The Look

by Michelle Obama, Meredith Koop, Farah Jasmine Griffin (Foreword)

Genres: Nonfiction, Fashion, Memoir, History, Politics, Biography, Photography

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 4, 2025

About the author

Michelle Obama served as First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, Mrs. Obama started her career as an attorney at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she met her future husband, Barack Obama. She later worked in the Chicago mayor’s office, at the University of Chicago, and at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Mrs. Obama also founded the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an organization that prepares young people for careers in public service. She is the author of the #1 global bestseller Becoming and the #1 national bestseller American Grown. The Obamas currently live in Washington, D.C., and have two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

Reviews

[Rhina M. Finley · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I may be bias but I’m a big fan of Michelle Obama. This is one giant book filled with beautiful photography and passages of Mrs. Obama’s style and elegance… dare I say legacy. She embodies gracefulness, classy, and versatility through each page. I loved how as a First Lady she challenged the norms through her fashion but most of all her persona.

[Vanessa M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nurturing a strong sense of self is a constant battle--and one I am committed to. It's a reciprocal, inside-out experience. That confidence translates to how you carry yourself in that outfit. And yet confidence is not something anyone can purchase and put on. It's hard work to stay grounded in such a competitive and often superficial world, when there's so much attention, too often negative, surrounding our physical appearance--especially as we get older. And so I'm not going to let every new wrinkle or gray hair make me question my worth. I know that I feel better when I am taking care of myself --both physically and mentally.

--Michelle Obama

I remember standing in line to enter the Renwick Gallery in Washington DC on Mother's Day 2016. When I turned around to survey my surroundings and saw the White House, I was gobsmacked. The Trump family had settled in but the wistfulness and collective missing of the Obamas was still clearly felt in the city. Michelle herself had visited the gallery a week before.

"Hi Mom--Happy Mother's Day! Guess where I'm standing? In front of the White House!!" I screeched into my tiny cell phone.

We'd see our mothers for Mother's Day a little later on but for that morning we were acclimating ourselves to the logistics of travel to DC for my husband's upcoming work event. We visited The Renwick Gallery and had lunch.

On the way to finding a restaurant, The Black women of the city were adding an exquisite elegance to the gray streets with their outfits, confidence, and elan: dresses with chic matching hats and heels, hair beautifully coiffed in an array of different attractive styles.

I felt exhilarated. I was a sloppy hick from the sticks and appreciated taking in the beauty of those ladies as they strutted in and out of various restaurants.

Throughout her many world travels, Michelle Obama was significant not only as a style icon or a person of power and authority, but also as an aspirational figure, someone who invited her audience to join her in a project of making the world a better and more just place. At home and abroad, she was future-oriented--explaining that the world is ours to make so let's get to work. And work she did. As First Lady she was constantly in motion--dancing, running, racing, interacting with children, gardening, laughing. She was dignity and grace while standing beside world leaders--tall, confident, controlled, ceremonial. When necessary, she was mournful, such as when she attended the funeral of Hadiya Pendleton, a Chicago teenager who had been shot to death days after she performed with her high school band at inauguration events in Washington, one of many young people lost to senseless gun violence. Throughout her time in the East Wing, Mrs. Obama fully embodied her role--she was a multidimensional, real person even as she became more and more of an icon.

--Farah Jasmine Griffin, in the foreword

I look up to and admire Michelle Obama very much. In The Look, I was treated to a feast of the senses with Mrs. Obama's engaging text talking about her style evolution as she rose to the spotlight as a senator's, then as a president's wife and beyond. The large, sumptuous photographs were a treat. It was a pleasure to revisit some of her First Lady looks and also to see and read about the beautiful braids she sported after leaving the White House.

The Obamas all carried themselves with class, grace, and a determined professionalism during Barack Obama's two terms. They were held to an unfair higher standard because their skin tones happen to be brown. It could be argued quite well that in comparison to past presidents' behaviors and proclivities, Barack Obama's personal conduct outclassed some of them. I'm still shocked and angered at what the vile woman mayor from West Virginia said about Michelle and her heels. I'm still shocked that just last night a conservative YouTuber is still making jokes about "Mike." C'mon!

Michelle Obama, along with many, many Black men and women, have inspired and influenced me. It boggles my mind that people who take such great care and time to look fabulous and are just tip-top people are scrutinized and viewed as 'other.' I'm so glad Michelle explained in The Look about the time it takes to care for and to style her hair. Wow!

