Former First Lady Michelle Obama is preparing to debut a bold new chapter—literally. Departing from the deeply personal tone of her bestselling memoirs Becoming (2018) and The Light We Carry (2022), her upcoming book The Look will focus on the politics and power of fashion, hair, and beauty—and how these elements helped shape, and were shaped by, her historic time in the public eye.
Set to be released on November 4 by Crown Publishing Group, The Look promises a refreshingly honest take on Obama’s lifelong journey with personal style, as well as the intense scrutiny that accompanied her appearance while living 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,” Obama shared in her June 5 Instagram announcement. “For a while now, I’ve been wanting to reclaim more of that story, to share it in my own way.”
And share it, she will. The book includes over 200 photographs, some never-before-published, spanning from Barack Obama’s early Senate campaign to the family’s post-White House years.
From elegant gowns to laid-back denim and braided hairstyles, Obama takes readers behind the seams of her most iconic looks—and the emotional and cultural moments stitched into them.
But this isn’t a solo spotlight. The Look also features intimate contributions from her glam squad—stylist Meredith Koop, makeup artist Carl Ray, and hairstylists Yene Damtew and Njeri Radway—who have helped her craft not only a public image, but a statement of empowerment.
“Inside, you’ll find some of the outfits that have meant the most to me,” Obama wrote, “but more importantly, the moments that I lived through in them—big and small, personal and political, historic and ordinary.”
Through fashion and beauty, The Look aims to start broader conversations about identity, confidence, and authenticity, challenging narrow standards of beauty and redefining how women, especially Black women, can show up in the world.
“This book is about more than fashion,” Obama declared. “It’s about confidence. It’s about identity. It’s about the power of authenticity.”
As anticipation builds for the release of The Look, readers can expect a compelling blend of style storytelling and social commentary, all told in the former First Lady’s signature voice, thoughtful, personal, and purpose-driven.
