Three themes were identified from the interviews: (1) Relating through Authenticity, (2) Permission to Defy Norms, and (3) Brands and the Impression of Endorsement. Each theme speaks to the impact of Michelle Obama’s fashion choices from three different perspectives. The Relating through Authenticity theme entails how Michelle Obama’s fashion choices cause her to be viewed as genuine and relatable by participants. The Permission to Defy Norms theme discusses how the first lady’s fashion choices gave participants permission to challenge traditional social fashion norms for women. Lastly, the Brands and the Impression of Endorsement theme entails participants’ positive assessments of several fashion brands, given the impact of Michelle Obama’s implied endorsement of those brands.
Relating through authenticity
Qualitative analysis of the data revealed the participants viewed Michelle Obama as genuine and authentic, given her unique approach to fashion and her open persona. In addition, participants noted that her choice to buy apparel from affordable mass-merchants was rare and unexpected for a first lady, which in turn made her more relatable.
More often than not, participants used the word “authentic” when they described Michelle Obama. One manner in which this authenticity was conveyed to participants was through her choices in clothing. Participants often mentioned how the first lady’s willingness to wear more casual clothing options made her seem more genuine. For example, a 35-year old married African American mother by the name of Devin discussed how Michelle’s casual clothing translated to a more authentic first lady:
Devin: She is really authentic… cause I have seen pictures of Michelle walking out of that house with a bun in the back of her head and some jeans, a T-shirt, and some tennis shoes on. She doesn’t have to put on make-up. She doesn’t always have to put on the pearls.
For Connie, a 29-year old married Hispanic mother, Michelle Obama’s authenticity centered not only on her clothing choices, but where the first lady chooses to buy her clothes. For Connie, the fact that Mrs. Obama shops at Target made her relatable. She used these words to express herself:
Connie: I definitely think she is down-to-earth. A couple of years ago she talked about how she likes to shop at Target… I think she’s worn like Target outfits and things like that. So, I think she’s someone we can relate to more [than the other first ladies].
As Connie stated, she viewed Michelle in a different light than other first ladies, given her choice to shop at an everyday retailer like Target.
Although not directly related to Michelle Obama’s clothing, another manner in which authenticity was conveyed to participants was through the honesty she expressed in her public interviews, which made her seem genuine. Dana, a 62-year old married African American female explained how she has witnessed this in her observation of Michelle Obama:
Dana: During interviews, she has no problem speaking up and sharing her opinion. She lets you know what she is thinking, and I think it’s an honest opinion. It’s her opinion… and not always his [the president’s opinion].
According to Dana, the persona Michelle Obama conveyed during interviews was willing, open, and honest, which, in turn, spoke to Michelle’s genuineness. Gina, a 57-year old retired, married African American female, shared Dana’s sentiments, “I think she is very honest and frank. She speaks on things that she really cares about. She’s authentic and unique.”
Permission to defy norms
The idea that the first lady’s fashion choices gave the participants permission to challenge fashion norms was frequently mentioned. In particular, participants spoke about adjusting their personal styles based upon Michelle Obama’s example (i.e. sleeveless dresses). In that same vein, participants also felt Mrs. Obama gave them authorization to defy traditional social norms for women regarding dress, and empowered them to try more contemporary options.
The phrase “comfortable in her skin” was frequently used when respondents described Michelle Obama. The majority of the time, this phrase was used when making reference to Mrs. Obama’s controversial clothing choices. Specifically, participants discussed how the first lady has taken risks in her clothing by choosing not to conform to the conservative norm, and instead opting for more contemporary-styled clothing. Faith, a 25-year old single African American student shared how Michelle Obama’s choices have inspired her:
Faith: I guess for me personally, I insist on being comfortable in my own skin. And I think women feel that they have to conform to certain ways. But, I feel like just seeing her [Michelle] dress the way she wants to dress and do the things she wants to do is showing women that it’s okay to be who you want to be, regardless of what people expect of you.