If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire...if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores...if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote...if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time...if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream...and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love...then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream. Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country--the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle.

--Michelle Obama

[Andrea Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for fans of fashion. It’s not just pretty pictures (though there are plenty of those), but Ms. Obama explains her approach to her clothing and the importance of style choices for the First Lady in our media environment.

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world where stepping out as your best self comes with being under constant scrutiny, no better book than The Look shows up. It isn’t just a step back in time. It is history in the making. This is the best look into what goes into putting a look for our First Lady together for trips, meetings, allowing her to feel her best while looking her best. It wasn’t just about the role of First Lady but showing us that we all can be whoever we want to be, showing up in the style we want, keeping in touch with our culture and being accessible with each other on our own terms.Choosing designers on purpose that were not well known during the road to becoming First Lady and living the life for eight years makes all her looks all the more meaningful. It’s an emotional read for me, reading the words of the designers who watched her take center stage as First Lady while she wore their designs. I appreciate her for putting this out. I wish I hadn’t finished it in 3 hours. Couldn’t help myself. LOL!

[Kasey Bone · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wildly disappointing. She understandably complains about having to conform to white beauty standards, but didn’t do anything to challenge those standards until after she left the White House/spotlight. She had an incredible opportunity to change the very thing she complained about.

In this political climate, it feels extremely tone deaf to complain about your hair.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning!!!! Michelle Obama is the epitome of poise, intelligence, and humor. I cherish every opportunity I get to read her words and gather insight about her thoughts.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful “coffee table” book with gorgeous photos of stunning clothes and fascinating narration about the clothes, Michelle Obama’s life and being a Black woman in America. She never loses sight of her place in history and how her clothes reflect and affect her image. It is exhausting to read about just how much work it took to maintain her image for the 8 years she was First Lady. It is interesting how much freer she felt about her “image” once she left the White House and how her clothing and her hair reflected that sense of freedom. (Still a lot of work to maintain!) My only ding on the book is that I would have liked more descriptions of the clothes besides who the designer was and what the occasion was. Also having those descriptions on the same page as the photo would have been better than having to flip back and forth between the photos and the list of credits in the back.
Otherwise this is a fascinating peek inside the world of high fashion and the life of Michelle Obama.

[Andria Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book, filled with wonderful photos of her outfits but especially some of her gorgeous dresses. This was a lovely coffee table book. I say coffee table book because it's a large book and heavy to hold, but definitely worth getting and reading. Even if you aren't a democrat, you might like the dresses regardless. They are simply lovely. Michelle Obama is also a wonderful person. Had it been a vote between Michelle Obama and Kamala Harris? I'd have voted for Michelle Obama in a heartbeat. 5 ⭐.

[Pedram Lajevardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book because I’ve always admired Michelle Obama, and I expected it to explore the pressures and nuances of having to “look good” as First Lady. The book does begin with that idea, discussing how women, especially women in public roles, are often reduced to their physical appearance.

But Michelle Obama goes further. She reflects on what it meant to be the first Black First Lady: the need to defy stereotypes, foster inclusivity, and still find a way to stay true to herself. Through it all, she shares how she worked to remain authentic, not just in how she looked, but in how she led, connected, and lived.

There are also a few sections written (and narrated in the audiobook) by artists who worked closely with her. These voices are a testament to just how open, and welcoming Michelle truly is.

The foreword by Farah Jasmine Griffin is especially beautiful, and I actually went back and read it again at the end. It reminded me of Michelle Obama’s authenticity and dignity, and left me thinking: this is exactly why I’ve always been so fond of her.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I'm not what anybody would consider a fashion person, but it really is interesting to take a deep dive into how what you wear conveys about you and your message. It took a team of people to research events and locations and the purpose of them in order to give Michelle choices about how she would present herself to the world. She was constantly scrutinized, and what she wore sent a message. Really interesting book that I highly recommend, even though parts of it made me teary remembering how wonderful it was to have her as first lady.

[KRISTY · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely a "fluff" read or in my case, listen. This came up as a suggested audiobook on Spotify. I'm sure the actual book is filled with all kinds of pictures to show the different looks she mentions. I felt like you could tell everyone was reading from a script - nothing about it felt authentic even when it was the person's true account. Too polished, too robotic? Nothing wrong with the content - it's exactly as the name implies - nothing more, nothing less. Just an inside scoop on how her style evolved before, during, and after being the first lady 🤷

[Chrisanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Look: The couture and style of Michelle Obama.

