Overview

In many ways the world has never seen a First Lady like Michelle Obama. From the precedent of her race to the singularity of her style, she has been the object of immense fascination. What she says, what she does, and not least, what she wears, is scrutinized around the world. Writing at the crossroads of politics and fashion, Kate Betts explains why Michelle Obama's style matters, and how she has helped liberate a generation of women from the false idea that style and substance are mutually exclusive. Following the transformation of Mrs. Obama from her early days on the campaign trail to her first state dinner at the White House, Betts, a longtime fashion journalist and former editor in chief of Harper's Bazaar, reminds us that while style can be expressed in what you wear, it is inextricably bound up in who you are and what you believe in. In a smart, breezy voice backed by extensive interviews and historical research, Betts shows how Michelle Obama's bold confidence and self-possession have made her into an icon and transformed the way women see themselves, their roles, and their own style. With two hundred color photographs, original designer sketches, and historical images, Everyday Icon is not only a lavish tour of our First Lady's style statements, but also a fascinating behind-the-scenes account of how she created her image and, more important, what that image says about American style today. Much has been written about Michelle Obama, but Kate Betts places her in a broader cultural and historical context; Everyday Icon is the definitive book on how a working mother of two became an unforgettable, global style icon.

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9780307591432

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<p> Part coffee-table page turner, part historical essay. <br> -- The New York Times <br> Part coffee table-style book, part historical study, this 256-page homage to FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States) fashion explores the societal and political implications of the first lady's style, illustrated of course, with sumptuous photographs of the photogenic Obama. <br> -- Christian Science Monitor <br> Mrs. Obama is the subject of a new book by Kate Betts, a Vogue and Harper's Bazaar veteran who has turned what might have been a coffee-table accessory into a volume with wit, verve, a sense of history and loads of nifty photos. <br> -- The Daily <br> Lots o' buzz will accompany this fashion portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama...[Kate] not only takes great care in following Obama's transition from power wife to power mom but also does a credible examination of the personal styles of Jackie Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, and Nancy Reagan, to mention three influential p

@lt;p@gt; Part coffee-table page turner, part historical essay. @lt;br@gt; --@lt;i@gt;The New York Times@lt;/i@gt;@lt;br@gt; @lt;br@gt; Part coffee table-style book, part historical study, this 256-page homage to FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States) fashion explores the societal and political implications of the first lady's style, illustrated of course, with sumptuous photographs of the photogenic Obama. @lt;br@gt; --@lt;i@gt;Christian Science Monitor@lt;/i@gt;@lt;br@gt; @lt;br@gt; Mrs. Obama is the subject of a new book by Kate Betts, a @lt;i@gt;Vogue@lt;/i@gt; and @lt;i@gt;Harper's Bazaar@lt;/i@gt; veteran who has turned what might have been a coffee-table accessory into @lt;b@gt;a volume with wit, verve, a sense of history and loads of nifty photos@lt;/b@gt;. @lt;br@gt; --@lt;i@gt;The Daily@lt;/i@gt;@lt;br@gt; @lt;br@gt; Lots o' buzz will accompany this fashion portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama...[Kate] not only takes great care in following Obama's transition from powe

Author Information

KATE BETTS has been covering the world of style for twenty years, most recently as a contributing editor at Time and also as the editor of Time Style & Design. The youngest person ever to serve as editor in chief of Harper's Bazaar, she was also the fashion news director at Vogue and the Paris bureau chief of Women's Wear Daily. Betts lives in New York City with her husband, the writer Chip Brown, and their two children.

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