Former US First Lady, Michelle Obama has detailed the immense public pressure which she termed the “white hot glare” that governed her fashion choices during her time in the White House, arguing she and her family were held to a higher standard than others.
Obama, 61, made the remarks while promoting her new book, The Look, where she explains how she used her attire as a form of “soft power” to send messages to the public.
In an interview with ABC News’ 20/20, the former First Lady stressed that the scrutiny was uniquely amplified by race.
“We were all too aware that as a first black couple, we couldn’t afford any missteps.And that as a black woman, I was under a particularly white hot glare,” she wrote in her book.
Obama argued that this pressure was unfair, stating, “We didn’t get the grace that I think some other families have gotten.”
She explained the high stakes of every choice in a hostile political environment: “Making a mistake in a political environment where you’re the first and people are where your opponents are using your race as a fear-based strategy to make you seem like the other, then everything matters.”
While she initially viewed discussions of her wardrobe as a “distraction” from her work, Obama now feels the time is right to reflect on her style choices.
She explained that “Style and fashion, and how we show up in the world is an important way that we send a message.”
She continued, “What you’re wearing says something about what you care about.” She also addressed the “tendency for certain designers to feel like they own the first lady,” which she worked to counter to ensure opportunities were not blocked for other designers.
Obama complained that cultural attacks often begin with a woman’s appearance, stating, “If somebody wants to go after a woman, the first thing they do is go after our looks, our size, our physical being, as a way to, you know, make us feel small.”
Despite the drama, Obama insists she is now enjoying a new phase of life. “You know, there’s something about the 60s. It is the best time of my life now that my daughters are launched and doing well,” she said.
“My husband’s settled. There’s a certain freedom that I feel I’m at that stage in life where I can say, ‘Yeah, maybe I know a few things.’”
