Selling out a popular New York City venue like The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) on a windy Wednesday night in the middle of a daunting recession ain’t easy. And getting folks to wait on lines wrapped around the block—not to enjoy a chart-topping artist perform—to hear about… wait for it: A book? That’s an even harder challenge. But Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama continues to prove that she is and will forever be the First Lady of the people. Challenges don’t seem to deter her. The unapologetically proud South Side of Chicago native brought out mothers and their little ones, senior citizens in wheelchairs, couples in matching ‘fits and everyone in between to hear her dish on the how and why behind her newly released book, The Look, with friend, Tracee Ellis Ross. All of this fabulousness took place for a live recording of the podcast, IMO: The Look. The diverse group of fans packed BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House after purchasing copies of The Look at $50 a pop (What recession?) and jamming to an array of bops from D’Angelo to Jay-Z to OutKast—anxiously snapping selfies while waiting for the stylish duo to hit the stage.
The double Ivy League graduate and distinguished attorney has already penned multiple books that topped The New York Times bestsellers list. Her 2018 memoir Becoming, achieved record-breaking sales. Her follow-up, The Light We Carry, was also critically acclaimed, as was her debut American Grown. Visually, The Look, a stunning coffee table tome, is a departure from her previous titles. It contains more than 200 photographs, including never-before-seen images which capture the wife and mom’s personal style journey. What was the catalyst for this type of book? Why now? As the conversation unfolded, Michelle revealed to a rapt audience how her entire life led to The Look, and how all of us (Yes, you too!) have a distinct story behind our personal style choices that are much deeper than clothes and hairdos.
Looking the picture of elegance in a black Loewe dress with vibrant pink and yellow accents, her thick, shoulder-length, loose curls styled with a middle part, Michelle shared how her fashion sense started during her humble Chi-Town beginnings. The lewks she witnessed as a young girl watching Soul Train on Saturday mornings left a significant impression on her, as did the slightly older trendsetting teenage girls she saw in her South Shore neighborhood. She even admits to going through a tomboy phase, thanks in part to her beloved older brother, Craig. Michelle reflected on how both of her parents instilled confidence in her from a young age, which unquestionably informs her style sensibility to this day. But it was her mother, Mrs. Marian Robinson, who passed away in 2024, whom Michelle spoke most about influencing her personal style as a youngster and even well into her teenage years. Her resourceful mom dutifully sewed many of her clothes.
“My mother made both my junior and senior prom dresses,” recalled Michelle. What Mrs. Robinson didn’t create herself, she frugally used the family’s limited resources to acquire within their means. “Y’all remember layaway?” Michelle asked with a laugh. As Tracee notably recognized the crowd’s almost unanimous reply of “Yes!”, Michelle quipped, “Tracee, you know nothing about my life.” (The playful remark was, of course, a nod to Tracee’s privileged upbringing, which was in stark contrast to Michelle’s.) The crowd immediately exploded in laughter yet again. One accessory Michelle never lacks is a sense of humor.
Michelle effortlessly transitioned from talking about her Midwest childhood days to her historic time in Washington, D.C., at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. While she held the official First Lady title, Michelle avoided discussing her style choices in depth. But that certainly didn’t stop the critics from nitpicking her sartorial preferences—from rocking sleeveless dresses to not wearing hosiery. “Women are reduced to what we look like,” she explained. Michelle didn’t allow the criticism to consume her. “If I let them define me, I wouldn’t even recognize myself. I controlled my narrative and did the work.”
Whether getting on the ground to tend soil in The White House Garden or doing push-ups with Bishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa, she wanted to remain polished, appropriate and always relatable. One of the ways she did this consistently was by being a champion of young, otherwise marginalized, fashion designers like Cushnie et Ochs, Jason Wu, Narciso Rodriguez and Tracy Reese. These talented creatives are featured throughout The Look. In addition, Michelle stressed the importance of using great tailoring, even done by a local storefront dry cleaner, to ensure looking one’s best. This spoke to observing Mrs. Robinson sewing young Michelle’s clothes out of necessity. She couldn’t have known back then how significant those observations would become.
When Tracee asked Michelle how she managed to stay camera-ready despite the unprecedented scrutiny, Michelle gave all the credit to her longtime wardrobe stylist, Meredith Koop. “She was 28 years old when she started working with me [as the First Lady]. She also styled my mother and the girls [Malia and Sasha].” Koop penned many memorable words for The Look as well. The stylist’s vulnerability about her meticulous process researching Michelle’s looks are moving—especially for anyone who recognizes that fashion is much deeper than what we wear. Michelle cemented this notion during her podcast taping by stating with conviction, “Fashion is meaningful.”
It would be nearly impossible for two Black women, regardless of income level or fame, to have a soulful exchange about style without covering the topic of hair. Michelle and Tracee did not disappoint. There is an entire chapter in The Look about Michelle’s unique hair journey. According to her trusted and talented hairstylist Johnny Wright, “Hair is a language, and as a hairstylist, I’m a storyteller. People listen to Michelle; she’s powerful. But people need to look at her first.” Tracee, founder of Pattern Beauty, boldly asked Michelle the important questions we all want answers to: When you were in The White House, when was wash day? Did you wear a bonnet? How did you keep your edges? That last question led to yet another eruption of laughter. (There were many throughout the evening.) Michelle shared that maintaining optimum hair health was paramount to both her and her team. “I wanted to leave [The White House] with my edges intact.” She explained how she grew out her relaxer (Malia and Sasha did too), and began to wear wigs and extensions while she was First Lady to protect her God-given strands. Implementing these changes, as well as her wearing bangs, were key to keeping those edges strong.
Post-White House Michelle experimented with many more natural ‘dos, especially braids. The versatility of the protective style was something she didn’t feel she could comfortably embrace while her husband was President. Now though? “I love wearing braids!” Michelle gleefully proclaimed. The book contains gorgeous photos of Michelle’s braided styles, plus an essay from hairstylist Yene Damtew who was just 19 years old when she began working with Michelle, initially as Wright’s assistant.
In The Look, Michelle confirms what we already knew: Whether she’s draped in one-of-a-kind designer gowns from Versace or J.Crew staples; rocking a bob, a ponytail or individuals (braids); jumping double Dutch on The White House Lawn or serving truth serum about the realities of being a working mom on her podcast, she is still that girl.