Michelle Obama recently addressed the criticism she often faced regarding her wardrobe during her tenure as First Lady, labeling the negative feedback as “pure hypocrisy.”
Throughout her husband Barack Obama’s presidency from 2009 to 2017, the 61-year-old former First Lady was frequently scrutinized for her fashion choices.
Michelle’s preference for sleeveless dresses and tops that highlighted her well-toned arms was a particular point of contention during those years.
Reflecting on the controversy surrounding her style and her approach to dealing with it, Michelle shared with People this week: “I took it for what it was, pure hypocrisy.”
She pointed out, “I could easily find pictures of Jackie O, a fashion icon, in sleeveless dresses during her time as First Lady.”
“So, at a certain point, you realize this is all politics. If you can’t outdo them, make everyone wary of them,” she added.
She continued: ‘That was the motto. If it wasn’t the clothes, it was “that terrorist fist bump.” It was every word that we said. It was my husband’s tan suit.’
Michelle’s style picks were written about and dissected while her husband was in office.
Michelle Obama has responded to the backlash over her White House fashion choices
The former first lady caused stir for wearing sleeveless dresses and tops that flaunted her famously toned arms (pictured in 2009)
In 2009, for example, while her Barack gave a speech to Congress, she sat in the audience in purple sleeveless dress.
‘Oh my god. The First Lady has bare arms in Congress, in February, at night!’ Cindi Leive, then the editor of Glamour magazine, told the New York Times at the time.
Shortly after, Chicago Tribune style reporter Wendy Donahue predicted that Michelle would make bare arms her ‘signature statement.’
‘In many ways it’s the perfect accessory for the times. They cost nothing except maybe a gym membership or a couple of 15-pound [weights] that you can use in your home,’ she said.
‘Those toned arms that are the envy of every woman, not just 45-year-old women, but 25-year-old women don’t have arms that toned.’
In the same interview, Michelle revealed how Barack tried to politely call out his daughters’ revealing clothing while he was president, although she shut him down.
The couple’s two daughters, Malia, now 27, and Sasha, now 24, were just eight and 10 when they were thrust into the limelight and parents Barack and Michelle had to make sure they were dressed appropriately for public outings.
However, when they were away from the limelight, Malia and Sasha were allowed to make their own fashion choices – which sometimes sparked a reaction from Barack.
‘I took it for what it was, pure hypocrisy,’ Michelle said in response to critics over her outfits
Michelle’s wardrobe choices were scrutinized during her husband Barack Obama’s two terms
Lifting the lid, Michelle said: ‘So we had a deal – ‘You work with [my stylist] Meredith [Koop] when dressing for public events.’
‘What’s ‘in’ for a 13-year-old is not acceptable walking down the staircase of Air Force One.
‘It was like, ‘When you’re with us, you’re like me, you’re on a job. And so your choices can’t lead, but you can be a part of the process.’
‘Meredith worked with them and she had those [fashion] fights. But in their own world it was all them.’
Michelle then revealed her husband sometimes had a hard time with his daughter’s outfits.
‘Barack would be like, ‘Those shorts seem really short.’ And I was like, ‘Don’t say anything. Let them cook,” she added.
