Michelle Obama Never Wanted To Be Seen Wearing This As First Lady

Being the first lady of the United States is a big responsibility that can come with an even heftier price. Someone who knows this all too well is former first lady Michelle Obama, who bore the burden of scrutiny during former President Barack Obama's time in the White House.

"Over the years, folks have used plenty of interesting words to describe me," Mrs. Obama said in 2015 about the criticisms she faced. "One said I exhibited 'a little bit of uppity-ism.' Another noted that I was one of my husband's 'cronies of color.' Cable news once charmingly referred to me as 'Obama's Baby Mama.' And all of this used to really get to me. Back in those days, I had a lot of sleepless nights, worrying about what people thought of me." Dealing with attacks on her family, her weight, her race, and her looks, the former first lady had to learn to "block everything out," and "ignore all of the noise," to "be true to [herself."

Amid the November 2020 publication of former President Obama's memoir, Americans are learning more about how the presidency affected Michelle Obama, as well as what she refused to be seen wearing as the first lady — keep reading to find out more.

In a November 2020 interview with Vanity Fair, former President Barack Obama discussed his latest memoir, A Promised Land, including the note in the book describing how former first lady Michelle Obama refused to get spotted in a bathing suit.

"She wasn't joking about that," said the former president, referencing a story about Obama taking his youngest daughter Sasha to the beach, with Mrs. Obama refusing to go along. "She was serious. 'This is one of my main goals as first lady. I will not be photographed by the paparazzi in a bathing suit.' And she succeeded," said Obama.

Of course, after the presidency — when the Obamas winded down into their new, less stressful life — the former first lady loosened up on this rule and appeared on the beach in a bikini. The moment occurred in 2018 when the former first family went to Miami, with a then 53-year-old Michelle Obama sporting a white bikini top and shorts, InStyle noted.