Michelle Obama's Right To Bare Legs (PHOTOS)

Michelle Obama's sleeveless dresses had critics up in arms, but now that summer is in full-sweaty-swing, the first lady also proves she has the right to bare legs. She has showed off her gams more than her predecessors did -- and standing tall at 5'10 and 3/4'', it's almost inevitable. Here's a round-up of Michelle's above-the-knee skirts and her one shorts sighting.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • Michelle Obama's sleeveless dresses had critics up in arms, but now that summer is in full-sweaty-swing, the first lady also proves she has the right to bare legs. She has showed off her gams more than her predecessors did -- and standing tall at 5'10 and 3/4'', it's almost inevitable. Here's a round-up of Michelle's above-the-knee skirts and her one shorts sighting. Above on June 20, 2008

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Comments

[impatient]

03:55 PM on 08/30/2009

You know, seeing Michelle Obama next to Jill Biden made me wonder, is this a race issue or a size issue? I think Michelle Obama suffers from the last accetable prejudice in the US, namely the freedom to attack bigger people. We have this mental image of leggy supermodels and god forbid you shouldn't fit the mold perfectly, because then you are totally dissected.

I saw two things recently that struck me. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis had HUGE and I do mean HUGE legs. John Jr. inherited those. We never saw her in shorts I don't think---never saw her in a bathing suit---always wearing slacks or long-ish skirts, or evening gowns. I don't think ANYONE would accuse the woman of not being comfortable in her own skin---she just drew attention from the giant calves she had. Not a bad strategy.

But over the weekend I watched the first of the old Thin Man movies---nick and Nora, you know? And there was a night club scene where show girls were practicing their dancing in shorts. And man, were standards ever laxer in the 30's! Those girls would be burned at the stake if they appeared in a movie today! We have become so obsessed with muscular anorexic perfection, that normal female anatomy is considered gross somehow. I hate that.

I fall victim to it too.....

[MrAOL]

10:08 PM on 08/19/2009

Huffington Post says Obama "may" take flak for baring her "gorgeous gams"
Gorgeous gams? What are you smoking? You need yours eyes checked.
Second: The issue here is not her legs but should she bare them? Dignity is the word that comes to mind. Judging from Michelle's lack of stylish attire and the exposure of her legs she lacks not only good judgement but poise. The presidents wife should inspire respect for the position she holds which based on the clamor from the public, she is not doing.

[impatient]

03:51 PM on 08/30/2009

Now, now, Simmer down Mr. AOL. Me thinks your gams must not be so gorgeous either. over-react much?

However, that being said, Michelle Obama has large ungainly legs. But sometimes she looks gorgeous and so do her gams. the whole issue is how she walks. She is not a woman comfortbale walking around as a haute couture style sensation and is slowly coming into her own in that role. Also, let's face it, she is SURROUNDED by photogs and not all of them are conveniently positioned for the best possible photographic angle, so some of those shots are naturally not going to be as gret as some of the others. But she looks fine. She'll get more comfortable with all the attention and then I think she'll also solve the ungainly walking issue. Especially on stairs.

[Benigna Marko]

09:37 PM on 08/05/2009

Can we concentrate on the what is happening to this country and support our government in getting business done rather than concentrating on Mrs. Obama's fashion. The woman is awesome give her that. Relax and remember this country is the best. My favorite President Abraham Lincoln and his penny is my favorite as well.

[LaShanda Jackson]

04:51 PM on 08/05/2009

OMG.....Bo is showing his legs too...quick someone on Fauxington Post write an article.

[Merri Rich]

06:13 AM on 08/05/2009

“But what of black women? . . . I most sincerely doubt if any other race of women could have brought its fineness up through so devilish a fire.”
W. E. B. Du Bois quote

[corncat]

08:04 PM on 08/04/2009

Very few ladies have attractive knees ... it's just a fact of life. Wearing a hem line just below her knees would look much better on MO. Also, she accentuates her small top & large bottom by wearing form fitting styles. Something soft & flowing would be much more complimentary to her overall body shape.
By playing up her good points, she would draw less attention to the more unattractive areas.

[AppleEggby]

03:18 PM on 08/05/2009

Apparently you believe that hips and rear-ends are unattractive. Most of the world recognizes that women's bodies come in all kinds of shapes, many of which are beautiful. It is not just the fashion model figure that's attractive. I think Mrs. Obama has a fantastic womanly figure. Your prudish comments about knees and form-fitting styles is bad advice.