The Look: The publicly performative view of the First Lady of the United States---both a box to fit in and expand upon.

The Look: The act of the viewer(and their expectations, prior bias, personal opinions) gazing at Michelle Obama.

Brilliantly coined title. Gorgeous photography. And lovely clothes.

There's a lot to unpack here and I think that it's explained well. While my perceptions of the Obamas have changed as they aged(this happens to me with most public figures as they, and I, age) and as I read his first volume of his autobiography, I think Michelle very astutely captures a lot of the problems with and benefits of roles, clothes, sex, and race and their intersection.

That said, I skimmed the essays from others. I remain in awe that given the complexities of the role and just life that Michelle still performed her role gracefully and with her own style. It's a far cry from some who really seemed to have differing goals and almost seem silently protesting something. I'm not saying they don't have something to protest. I'm sure that Michelle could be on that list---she herself notes the sacrifice it was with her work, family, and life--- to uproot their family and move to DC. I'm saying I'm impressed that it doesn't show in her dress and the photos.

I can also appreciate that our styles change as our lives change and as we get more comfortable in our skin. There's often a notable change in outward presentation as women age. Some begin to fight it more apparently and others settle more solidly/comfortably into their core identity. For women, there's a shift that seems to happen around 35 and another around menopause. I could be wrong but it's just what I've observed.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visually stunning and written beautifully; this is a wonderful account of 1st Lady Michelle Obama’s style journey from The White House years and after. I read it online and can’t wait to see this book in person.

[Tulika Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down one of the most admired women in my list. She is the definition of perfection. Intelligence, charm, wit, and an icon, she has it all.
Her books are an inspiration and real, exactly what you need in today’s time. What keeps you going strong and victorious.

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter brought this home for me. We immediately pored over the pictures. So beautiful, so much history, so many memories of those years… Later, I started reading the copy thinking it might explain a detail or two… nope. It really is a memoir.

I figured there couldn’t be that much in there that wasn’t already covered in Becoming. Wrong again. She expands on her intentional choices of how to present the Black First Lady. Her clear admiration and respect for the team that helped her realize this vision reminds us of a time when collaboration, hope, and representation were honored norms. It also explains how important image is as a public power, but also how vital it is to embody that image in a way that augments the real person embodying it. She made it seem so effortless at the time that her homage to her team was moving and eye-opening.

This element of her story is fascinating and illuminating. Of course it is. And as usual, she rises above every expectation. What a gift!

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! I listened on audio and looked at the photos in the hardback. I've always been fascinated by fashion (I could have stayed all day in the Presidents' Wives' Dresses room at the Smithsonian when I was in middle school), and this was such a neat photographic (and written) experience. I also feel like I learned a lot about Michelle Obama's journey and cultural stigmas, etc. It was written and curated with such grace and poise.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting to see how much work went into portraying Michelle Obama’s look, and yet the negative press she would still receive.

[Sara Glotzbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book and loved learning about her team and all that goes into staying a First Lady! Gorgeous pictures!

[Cynthia Gannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME!! Loved every story and every picture! Well done.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent narrative👏 and photographs📸!

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stunningly beautiful book! I have so much respect and admiration for Michelle Obama and pre-ordered this latest book by her as soon as it was available. The pictures alone are worth getting the book for, but her writing and that of her team adds so much behind the scenes detail regarding all that goes into making her ready for public appearances. She stands out as the classiest First Lady of all time, not to mention the most intentional and inspirational one as well.

[Shannon Choi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Politics aside, I respect Michelle’s dignity, strength, and autonomy. I spent an afternoon reading through this book at Barnes and Noble, and it was an absolute delight to celebrate another woman finding and using her voice, influence, and style for good.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a certain kind of power that walks into a room without raising its voice. A power that doesn’t have to announce itself because it has already rearranged the air, softened it, sharpened it, dyed it the faintest shade of awe.

The Look is a book about that power—not the power of fashion as costume, nor fashion as vanity, but fashion as the architecture of presence. Michelle Obama’s presence, to be precise. And from the first page you realise this book is less about clothes than about the body moving through history, about a Black woman in the White House choosing fabric like choosing language, like choosing how to be seen in a country that has never been neutral about seeing her.

Meredith Koop and Farah Jasmine Griffin understand this intimately; their collaboration creates a tri-voiced meditation on image, identity, and intentional selfhood, so fluid it reads like jazz. “All the world’s a stage,” Shakespeare once said, and Michelle Obama seems to have responded, calmly, confidently, “Fine. Then let me decide the lighting.”

