Michelle Obama's Most Inappropriate Outfits We'll Never Forget
Since Jacqueline Kennedy, has any First Lady of the United States been more of a style icon than Michelle Obama? The former FLOTUS made herself instantly relatable by regularly eschewing designer garments in favor of more affordable brands, like J. Crew. In fact, Obama got a ton of shade from American designers for not opting to wear their pieces more often. We, however, generally appreciate Michelle Obama's casually relatable style — except for the times she got it, well, wrong.
Everybody makes the occasional fashion faux pas, but if you're a first lady, you can guarantee yours will be noticed more than most. Though the vast majority of Obama's fashion choices were beloved by the general public, even she suffered the occasional style slip-up. The fashion line she was obliged to walk was sometimes paper thin, meaning she was spotted more than once either underdressed or overdressed for any given occasion. We can forgive the odd style blunder now and again, but there are definitely some more inappropriate Michelle Obama fashion moments we'll never forget.
Michelle Obama's dress may have been too expensive for the Pope
Though it may seem like an appropriate choice to wear a designer dress when meeting as important a figure as the Pope, Michelle Obama's powder-blue Carolina Herrera dress might have been a little too smart. The dress boasted a price tag of over $2,000, and, given that the Pope has regularly criticized capitalism and excessive wealth, a less expensive (but similarly stunning) dress may have been a better choice.
Several dresses nearly flashed photographers
Sure, this knee-length skirt worn by former FLOTUS Michelle Obama is a cute, stylish choice, but when will first ladies learn that voluminous skirts aren't the best choice when deplaning from Air Force One? The fact that she's holding her skirt down in the above photo is proof that even first ladies aren't immune to the power of the wind, which can lead to embarrassing snapshots if you're not careful.
Was this dress too informal for a Congress session?
Is it just us, or does it look like the woman standing next to Michelle Obama is giving her a bit of side-eye? It could be because of the dress she wore to her first joint session of Congress. Though the dress doesn't appear inappropriate at first glance, the former FLOTUS should have inquired about the Congressional dress code, which requires women to have their shoulders covered when wearing a dress.
The FLOTUS' stunning DNC dress raised some eyebrows
Obviously, Michelle Obama is toned as anything, and we don't blame her for grabbing any opportunity to show it off. Her sleeveless pink dress, however, may have been too casual a choice for the Democratic National Convention, and she received some backlash for not covering her shoulders.
Was this Kids' Choice Awards outfit too juvenile?
Now, we're not saying that Michelle Obama should have dressed to the nines for the 2012 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, but we do wonder whether this 'fit was the best choice. We can let the sparkly top pass, but the First Lady decided to pair the top with jeggings — a bit of a juvenile choice for a woman in such a prominent position.
Michelle Obama's sleeveless dress was the subject of much controversy
Michelle Obama's first official White House portrait garnered attention from the masses — and not because she looked stunning in the photo. Rather, ABC News reported that she was widely criticized for her outfit, as her sleeveless dress was too revealing to be business attire. Moreover, she wore the dress during winter, leading some of the public to wonder why she'd pick something so "out-of-season."
Her attire for meeting Queen Elizabeth II was too casual
When meeting Queen Elizabeth II back in 2009, Michelle Obama chose a classic sweater and skirt combo that seems innocuous enough at first glance — until you realize that she completed her ensemble with a cardigan from J. Crew. Now, we don't know about you, but we'd be inclined to wear something slightly more upscale than a cardigan to visit the queen. Later, designer Oscar de la Renta blasted this fashion choice in an interview with Women's Wear Daily.
One Alexander McQueen dress got mixed reviews
Surprisingly enough, the big, bold Alexander McQueen dress Michelle Obama wore to a state dinner with China wasn't blasted because of how it looked. Rather, Oscar de la Renta again called out the former FLOTUS, this time for wearing a European-made dress to the dinner, telling British Vogue, "My understanding is that the visit was to promote American-Chinese trade ... Why do you wear European clothes?" Personally, we think he makes a valid point.