Michelle Obama's Worst-Dressed Moments Of 2023
Michelle Obama rarely put a fashionable foot wrong during her time in the White House. She was lauded for her support of U.S. designers and commitment to mixing affordable style with haute couture. Vogue praised Michelle for being "one of the most stylish first ladies in history," and she graced the fashion bible's front cover three times during Barack Obama's time in office.
Michelle's inauguration look turned heads in January 2021. When the former FLOTUS attended President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' signing in, she wowed in a plum-colored dress and matching coat adorned with a gold waist belt by Sergio Hudson, per Harper's Bazaar. "I know there are more important things to address right now, but I cannot stop thinking about Michelle Obama's outfit and how awesome she looked yesterday," raved one commenter.
However, even Michelle has been caught in some eyebrow-raising outfits. Sure, she has never caused outrage by donning a controversial "I really don't care, do U?" jacket to visit a child migrant camp. Still, she has taken some fashion risks. Michelle brought the '80s back during her book tour for "The Light We Carry" in 2022. She channeled her inner Timberlake-Spears in a double denim ensemble by Ganni, a Copehagen-based label Grazia described as a hybrid high street and high-end label. Critics were divided over whether it was a fashion hit or miss. But some looks have been indisputably the latter. With that in mind, we're critiquing Michelle Obama's worst-dressed moments of 2023.
Sporty Spice
Michelle Obama was uncharacteristically unstylish when she attended the Wall Street Journal's Festival of Everything at Spring Studios in New York City in May 2023. She donned a shapeless bagging tracksuit in black sateen with white pearl chains embroidered on it. Michelle completed the look with a pair of black and white sneakers.
According to the WSJ, Michelle was a keynote speaker at the event, attended by the world's "top innovators, executives, and policymakers." Apparently, one of the subjects at hand was how we would dress in times to come. Given Michelle's outfit choice, it seems that the fashion future isn't all that bright.
Return of the double denim
Michelle Obama was back in fashion divisive double denim again in November 2023. This time, she wore electric blue wide-leg denim jeans and a cropped jacket with a tan-colored leather patch and gold buttons. Michelle completed the look with a brown roll-neck sweater and large gold hoop earrings.
She was marking the anniversary of "Becoming," which documents Michelle's transformation from her roots to motherhood to time in office. "I can't believe it's been five years since I released my memoir," she captioned a video of her celebratory party. "In many ways, it feels like a lifetime ago."
Bad ballot
Michelle Obama looked like she'd jumped out of bed and put on the first thing she saw when she posted a throwback of herself headed to the ballot box in October 2022. Michelle was hideously mismatched in a pair of unflattering high-waisted green wide-leg pants, a sateen bomber jacket with navy blue paneling, and a tiger print roll-neck T-shirt.
Still, despite the bad ensemble, Michelle wore it for a good cause. She was drawing attention to the importance of people getting out to vote at state elections around the U.S.
Knitted frock flounder
Michelle Obama suffered a fashion frock failure when she celebrated her wedding anniversary with Barack Obama in October 2023. She wore a cotton knit zig-zag patterned dress in lilac and black with an accompanying tie top in gray. The outfit screamed Moschino in style but Century 21 in design, taking her dedication to championing high street fashion to a new level.
"31 years and a lifetime to go. I love going through life with you by my side, @BarackObama. Happy anniversary, honey!" Michelle captioned an adorable photo of her and Barack grinning side by side.
Flaming fashion fail
Michelle Obama looked surprisingly frumpy as she engaged in some knitting in April 2023. She wore a white long-sleeved T-shirt with gold sateen flames and shapeless, baggy, wide-leg faded jeans. She matched the ensemble with matching yellow nail polish.
"In knitting, when you create the first stitch of a new project, you cast on," she captioned a pic of her sitting barefoot in a beige armchair. "When an item is finished, you bind off. Both of these actions, I've found, are incredibly satisfying bookends of something manageable and finite."
Double denim devotee
Michelle Obama continued with her quest to bring double denim back in August 2023. She wore a bright blue denim long belted jacket, matching wide-leg jeans, and a white vest top this time.
Michelle celebrated National Book Lovers Day by reading to enraptured kids. "As a new mom, I found such joy in sharing the magic of storytelling with my girls," she captioned a pic. "And as First Lady, I got to spend time reading with kids everywhere. To this day, it's something I look forward to whenever I have the chance."