Michelle Obama for Vogue

Nov 14

First Lady Michelle Obama in Atelier Versace for Vogue, photographed by Annie Leibovitz

Fashion Icon. Role Model.

Vogue sure knows how to time a cover. As the nation was still recovering from the shock of Tuesday's election results, the fashion magazine released its December cover featuring First Lady Michelle Obama. Following the frustrations of last week, I've been thinking a lot about the past eight years and how much I'm going to miss seeing the Obamas in the White House, and Michelle Obama in particular.

The job of First Lady is a peculiar one, with no set requirements or rules. Really, it's up to the individual woman to decide how she will spend her time, which organizations she will support, and so on. But Michelle Obama transformed the role of First Lady beyond that of America's housewife, using everything from social media to Carpool Karaoke to spread her own message.

Regardless of your political opinions on President Obama, over the past eight years Michelle Obama has won all of America over. Her style, for one, is seriously on-point. What I love most about Michelle's style is that she often wears designs from up-and-coming designers as well as classic American brands. When Michelle wears a design, it often sells out within hours, and she's given designers like Brandon Maxwell and Prabal Gurung a huge spotlight.

But she's not just a fashion icon. In this past year especially, Michelle Obama has proven that she is no political newbie. She campaigned on behalf of Hillary Clinton, and her speech at the Democratic National Convention was considered to be one of the highlights of the entire election season. So much so that, since Trump's election, people have been begging her to run in 2020. While I wouldn't bank on that, I understand why so many people are sad to see Michelle Obama leave the White House. She exudes poise and glamour but can have fun, too, and she's come to serve as a role model for women of all ages.

The good news is that while we may not be looking at President Michelle in the future, I'm certain that Michelle Obama will continue to inspire us (and give us major style envy) for many years to come.

If you haven't already, go ahead and read the full Vogue story here. It will make you miss the First Lady before she's even out of the White House.