With President Obama having just started his second term as commander in chief, it seems only fitting that the First Lady would make a repeat appearance on the cover of Vogue as well.
In next month’s Body issue, Michelle Obama opens up on the challenges of raising teenage daughters in the White House, her marriage with the President and being an inspiration for American families.
Going into the second term, the Obamas undoubtedly have a lot of work ahead of them, but Michelle tells Vogue that no matter what is going on in the world, their first priority is always family.
“Our job is, first and foremost, to make sure our family is whole,” she said. “You know, we have small kids; they’re growing every day. But I think we were both pretty straightforward when we said, ‘Our number-one priority is making sure that our family is whole.’”
VOGUE/Annie Leibovitz
It’s this dedication to family that doesn’t allow the couple a lot of time to entertain, but Michelle notes in the interview that many of their friends have children themselves and vacations typically consist of a houseful of kids.
“The stresses and the pressures of this job are so real that when you get a minute, you want to give that extra energy to your fourteen- and eleven-year-old,” said Michelle.
Over the past term, Mrs. Obama has learned how to deal with those pressures of the White House by taking a cue from her husband.
“Well, patience and calm I’m borrowing, or trying to mirror [from him],” she said. “I’ve learned that from my husband, that sort of, you know, ability to not get too high or too low with changes and bumps in the road…to do more breathing in and just going with it.”
Having been married for 20 years, Michelle knows his character better than anyone. She told Vogue that his calmness taking on high priority issues in the nation has always been part of his personality.
VOGUE/Annie Leibovitz
“I’ve tried to explain this guy to people over the years, but there is a calmness to him that is just…it has been a consistent part of his character,” she said. “Which is why I think he is uniquely suited for this challenge—because there is a steadiness,” she said of Barack.
The First Lady has been a style icon of the past four years and with another four years, we can surely expect her to start several more fashion trends. When it come to ladies fashion, Michelle says she’s a strong believer that women should wear whatever makes them feel beautiful inside and out.
“I always say that women should wear whatever makes them feel good about themselves. That’s what I always try to do,” she said. “I also believe that if you’re comfortable in your clothes it’s easy to connect with people and make them feel comfortable as well.”
You can check out more from the First Lady and President Obama in the April issue of Vogue on newsstands March 26th.
