One and having the nerve to display her snatched arms.
The backlash she faced was dripping with racism. People couldn’t fathom that there was not a dowdy, dour, individual seated at the side of the then head of state, President Barack Obama.
Every strand of her hair on her head and spot of makeup on her face was up for debate by some.
Source: Pool / Getty
“Becoming” A Beacon Of Beauty
Others held Michelle Obama in high esteem. They mounted her pictures in barbershops, beauty salons, and funeral parlors. Seeing her appear elegant and poised in that position motivated them.
Obama shared what inspired her to give her take on the time period in an Instagram post announcing the upcoming book release. “During our family’s time in the White House, the way I looked was constantly being dissected—what I wore, how my hair was styled. For a while now, I’ve been wanting to reclaim more of that story, to share it in my own way. I’m thankful to be at a stage in life where I feel comfortable expressing myself freely—wearing what I love and doing what feels true to me. And I’m excited to share some of what I’ve learned along the way,” she wrote.
Obama previously penned the New York Times bestseller, Becoming. She has been sharing her experiences with the public on the IMO podcast she co-hosts with her brother, Craig Robinson. She pulls back the curtain on the other side of some of her most unforgettable moments in the public eye.
Source: Drew Angerer / Getty
Opening A Window Into ‘The Look’
“My new book, The Look, comes out on November 4. It’s a reflection on my lifelong journey with fashion, hair and beauty. Inside, you’ll find some of the outfits that have meant the most to me, but more importantly, the moments that I lived through in them—big and small, personal and political, historic and ordinary—that were as memorable as the clothes themselves,” she continued.
Obama selected gowns, suits, and sweater sets that sent a message with the help of a team. She is shining a light on their efforts with this new project. “You’ll also get to know the incredible team that supported me through it all and defined my look—my thoughtful stylist @MeredithKoop, my talented makeup artist @CarlRayMUA, and my wonderful hairstylists @YeneDamtew and @KitchenTalkwithNjeri. Each of them brings their own story, heart, and perspective to this journey,” she wrote.
Stylists like Law Roach, Jason Bolden, and Wayman + Micah have helped change ideas about what elegance looks like in this country. These are the visionaries that expand palettes by pushing boundaries and subtly making change one piece of fabric at a time.
“The Look is about more than fashion. It’s about confidence. It’s about identity,” Obama continued, writing in the caption. She ended by expressing her desired impact for the project. “It’s about the power of authenticity. My hope is that this book sparks conversation and reflection about the ways we see ourselves—and the way our society defines beauty.”
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