What strikes you, reading The Look, is how seamlessly it braids the personal with the political. Michelle Obama has always been a master of the double register—warm yet guarded, relatable yet unreachable—and this book becomes another lens through which to examine that. Through her clothes, we see her strategy.

Through Koop’s behind-the-scenes precision, we see the labour. Through Griffin’s scholarship, we see the history. And it all folds into one sweeping narrative about how a woman—this woman—crafted a visual language that said more than any speechwriter ever could.

The thing about Michelle Obama is that she understands how America watches. She learnt early that a single dress could be a thesis statement, a rebuttal, a lightning rod, or a balm. When she wore that lemongrass-yellow Isabel Toledo on Inauguration Day 2009, it wasn’t just colour; it was optimism you could touch. It was the brightness of dawn against the grey weight of tradition.

Later, when she appeared in that white, one-shouldered Jason Wu gown at the Inaugural Ball, she didn’t just look luminous—she looked like someone stepping into a role she did not audition for but would perform with mythic grace. Clothes, in these moments, become prophecy.

Koop’s voice in the book is particularly compelling, because she pulls the curtain back without tearing it. She explains the logic behind a neckline, the diplomacy behind a hemline, and the quiet calculus behind every public appearance. Choosing a blouse becomes an act of negotiation.

Selecting a designer becomes a political gesture. The stakes are high enough to leave scorch marks. And yet, there is humour—surprising, sly humour—in the way Koop remembers the chaos of fittings, the mishaps, and the improvisations. You begin to understand that style is not the opposite of vulnerability; it is one of its most articulate forms.

But then Griffin enters, with prose that moves like a scholar and sings like a griot, and the entire book tilts into deeper terrain. She places Michelle Obama’s fashion narrative into a lineage of Black women who have used dress as a strategy: to survive, to thrive, to deflect, and to claim.

Griffin speaks of enslaved women who stitched pockets into petticoats when they had no legal right to own anything; of civil rights activists who wore their Sunday best to communicate dignity in a world determined to deny them; of artists who used costume as rebellion.

In this context, Michelle Obama’s clothing becomes a continuation of a centuries-long conversation about self-presentation under the gaze of power. “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown,” Shakespeare wrote, but Griffin gently reminds us: uneasy lies the body that must transcend the gaze.

And then we return to Michelle—her reflections soft, candid, almost intimate—as she recounts how each outfit carried emotional history. That Naeem Khan gown worn at the state dinner for India was more than gold embroidery; it was a diplomatic embrace. The bold prints she wore in Ghana were more than aesthetic choices; they were portals to ancestry.

The casual cardigan she wore on The View became a national debate, as if a sweater could destabilise the republic. There is something absurd in all this, and yet painfully revealing: the body of a First Lady is always a public text, and Michelle Obama learnt to annotate hers with intention.

What makes the book soar, though, is the way it treats style as story. Clothes become chapters. Fabrics become subplots. Accessories become parenthetical emotions. Everything is narrative. Michelle Obama never claims she was trying to write history with her fashion, but she acknowledges that her body was going to be historic whether she liked it or not.

And so she dressed for that weight—not to glamorise it but to bear it. If Shakespeare gave us “the apparel oft proclaims the man”, then Michelle Obama gives us its evolution: apparel proclaims the moment.

One of the most emotionally resonant sections in the book involves the tension between visibility and invisibility. Michelle writes about the relief of slipping into workout clothes, the luxury of anonymity, and the brief joy of walking through a public space without anyone snapping photos. Freedom, she suggests, is not always the ability to be seen; sometimes it is the rare privilege of not being watched. Her running shoes become metaphors for escape.

Her denim becomes camouflage. Her hoodies become the softest rebellion she can afford. And through this, you feel the ache of someone who lived eight years in a spotlight she never asked for.

The book also does something else—something rare. It honours the team. The stylists, tailors, designers, assistants, archivists, pattern-cutters, cleaners, and planners. All the invisible hands that help a woman look effortless. Koop’s sections are filled with gratitude, with name after name, like a whispered roll call of creativity and labour. And this generous attention to the collective reminds you that power is never solitary. The myth of the self-made woman dissolves here. Michelle Obama became an icon because she stood at the intersection of her own vision and a community that believed in it.