For Faith, Mrs. Obama’s courage to defy expectations has made Faith even more comfortable in her skin. Hannah, a 33-year old Caucasian stay-at-home wife and mother also found inspiration in Michelle Obama’s contemporary clothing choices, and was encouraged by her steadfastness despite her criticizers.
Hannah: I feel like there were so many critics of her, especially early on. During the beginning of her campaign, people were saying ‘Oh, my goodness… she’s showing her shoulders! Her dress is so fitted!’ But she never changed. She didn’t change the way that she was dressed… she didn’t change her accessories… she didn’t change any of it. And, as a female, I think you have to appreciate that.
One of the most frequently mentioned styles of clothing cited by participants were Michelle Obama’s sleeveless dresses. Women from different age groups within the interviews discussed how the first lady changed their view of showing their shoulders and arms, thus, giving them permission to go sleeveless as proudly as Mrs. Obama. Gina, a 57-year old retired, married African American female, discussed how she has watched the trend evolve:
Gina: I’ve never seen so many women with sleeveless dresses until she [Michelle Obama] put that out there. It seemed like women always had sleeveless dresses on, but they always had a cover over it. Now, everybody’s baring their shoulders from young to old… and you just never saw that before.
Based on Gina’s observation, Michelle Obama indirectly assured women that it was okay to wear sleeveless dresses and follow her lead, without verbally saying it. Through her example, women of all ages have adopted the trend. For Hannah, Michelle Obama’s example was so substantial that it has inspired her to now wear sleeveless dresses, even though she did not consider this option in the past.
Hannah: I would never have just worn a dress without a jacket before she came on to the scene. She always looks put-together, and I never thought that I could do that. She just made me feel much more comfortable about it.
Through Hannah’s example, we see an actual behavior change in her choices in clothing, given Michelle Obama’s image. Since she dared to display her shoulders and arms, this gave Hannah the permission to do the same.
Safiya, a 38-year old single African American, shared sentiments similar to Hannah’s, regarding the first lady’s example to encourage her to dress more contemporary. Michelle’s influence gave her permission to remove something from her wardrobe—stockings. She welcomed this freedom, as she was never a fan of stockings. She explained:
Safiya: I like that she didn’t wear stockings, cause I was never one to wear stockings. I like that when she came on the scene, I could use that as my excuse. Like, if the first lady doesn’t have to wear stockings, then I know I don’t have to wear stockings!
Safiya felt validated in her choice to not wear stockings. While pantyhose were once a requirement and standard for women, even today, not wearing pantyhose in formal environments is viewed as a rebellion (Boncompagni 2012). Thus, Michelle Obama’s example has given Safiya confidence in her decision, despite her perhaps being questioned about it before. The first lady has now given her the freedom to defy the traditional custom of stockings.
Based upon the experiences of the participants, there are norms and traditions in fashion and society that women are expected to adhere to. However, Michelle Obama has shown them that there is room to challenge these norms. Her example gives women the freedom to represent themselves from a more diverse perspective—be it through the distinctive attributes of clothing.
Brands and the impression of endorsement
Several apparel and retail brands were thought of more positively by participants, given Michelle Obama’s implied endorsements of those brands. While formal endorsements of the merchandise were not given by the first lady, participants’ impression of an endorsement made them seek out the brands or retailers she wore in her appearances. This confirmed the financial impact exhibited in Yermack’s study (Yermack 2010).
When participants described their personal styles, they often used the word “classic” and frequently mentioned Michelle Obama’s style as an aspirational one. Given this, participants seemed to emulate the first lady by choosing apparel and retail brands that mimic what they observed from her. Interestingly enough, many of the retail brands noted by participants were brands assessed in Yermack’s study, namely J. Crew, Nordstrom, and Macy’s (Yermack 2010).
For Tameka, she is able to achieve the classic look she aspires to through both the Tory Burch and Kate Spade brands she purchases. She explained the aesthetic of both of these brands as it related to her style:
Tameka: It’s [my style] classic and maybe elegant… I think Tory Burch to me is an elegant look, but it’s not overdone. It’s slightly preppy, but not casual… I do tend to gravitate towards things that are more classic and elegant, and not too haute couture. I think Kate Spade to me is very comparable to Tory Burch in that I think she has a lot of what I qualify as a classic look, and clean lines.
