24 Jan 2013
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No one quite captured the essence of President Obama’s inauguration heralding in his second term of office, as his wife, Michelle did. Standing graciously by his side, accompanied by their two daughters, Michelle Obama, herself an accomplished woman, personified everything the next four years would hold for the USA under her husband’s presidency.
Story of trendy First Lady
Michelle Obama has taken the office of the First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) to the world in a more profound way than any First Ladies before her. During the first term as FLOTUS, Michelle succeeded in creating a unique fashion identity, supporting and strengthening American fashion in wearing and combining brands. She also took the story of a trendy First Lady to the world’s capitals. She had more clout for the US than any celebrity – and she carried it with confidence and elegance.
She stood beside Kate M, the other style icon of the western world and Carla Bruni, who was impeccable in couture on the home soil of couture, Paris, with equal chic. In doing so, she gave American designers and American brands a vital platform. Sometimes accused of not getting it right, Michelle Obama nonetheless has today become a fashion and a style icon with intelligence, capability and skills to match.
Michelle Obama’s single handed ability to pair high street mass market labels such as J Crew with high-end designer labels has been well noted in the fashion world. The financial success she has brought to many mass-market labels frequently worn, has been documented by a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business.
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The fact that Obama’s clothes carry so much weight around the US and the world is reinforced by the use of technology – thanks to Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites, the clothes worn by FLOTUS or any other celebrity, can be sent around the world in a matter of minutes.
Fashion icon apart, Michelle Obama has been active in her involvement with many projects such as military families and the obesity campaign. America’s First Lady is also a devoted mother who sends out a clear signal towards families, single mothers and children.
She has stressed on the importance for her children to grow up as normal as possible – they make their own beds and walk the family dog Bo and are encouraged to be away from the spotlight.
We-can-have-it-all ethic
Michelle Obama has a successful combination of many roles – wife to the most powerful leader in the world, a lawyer, a fashion icon, a devoted mother and also a devoted daughter. An unbeatable combination captures the essence of today’s woman, be she a career woman in New York, an office worker in London or an entrepreneur in Hong Kong.
She affirms the ‘we-can-have-it-all’ ethic and creates the perfect status for the modern woman. Most of us have to juggle these roles around everyday – among everyday heroines, Michelle Obama is the icon who can be emulated, admired and looked to.
For America, where there are troubling issues with children bringing guns to school, teen pregnancies and single mothers on the increase, stable, well anchored and confident women in leadership roles can and must make a difference. Michelle Obama comes very close to that kind of role model who can inspire all American women and more so African Americans, who have been pushed into stereotypes often by mainstream media.
It is no secret that the world and its women need more women like Michelle Obama in leadership positions. They have a tremendous job of encouraging and inspiring the next generation of women who often have less-than-perfect ideas of what marriage, motherhood and career are like. Some of these young women are heavily guided by popular media and celebrities who have shaky personal lives marred often by short-lived marriages and celebrity pregnancies.
In the world of social media and a powerful Internet that provides entertainment, news and everyday fodder for millions of the world’s next generation, Michelle Obama stands out as an accomplished woman who confirms the buzzword of her husband’s first campaign – Change. For the better.
Making home life stronger
Hosting a White House dinner to support a mentoring programme for young women, Michelle Obama commented, “You don’t always see was what it took for many of us to get to where we are today. You don’t always see the thousands of hours that were spent studying or practicing or rehearsing, the years spent working for that promotion, the hammers used to break glass ceilings. All of them -- every last one of them -- had someone in their lives who took the time to encourage them and to inspire them. None of us are here on our own.”
In 2012, alongside Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama presented the 2012 International Women of Courage Awards, which recognize women from all over the world who have shown leadership, courage, resourcefulness and willingness to sacrifice for others. Time and again, Michelle Obama has been closely associated with the process of mentoring and encouraging young women to climb higher.
Michelle who holds a degree from Harvard Law School, is one of the only three First Ladies to be a graduate. In an interview with the Ladies Home Journal, Michelle admitted that like all career women, finding the balance has been a challenge.
“Barack has to find that balance, too, as part of the family. What women have the power to do, through our own experiences, is to push that balance out into the culture. If people are happier and they’re more engaged and they have jobs they can value that allow them to respect and value their homes, that makes the home life stronger.”
As Barack and Michelle Obama enter the second term of the Obama presidency, the world can wait upon a female role model who will continue to play her role with finesse.
(Nayomini, a senior journalist, writer and a PR professional can be contacted at
[email protected])
