Michelle Obama's "Right To Bare Arms"

Monday, March 2, 2009

Yes, Michelle has that right, and she exercises it well! Plus, she is the only first lady who has inspired me to fine-tune my own fitness regime and resume my pilates workout! Some people have made a big deal about Michelle's sleeveless outfits, but in consideration of the constant comparisons to Jackie-O and overall obsession with Michelle Obama's style overall, I am not really all that concerned with the fashion world's critique of her look.

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"Up In Arms: Michelle Obama's Sleeveless Style Sparks Controversy," Huffington Post, February 27, 2009

Michelle Obama made the sleeveless dress something of a signature look this past week, choosing to bare her arms four times in seven days.

The First Lady impressed many, but also made a few waves on Tuesday night when she broke with tradition and wore a sleeveless Narciso Rodriguez dress to the President's address before Congress. Opinion was divided over whether it was appropriate to show so much skin at such a ceremonial event.

"'Does the lady not understand that these Big Speech Events are serious and important? Not a cocktail party?'" wrote one Chicago Tribune reader. "''The season is winter. The occasion is business. Dress was wrong place and time.'"

Social Secretary Desiree Rogers defended the decision, telling the Washington Post that Mrs. Obama's feeling is "If I want to wear no sleeves to hear my husband speak, that's what I'm going to do."

After appearing in a (relatively) conservative houndstooth suit last Friday, the First Lady went sleeveless in a purple Jason Wu dress to speak to culinary students in the White House kitchen on Sunday afternoon. That night she co-hosted a black-tie dinner for the nation's governors (along with her husband, the President), donning a sparkly strapless gown by Chicago native Peter Soronen.

The next night, on Wednesday, she went sleeveless again with an emerald Kai Milla dress to the White House's Stevie Wonder concert.

On Friday, the First Lady again went bare in her official portrait released by the White House, in which she appears in a black Michael Kors dress, and on the cover of People magazine, for which she wore a pink Tracy Reese sheath.

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"Michelle Obama's Right To Bare Arms," People's StyleWatch Section, February 27, 2009:

It may be February and freezing, but Michelle Obama is heating up D.C. with her toned arms — often bared and on display in the First Lady’s fearless fashion choices. From the Inaugural Ball, where Obama showed off her shoulders and arms in a Jason Wu strapless gown, to the pink Tracy Reese frock she chose for her PEOPLE cover, her lean limbs are what everyone is buzzing about. But don’t think they come that easily. Her workout regimen includes cardio, calisthenics and weights, she told PEOPLE when she was on the campaign trail in 2007, and don’t forget good old-fashioned pushups. “It’s jump squats, you go down into a pushup then you jump up,” she said then about her routine. “What does [my trainer] call it? Squat thrusts! That’s the one I really hate. Squat thrusts with a pushup.” Celebrity trainer Elisa Gulan said not only push-ups, but probably light weights and heavy repetition helped sculpt her arms. “She has amazing tone and definition, but her arms are also sleek and streamlined,” said Gulan, whose clients include actress Becky Newton and host Terry Seymour. “You don’t get arms like that just from being on a diet.” And how does the American public feel about her predilection for sleeveless dresses? In a USA Today poll, 2,600 readers weighed in on whether it’s appropriate for the First Lady to go sleeveless so often. Forty percent said, “Yes, she’s a modern first lady,” 11 percent said, “No, it seems too informal.” The remaining 49 percent said, “Who cares [DASH] it’s her decision.” After all, voters did choose change in November!
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Yes, it is winter, and yes, bare arms have not been such a common stylistic choice for many first ladies, but Michelle is quite young and therefore has various options that would not be suitable for older women. Plus, her arms are incredibly toned (and rightfully so, considering her very dedicated work out regime to maintain her sleek physique). Despite a relatively widespread desire to watch and critique Michelle Obama's every beauty move (from her hair down to her nail color), I am a big fan of women defining their own beauty and choosing what works for themselves. Have I always liked Michelle's dresses or hair style choices? Nope. But do I respect her right to choose what works best for her? Completely. I'm sure there are some people in my life who have questioned my love for wearing eyeliner, red lipstick, or a certain hairstyle, but do I care? Nope. I do what works for me (I spent a good deal of my college years trying out different hair colors, haircuts, braid styles, contact lens colors, and even wore bindis for a while, so I can honestly say that I have experimented with various looks and evolved my "look" over time). I think women should follow the lead of Michelle's independence and choose their own style, despite what others think or say.


A photo compilation of Michelle and her lovely arms: (credit: Afterellen.com)







Stylelist.com has also compiled a nice list of Michelle's photos (23 total) - Click on link below:

Michelle Obama on Stylelist.com