Michelle Obama's book tour has been one of the brighter parts of 2018. The former US First Lady has brought her signature humour and optimism around the world as she discusses her best-selling memoir, Becoming.
Obama's style has always been reflective of who she is - warm, hopeful and elegant. When she first arrived at the White House, she impressed with her affordable J Crew classics and her eye for bright colour. As her star rises even higher, this time round her refined wardrobe is characterised by a newfound love of tailoring and pieces in angelic white. Gone are the pencil skirts and cropped cardigans in favour of Emilia Wickstead belted jumpsuits or sequinned Balmain suits - Obama truly knows who she is.
But her latest outfit - a neon yellow, draped Balenciaga dress teamed with glittering thigh-high boots - is her boldest to date, and proof that Obama is well and truly relishing the freedom that comes with not being First Lady.
She chose the look for a New York event promoting her book with Sarah Jessica Parker, another woman known for her boundary-pushing style. It isn't easy to surpass Carrie Bradshaw in the fashion stakes, but few would disagree that Obama mastered it.
As anyone with a modicum of fashion knowledge will attest, Balenciaga is the brand of the moment, with creative director Demna Gvasalia reimagining the house's signatures for a modern audience. It's not a label one might associate with a former First Lady, which is exactly why Obama's latest style choice is such a triumph. The look is taken from Balenciaga's spring/summer 2019 show, when it was styled with black thigh-high boots which Obama swapped for a glitter version.
As with everything we wear, the messaging is either subliminal or highly considered. Either way, Obama's sartorial message is clear. From the colour to silhouette to the boots, this is a woman who is brimming with confidence, optimism and strength.
See Michelle Obama through the lens of a White House photographer