There are moments that feel almost cinematic—Koop describing the rush before an event, designers frantically tailoring by hand, Michelle stepping into a dress seconds before walking out the door. You want to freeze these scenes like frames in a film. Because the weight of history is heavy, but the making of it is strangely mundane. It lives in pins, steamers, garment bags, traffic delays, and malfunctioning zippers. And through these small details, the woman becomes human again.

We also see Michelle Obama in private joy—dancing in a gown, laughing at a fashion fail, savouring the beauty of craft—and these glimpses feel like sunlight through the curtains. They remind us that pleasure, too, is political. That delight can be resistance. That a woman loving the way she looks—loving it without apology—is, in its own quiet way, revolutionary.

The book’s emotional high point is its return to the idea of legacy. Not legacy as statues or portraits, but as stories stitched into fabric. Years from now, people will remember that red Michael Kors suit. That midnight-blue Vera Wang. That shimmering Atelier Versace chainmail. They will remember not because the garments were extraordinary (though they often were) but because the woman inside them changed the country simply by standing in it.

By the final pages, you feel something settle—something like reverence, something like resolve. Because The Look is not about fashion at all. It is about self-authorship. About a woman claiming the right to decide how she moves through the world. About using beauty not as ornament but as agency. Michelle Obama crafted her public self the way a great writer crafts a sentence: deliberately, rhythmically, with awareness of context, with respect for audience, with love for her own voice.

And there is a moment, late in the book, when she reflects on the dresses archived in the Smithsonian—fossils of a life lived in motion—and she wonders what stories the fabrics will tell long after she is gone.

And the truth is unmistakable: they will whisper that she walked through fire and did not burn. That she stood among marble statues and did not become stone. That she carried not only her own weight but the weight of expectation, history, race, femininity, and scrutiny—and wore it like silk.

When you close the book, you feel the echo of Shakespeare trailing behind you: “Though she be but little, she is fierce.” Not little in stature, but in the sense of being one person against an empire of eyes. Fierce in the sense of surviving them.

The Look is, ultimately, a love letter to presence—crafted by three women who understand that style is not what you wear, but what you choose to become.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ache of a nostalgia trip, like heartburn after a great meal. God what a time. We really thought some silk georgette from Jason Wu could fix all our problems....

The best tidbit: the entire time Michelle Obama (and Meredith Koop) were doing ALL THAT to indelibly transform American fashion forever, her husband had one (1) tuxedo that he wore to every single event for 8 years.

[Adrian Klackers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Look — Michelle Obama (4 November 2025)

📦 A life in clothes. A story told in fabric and form.
💥 A memoir of style, politics, and identity, richly illustrated with 200+ photographs.
📍 From Chicago childhood to White House gowns to post First Lady candour.
🗝 Confidence, representation, authenticity. Obama reclaims her fashion narrative, showing how choices in dress became choices in message.

What if every outfit was a speech?

Michelle Obama’s The Look is both memoir and cultural document. Co written with stylist Meredith Koop, it traces her journey through the lens of clothing: the childhood thrift finds, the professional suits, the iconic gowns that became symbols of representation. The book’s rhythm is visual and reflective, pairing photographs with commentary that reframes fashion as language.

Obama writes candidly about the pressures of visibility, the scrutiny of public life, and the deliberate choices behind every ensemble. The narrative’s pulse lies in duality: personal authenticity versus public expectation, style as armour versus style as invitation. She reveals how clothing became a medium for confidence, cultural dialogue, and political symbolism — from the bold colours worn during campaigns to the understated elegance of state dinners.

The detail is vivid: the stitching of gowns, the symbolism of fabrics, the way accessories were chosen to signal inclusion or resilience. Obama shows how fashion was never frivolous but strategic, a way of communicating values without words. Her reflections move seamlessly between the intimate — childhood shopping trips, the comfort of familiar fabrics — and the global stage, where every outfit was dissected by media and public opinion.

This is not a book about clothes alone; it is about how identity is performed, protected, and projected. The Look demonstrates how style can be both armour against criticism and invitation to dialogue, both personal expression and cultural power.

If you like memoirs that treat style as substance, The Look delivers the same moral resonance as dramas where appearance itself becomes political.

💭 “Clothes can welcome people in — or keep them away.”
💭 “Confidence cannot be put on; it must be lived.”

📚 Why @KlacksReads recommends: Because it reframes fashion as cultural power, showing how style can be both armour and invitation.

