Michelle Obama's style evolution post White House: From empowering pantsuits to glamming it up like never before
She is the fashionista who once launched up-and-coming fashion designer Jason Wu. Soon after people came to know Michelle Obama as the first lady who makes the careers of young fashion designers.
Just like she made the White House her own, Barack Obama's wife made first lady fashion cooler and hip, while maintaining the decorum and sophistication of the highly prestigious role that she was entrusted with. As a result, she ventured into modern designs and gowns but did not take many risks when it came to fashion and stuck to the less-edgier gowns and other attires.
But things changed once her husband's double presidential term came to an end and she left the White House in January 2017. Without skipping a beat on the fashion front, Michelle's sense of style became bolder, more vibrant and increasingly experimental.
Here are a few examples:
Floral prints with standout colors
While in the White House, Michelle more or less stuck to monochrome gowns, so as to maintain the elegance of state dinners and not let her dress outshine the importance of the occasion. However, once she became a former first lady and hit the road promoting her memoir 'Becoming' last year, she did not mind flirting with bold prints and vibrant colors.
Empowering pantsuits
Whether she took a page out of 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, we will never know, but Michelle has relied heavily on pantsuits during her appearances on formal platforms.
A sparkly affair
Michelle proved that she knew how to glam it up when needed as she promoted her memoir at Barclays wearing a silky yellow Balenciaga gown that with fierce $3,900 sparkly thigh-high boots.
Showing major skin
The former first lady was not afraid to show off her toned legs during Beyonce and Jay-Z’s concert in Paris or displaying her rock-hard abs while donning a casual-chic white bikini top and cut-off shorts in Miami on January 13, 2018. She also chose an edgy number while presenting the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2017 ESPY Awards.
Stripes and belts
If it was not pantsuits, it would be a long shirt-dress that she fashioned into a long top by pairing it with a wide belt and black pants.
College smart
Michelle donned a gray Princeton T-shirt, her alma mater, with gray jeans and a long gray cardigan at the MTV’s 2017 College Signing Day, in one of her most casual looks.
Quirky gowns
It did not mean that Michelle forewent gowns completely. But rather than sticking to monochromes, the former first lady opted for quirky pathers that made her dresses look young and fun.