Former First Lady Michelle Obama is releasing a book looking back at her favorite fashion and style moments over the years.
Obama said she wanted to write the beauty book, titled “The Look,” to “reclaim” her story after her looks were scrutinized during her time in the White House.
“During our family’s time in the White House, the way I looked was constantly being dissected — what I wore, how my hair was styled,” she wrote in an Instagram announcement.
“For a while now, I’ve been wanting to reclaim more of that story, to share it in my own way. I’m thankful to be at a stage in life where I feel comfortable expressing myself freely — wearing what I love and doing what feels true to me. And I’m excited to share some of what I’ve learned along the way,” she added.
The $50 book, to be released on November 4, features more than 200 photographs of the former first lady, including never-before-published images, according to publisher Crown Publishing Group.
Obama said the book will give readers a behind-the-scenes look at her most memorable looks and the meaningful moments that accompanied them. It will also introduce readers to her style team from over the years.
“The Look is about more than fashion. It’s about confidence. It’s about identity. It’s about the power of authenticity,” Obama said in her social media announcement. “My hope is that this book sparks conversation and reflection about the ways we see ourselves — and the way our society defines beauty.”
Obama has spoken out before about her style being scrutinized during her time in the White House.
During the book tour for her 2022 book, “The Light We Carry,” Obama revealed that she straightened her hair while her husband Barack Obama was in office because she didn’t feel Americans were ready to accept her natural hair.
The American people were “just getting adjusted” to having a Black president and weren’t “ready” to see the first lady’s hair in braids, she believed, according to a report in The Washington Post.
“Let me keep my hair straight,” Obama said of her thoughts at the time. “Let’s get healthcare passed.”
