Michelle Obama’s Braids Mark a Powerful New Era

Nearly a decade after leaving the White House, Michelle Obama says she’s “more confident about who I am.” The 61-year-old former First Lady sat down with People ahead of her upcoming release of The Look, a coffee table book that traces her evolution through fashion, beauty and identity. Co-written with her longtime stylist Meredith Koop, it’s the first time she’s peeling back the curtain on what it meant to be one of the most scrutinized women in the world—and how she’s learned to care a little less about the noise.

Here are some of the most inspiring takeaways from her interview about the new release, which is available now for pre-order ahead of its November 4 debut.

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On Self-Confidence and the Power of Standing Tall

“With each decade, I’ve grown wiser,” Obama tells People. “I think I’ve become more confident about who I am. This version of Michelle probably cares less about what other people think.”

That inner strength was instilled early. “Being a tall girl—I’m 5’11”—and my father was very clear about standing straight and owning my height,” she says. “It was like, ‘You do not slouch. You are tall, you are beautiful.’ I think it started there.”

Even now, self-love is an intentional act. “I’m still working on, every day, waking up, looking in the mirror and telling myself that I am smart and beautiful, and kind and worthy,” she continues. “I don’t think that work ever stops for women, particularly women of color.”

On Beauty, Image and the Double Standard

As First Lady, Obama says she was hyperaware of the criticism that came with being visible. “I purposefully did not talk about fashion and beauty during the eight years in the White House,” she admits. “I was afraid it was going to take over everything.”

Her approach to style was deliberate. “I took the role as first lady very seriously. I was a famous person, but I wasn’t a starlet. And so that meant that the clothes could never speak louder than anything I had to say.”

Still, her choices made headlines—and sold out racks. “I liked the fact that, in hindsight, people identified with what I was wearing,” she reflects. “Because if I wore something and it could sell out, that meant that most women could afford to buy it. And I thought that’s a good thing.”

Criticism didn’t shake her, even when her bare arms sparked debate. “I took it for what it was, pure hypocrisy,” she says. “I could pull up pictures of Jackie O in a second and see this fashion icon in sleeveless dresses as first lady. So at a point you’re like, ‘Oh, this is politics.’”

On Hair Freedom and Representation

Today, Obama says she’s loving the freedom of her go-to hairstyle: braids. “Braids allow me to get them done, and then that’s one less thing that I have to think about,” she shares. “When I’m out of the public eye, I am swimming, I am playing tennis and braids represent that kind of freedom for me.”

Back in the White House, she wasn’t sure America was ready for it. “The Crown Act hadn’t been passed yet, and just like fashion, I didn’t want my hair to become a distraction,” she explains. But her decision to wear braids for the Obama portrait unveiling was deeply intentional. “I wanted to send a message, add to the discourse of Black women in places of power, saying, ‘This, too, is an appropriate and beautiful way to wear your hair.’”

On Health, Aging and Staying Vibrant

“I’m not wincing at my gray hairs, but I am coloring them!” she says. “My mother was the same way. She dyed her hair until the day she died.”

While she may credit genetics for her glow (“black don’t crack,” she jokes), she’s also consistent about taking care of herself. “My health has always been paramount—what I eat, working out, regular doctors’ visits, all the things that allow me to enjoy this time.”

And enjoy it she does. “I’m as vibrant as I’ve ever been,” she says. “My kids are grown and launched, they are healthy and happy. My husband is doing just fine. We are the former president and first lady, and so I feel like this is the first time in my life that when I say and do something, here in this interview, writing this book, these are my choices. That is freeing.”