Hannah also sought out “classic” clothing, however, J. Crew was the retailer that met that standard for her.
Hannah: I feel like when I think about style, I think about the style I want to emulate and that’s something classic. I would say J. Crew is probably in my top five. Their styles are easy to wear and very classic.
Nia seemed to share in Hannah’s views. J. Crew also allowed her to create the classic look with a hint of femininity. She expressed herself in this way:
Nia: The store [J. Crew] is visually appealing to me, and I kind of like the mixture of classic stuff and things that are really feminine… and then they always have really great accessories. The style of the store really fits my personality.
For Connie and Eden, Macy’s was a retailer they turned to, given the breadth of options they have. Connie and Eden explained:
Connie: I really like Macy’s because they’ve got tons and tons of clothing. Their style is like… almost anyone can find something that fits their [style].
Eden: The first store that popped into my mind was Macy’s… I think it’s because they have such a variety. I think you can find things in there where they have pretty good deals.
Nordstrom was a retailer frequently mentioned by respondents. The retailer was known for having higher quality and distinctive items, as Faith and Devin stated:
Faith: I really do like Nordstrom when I can catch a good sale, because I feel in comparison to a store like Macy’s… I feel like Nordstrom has better quality clothes. You know, for me, I like to buy clothes that are good quality and good price because I like stuff that lasts longer.
Devin: Oh, Nordstrom! It’s by far my favorite, and one of the reasons is because they carry unique items. Their customer service is at a level that I wouldn’t mind paying full price for some items.
Although the majority of respondents stated they preferred more classic merchandise, a few of them discussed seeking out trendier items for specific occasions. One online retailer, ASOS, was the retailer that seemed to meet their trend needs. Hannah and Nia explained what they found appealing about the U.K. retailer ASOS:
Hannah: I love ASOS! Their prices are number one… and I feel like I go to ASOS for the trendier pieces because they’re more affordable.
Nia: The main store that I shop on online is ASOS… that’s kind of my go-to online store for clothing. That’s where I’ll get some of my trendier pieces. I get mainly dresses from them… and they look flattering.
Although the first lady is not a paid endorser of any apparel brands or retailers, participants got the impression that she endorsed the brands or retailers when she wore items publicly. Oftentimes, this led participants to consider apparel brand or retailer options they had never considered before. Nia explained how this instance was true for her:
Nia: I can’t remember what cover it was, but she was on the cover of some magazine… and they said the dress was from Talbots. I remember I said ‘Oh, I didn’t think that they had anything modern for my age group!
For Nia, she may not have ever considered Talbots as a store that could meet her needs. By appearing on the cover in their dress, Mrs. Obama caused the retailer to instantly gain credibility with Nia. Devin discussed how her perception changed as well, after a retailer was indirectly endorsed by Mrs. Obama:
Devin: I would say that before she [Michelle Obama] mentioned that she wore J. Crew a lot, I would shop in J. Crew. But, when she said it, it made me look at J. Crew differently. It made me not hesitate to buy it. It basically took J. Crew to a different level in my mind.
While Devin shopped at J. Crew before, once Michelle Obama mentioned that her clothes frequently came from J. Crew, it validated her decision to buy from the retail brand.
For some respondents, the first lady’s assumed endorsement actually resulted in purchases. For instance, Hannah shared an occasion when she actually sought out a retailer and made a purchase based on an item she saw the first lady wearing from the retailer, “I can’t remember what item she wore from Kohl’s. But, I had never really been into a Kohl’s before…. And I got a really cute dress!”
Given the perspective of participants, there are several key retailers and brands that meet their needs. These retailers allow them to communicate their classic looks, and also communicate trends when they feel it is appropriate. To sweeten their interest in these retailers, oftentimes Michelle Obama indirectly endorsed apparel or retail brands. When this occurred, a greater curiosity in those brands was sparked. Thus, even with just an impression of an endorsement from the first lady, participants took note.