With President Obama’s 1st year anniversary as President, I thought it was funny to make some review of his wife fashion outfit year. I’ve hard time to say fashion year, because I’ve never understood all the fuss american media made about her fashion sense. She is, for sure, different from prior first ladies. Her style is more modern. She looks live having a younger soul, the last proof being her Halloween feline-suit, which I loved by the way. She looks more approachable.

But wowing each of her out(fit)ing as the best fashion statement ever is a further step I wouldn’t take. Michelle Obama body’s strengths are her tallness, torso & arms, curvy buttock,¬†round calves and thinner ankles. Her arms are well defined, but I wouldn’t say toned. Her torso length is well balanced with her body bottom half’s. Yet, her hips, thighs and knees are heavy. She has a very female amphora shape. The fact that she likes uncovering her arms whatever media say makes me think that she knows her pluses. But some of her outfit mistakes make me think that she’s not really aware of the minuses. Overall, I don’t agree with american media. She’s not fashion awesome.

What I preferred throughout last year was fitting – but not tight – top with larger bottom especially on the hips and thighs, and under the knee length. Fitting top flatters her arms, her torso and the fact she has a relatively flat belly. A large bottom softens (not hides) her hips and thighs. Under the knee length slenders her whole silhouette and hide her knees.

Let’s start with the do’s

This dress is very simple and girly. The torso was trim and it goes larger on the hips and thighs. Her best assets are valued – her well-defined torso & arms and her tallness – while her weaknesses, hips and thighs are covered. The dress length slenders her whole figure and hide her knees. The waist seam calls for a wide belt.

This emerald Kai Milla dress suits her for the same reason. The torso is held on. The waist is high, well defined, but not belted. The bottom starts above the waist without being bouffant. Top and bottom together slender her figure and makes me completely forget her hips, thighs and knees. Silk and pleats make the dress more sophisticated than the previous one.

With simple, yet chic pearl necklace and earrings, the ensemble and her body language make her look elegant, modern, approachable. Though I thought that the fuss about her arms was too much, I do think that more fabric on the shoulders as Jackie Kennedy used to do would look even more elegant. This is a good fit, but not the best choice.

Alicia Keys wore this same kind of dress for channeling Michelle Obama for Glamour mag tribute to American icons. Fitting top, larger bottom, under the knees length. That supports my vision.

This long black Michael Kors dress is tight on the torso AND waist and hips. And she wears it very well (?!) Elementary my dear Watson! The long length and black color slender her silhouette. Hence, it’s no problem that her hips are tightly drawn. I said softening the hips, not hiding.

I love love this outfit. It’s bohemian chic. It flatters her figure for the same reason than the Michael Kors LBD does.

This dress doesn’t follow any of my guidelines, but I find it a good fit. Is this the exception? Not really: her shape is not well-defined, but it’s not loose either. The cotton fabric doesn’t draw tightly her curves. A copy of this dress of viscose or jersey would be a cataclysm as her dress 4 pics below was. The very low waist seam softens her hips. The length hide the knees. Her tallness and her legs – not thighs – are flattered.

I could rank this dress in Yes she can. But I like it for 3 reasons, even if it draws her hips tightly. The trapezoid & slight-wavy bottom edge make this going-larger-bottom look I was talking about. The under the knee-length completes the ensemble. The belt is a welcome, creative addition, but it’s not mandatory.

Those black pants slender her figure and make me forget her hips. Like the cat. It looks precious like all its Persian catmates.

Now the don’ts

Just one year go, this black and red Narcisso Rodriguez dress was a don’t. The black & red pattern enlarged even more her hips. The knee-length and flats shortened her down and made her look heavier.
At the 32nd CHCI annual award last september, this dress drew every curve that didn’t need to get drawn. This loose, soft fabric doesn’t forgive a not-top-model-perfect body.

Both dresses are straight from shoulder to knee. The just above the knee-length is a no. Small dots-like are never good-looking on pics even if the outfit looks great in real life. The second dress large patterns are good though. The color is gorgeous on her skin tone. Both dresses are fine, but they’re not for her.
THIS is a mistake. The V-neck and gathered center of this dress don’t match a belt at all. The soft dreamy colors of the dress and cardigan don’t match a heavy black rock’n roll studded belt.

I can’t see the bottom edge, but I guess the skirt is larger at the hips than at the bottom edge. That is good for skinny people because that makes a rounder silhouette. High waist and wide belt kill the balance between the length of her body’s top and bottom. This is a big no.
It’s the same mistake. The skirt is cut so that it enlarges her hips.

I hesitate between Yes she can and Don’t. The cut is good on her, but the shy yellow, shimmer look and green shoes are not fine.

Yes she can

It’s one of her favorite ensemble: a high waist large belt and a long jacket to hide the hips. It’s a pretty good advice she got. But it’s not what suits her best. It deserves the ‘Yes, she can’ section.

This jacket is great. Nevertheless Michelle Obama gets large round shoulder. It’s obvious with her emerald dress in the Do’s section above. Those seamless sleeves make her shoulder look hanging down like bodybuilder’s. Nevertheless, the color, black bottom and silver belt mix match are great.

This pic made me realize that she has piled some weight the past year. I didn’t really like this dress on her. It was gorgeous but not her best outing. The one shoulder was bizarre and makes the dress look unbalanced. Such drapé/ padding suits thin frames. It made her look bigger than she was.

The tight torso and upside down tulip form of the edge is great because it makes the waist and hips look slimmer.

I like the way she wears this dress. I shouldn’t because the bouffant skirt and above the knee-length is against what I said before. But the dress is great.

The above the knee-length is not good. The long cardigan softens her hips and flatters her silhouette. Yes she can … wait for my approval (!?). I haven’t got any doubt she does.

Pink is not what’s most flattering, but those pants look good. The long T-shirt on the hips and the pants’ boot cut do help. It’s not bad.

Hey hey! Don’t shut down this post like that. Tell me what do you think about Michelle’s Obama style?

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Author: Gaelle