@KlacksReads · London · 14 November 2025

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know much (anything) about fashion but I am happy to read up on whatever Michelle Obama wishes to share with us. She has a particular place in US history and like with other First Ladies, her clothing, wardrobe, hair, etc. were all going to be analyzed, scrutinized, criticized, etc. I never cared one way or another at all but really didn't like the unnecessary focus, either. This looks at the evolution and changes of her clothing and fashion with the passage of time and obviously the roles her husband took.

It is a style journey with tons of pictures and some words from her about her clothing, her choices, where she was at that time, etc. Having read this as an e-book I'm not sure the pictures did her looks justice (it's definitely more of a coffee table book).

That's pretty much it. As someone who does not care or know anything about fashion I would say that it is overall a big shrug but I fully respect why she would have a book like this. And the pictures are beautiful. Will you gain much historical/political/social insight? You might glean some from her words but this is not not that type of book. If you like fashion, though, and/or are have a specific interest in the fashion of First Ladies, this would be a book to have on your shelf.

Will this change minds? No, this is not that type of book and nothing she could write would change your minds anyway. Is this a beautiful coffee table book? Absolutely. Is it a reference if you care about fashion or First Ladies or want to view a certain aspect of former First Lady Michelle Obama? Sure.

Borrowed via the library and that was best for me.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book underscores the pressure of being symbolic whether you want to be or not, and the emotional labor that comes with carrying that weight every single day. One could argue that Michelle Obama might benefit from not reading the comments section—but that’s far easier said than done, especially for someone who is clearly as empathetic, compassionate, and deeply tuned in as she is.

Ultimately, The Look Book succeeds because it reframes fashion as strategy. What could have been a mere coffee-table book —and it is— becomes something more substantive: a thoughtful exploration of visibility, power, and the impossible expectations placed on a woman who was never allowed to simply get dressed and walk out the door. I’m jealous of her Cape Cod estate, but she may be jealous of our ability to go to Giant in a Sponge Bob hoodie.

I began the book on audio and was pretty much enjoying it when I noticed the kindle copy was also available at the library—so I switched formats. That turned out to be the right call. This is very much a visual experience, and seeing the designer sketches and finished looks adds a whole additional layer. As a longtime Project Runway fan and someone interested in strong branding, I found this combination of fashion imagery, strategic thinking, and even history in the making especially fun.

[Joseph J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long admired the Obamas. Twice "Michelle's husband" received my vote. But initially I was unsure-a bit disappointed-that the former First Lady would introduce a lavish volume about fashion and style in this time of rising food prices and government shutdowns not to mention gilded Oval Offices and ballrooms. Surprised to see it at our local library I checked it out and...it is a beautiful book and I learned about fashion statement and all involved in dressing to represent this country here and abroad. I recalled the first inauguration day and my late mother's exclamation of approval at the "lemongrass" ensemble. Beautiful but I thought Michelle must be cold and 'guess I was right. The two Inaugural gowns I saw at the Smithsonian, and the 2012 Demo Convention dress. The Tom Ford and Buckingham Palace, and the real reason for the bangs. Indeed, all of THE "LOOKS" are here in this lush volume. A worthy companion to photographer Souza's volume on "her husband," and a nice complement to the MET MUSEUM's 2001 exhibit of Jacqueline Kennedy's wardrobe and that accompanying catalogue for those who enjoyed that.

[Kristine Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so much more than a coffee table book! This is a collection of powerful and stunning images of the first Black First Lady. The stories that she and her team share give us a glimpse into a time when the white house was filled with true grace, class, and style. As a Black woman, these images make me proud, emotional and thankful that during my lifetime I was able to witness this family in the white house. One of the things I have noticed is that anytime I read an article about Michelle, either on-line or wherever it was also negative and attacking her looks. As a Black woman you attack her, you are attacking all of us... This piece of iconic history feels like an appropriate slap in the face to white supremacist notions of beauty which at some point in time has affected all of us in one way or another. I am so proud to have this book be a part of my permanent home library collection.

[Eric Engle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Look by Michelle Obama tracks her fashion sense and social commentary in a delightful and engaging manner. The book features many pictures of her at various ages and in many settings, from schoolgirl to young woman to first lady. The colors and fashion choices are revealing, bold, and with vibrant yet tasteful colors patterns, and textured textiles. Her social commentaries on her remarkable life experiences are insightful, giving the reader a view into worlds which we may not know yet. I expect this book will be useful for young women considering a career in the public eye, whether in fashion or social engagement, business, or politics. A truly enjoyable book, if you have a young woman in your life who is thinking of all the possibilities this book might well inspire her into any of the various roles Obama has played. I enjoyed the book, and I do recommend it.