Michelle O - Oh, that Stylish First Lady
Like, love or loathe her sense of style, Michelle Obama actually illustrates some great fashion rules that can easily be adapted by women today. She picks appropriate pieces based on her body type, she's not afraid of color and she has shown us that it's okay to repeat things in your wardrobe.
Michelle Obama is a pear shape, which means that her shoulders are narrower than her hips and she does have a defined waist. She understands that she should highlight her positive features, great arms, shoulders and a small waist. These are features shared by all pear shaped women. She also knows to de-emphasize her hips and thighs.
The picture on the left is a perfect example as she has chosen a dress that is light-colored on the top, which will highlight the positive area, and then, of course, a darker color on the bottom. Of course, she also knows to show off her great arms and shoulders by showing a little skin. Notice that the dress is also nipped in at the waist to show off the smallest part of her shape.
Being a pear, she also knows to stick to items like A-line skirts and dresses, and, like the picture to the right, straight leg trousers. This means the trousers fall straight down from the hip, instead of tapering in at the knee, or worse, at the ankle (ie tapered pants, skinny jeans, et cetera). This creates a nice long, lean line on the body and doesn't emphasize or cling to the hips.
I also love the jacket she has on, as again, nips in at the waist in order to show off her shape. It's also the appropriate length, unlike Hillary Clinton's jackets, (who is also a pear), as she wears her jackets way too long. When the jacket covers the hips, it actually accentuates that area. Notice Michelle's jacket sits just at or right above the hip bone. This brings her top half into balance with the bottom.
It's also clear, watching Michelle, that she's not afraid of color. I love this outfit because even in the conservative arena of politics, she's still able to do something other than black and white or the proverbial blue shirt and black pants.
With this outfit, she still chose to accentuate her waist with the belt, (and the placement of it - notice, it's not at the height like when you wear a pair of pants - it's higher than that because that is where she narrows in), yet the belt is just a darker hue of the color of the sweater. She chose the sweater by picking out one of the colors in the tweed skirt. The tweed skirt is actually very subtle in pattern and color. The belt, however, the smallest piece in the outfit, is the boldest/darkest color, and the white blouse, anchors it all. A classic,yet conservative outfit, with just a bit of color - so fun!
Lastly, as public as Michelle's life and wardrobe is, she has demonstrated that it's okay to repeat a few favorites from your wardrobe. I get asked all the time, "Is it okay to buy things in several colors, like a favorite pair of pants or comfortable heels?", and the answer is, absolutely! Michelle loves her Azzedine Alaïa belt. She's worn this belt numerous times, yet it always looks great; it's all in how you wear it and what you wear it with. She has worn it over a jacket, on top of a dress and so on...just as long as it shows off her small waist.
I think her wardrobe is fun and colorful. It's refreshing that it's not so formal. Once again, her sense of style accurately reflects her unique personality. If you want to know what your body type is, be able to walk into a store or your closet and put together a great flattering outfit, please contact me. I am happy to help.
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