Talking heads complained early on in the second term about Mrs. Obama’s allowing the clothes conversation to dominate the substance conversation, but in fact she made the two inextricable. But her real contribution went far beyond giving women a license to like clothes and use them to celebrate their own strength and femininity. Indeed, despite Mrs. Obama’s patronage, a number of labels she wore have struggled financially, including J. Rather, like first ladies from Jacqueline Kennedy to Nancy Reagan, Mrs. Obama understood that fashion was a means to create an identity for an administration. “It was really about us all.”PhotoEspecially because Mrs. Obama not only wore their clothes, she also took their business seriously, framing fashion as a credible, covetable job choice during her education initiatives.

Source: New York Times January 14, 2017 11:00 UTC