[randii]

06:45 PM on 08/19/2009

I'd certainly like to see what you look like in anything. Mrs. Obama has looked lovely in everything that I've seen her wear. Black women tend not to look like Twiggy, they have bottoms and legs. Aside from that, I don't see where Mrs. Obama has bad knees. When you become a designer maybe you can ask to design something for her

[PatDaz]

05:53 PM on 08/04/2009

Well, the poor woman to begin with, is not attractive AT ALL (face or statue), as well as has such BIG thighs and knees, not to mention VERY bow-legged, so she should NEVER be wearing her hems above the bottom of her knees EVER!!!! Mid-knee or above the knee just accentuates these bad qualities!!

As for her sleeveless wear, her arms are OK, but she has in appropriately wore sleeveless at official occasions that definitely should NOT be sleeveless!!

A fashion icon some media has tried to proclaim......I do NOT think so...... AT ALL. Even her in augural gown was not that big a deal at all......odd, she wore white......looked like the 'Bride and Groom' vs. 'President and First Lady' to me. LOL

[AppleEggby]

03:40 PM on 08/05/2009

First, you are just plain WRONG about the appropriateness of her bare arms. First ladies have gone sleeveless at state functions before (Jackie Kennedy,sure, but also Nancy Reagan, Mamie Eisenhower, Grace Coolidge, Lady Bird Johnson, etc, etc...) and no one said boo. It is entirely appropriate unless you are some fundamentalist that objects to the female arm.

Second, UGH!!!!! Michelle Obama has never set out to be a super-model. She is an attractive, successful, healthy and active 45 year old mother. She looks great. She doesn't deserve to be picked apart and held up to unrealistic ideals.

If you disagree with some of her fashion choices, that's fair - you can have your opinion. I don't love all her outfits, either. But I do admire her willingness to try new styles & designers; I love the bold accessories. And, in case this issue escapes you, the reason she has been held up as a style icon so enthusiastically is that she makes a lot of "accessible" fashion choices (ie: J Crew) that appeals to the mainstream. After all these years of first ladies in one forgettable skirted suit & pearls ensemble after another - it's fantastic to see someone take a risk & express her own personality!

[ConservativeAgnostic]

04:52 PM on 08/04/2009

I don't understand the point of having comments on this site if you're just going to ban everyone that disagrees with you. I've been banned twice so far for no good reason. I thought this was a free country. I guess not. That's liberal open-mindedness I suppose.

[Jyoti Naik]

02:59 PM on 08/04/2009

Michelle Obama is the first "First Lady" that I can accept as a role model. Laura Bush was a Stepford wife and Hillary took back a cheating husband (even though I liked Bill, that is just wrong).

[EminemsRevenge]

09:46 PM on 08/03/2009

http://eminemsrevenge.xanga.com/708857320/profiling-me/

DOWNLOAD it and DO something positive Michelle...WE don't care about what YOU wear!

[Willis Mae Duran]

08:50 PM on 08/03/2009

I think our first lady is just beautiful. She and her husband make such a nice couple. They both are wonderful parents to their two daughters and they also care about other children in and around Washington DC. What do you people want ? We couldn't have a nicer couple in our White House. Mrs Laura Bush was a lovely first lady also but I don't recall anyone knocking her for the way she dressed. She wasn't perfect in all of her clothes, was she? Her husband was from out of space so we could excuse him. What do you people want of our first lady? She is gracious, lovely, well spoken and above all knows how to dress.

[Riss09]

09:08 PM on 08/03/2009

I think it's the fact that she has style like it or not and that is more interesting than bland which was Laura Bush...I don't always like Michelle's style but it certainly means, the fact that I even comment...she IS INTERESTING...and dynamic.

[Two Cents]

10:28 PM on 08/03/2009

I second (esp. the brother-from-another-planet comment ;o).

[Veronica Daniels]

08:08 PM on 08/03/2009

There we go again aren,t they people , people have ams and legs lest some of you forgot, the truth is some can not and dare not show what they have because it is just gross I do not understand why this particular family is so hounded by people who have nothing else to report they are classy and real so bug off report on the state of the economy , health care, joblesness and so many other things and those who are sacrificing their lives everyday to ensure your security and not on the mundane things as her legs or arms they happen to be HERS AND SHE CAN DO WHATEVER SHE LIKES WITH THEM

[edscottaz]

08:06 PM on 08/03/2009

What's not to like? Come on, Michelle is classy and I am glad she is our First Lady.

I don't always like the policies of the President, but I do like his style. Politics aside, they make a great couple and are a wonderful representation of America.

[Peaceisnecessary]

08:01 PM on 08/03/2009

Michelle has great looking arms, legs, face, hair and husband.

[rimofheaven]

07:33 PM on 08/03/2009

Does she have the right to look at as good as she does? That seems to be the real issue. People are showing curiosities based upon racial taboos. To some she should have become an angry mammy by now, but for some reason she persist in being the classiest, warmest, most gorgeous, and most down to earth First Lady we have seen in decades. We were witnessed to the same kind of curiosity with her husband throughout the election process, especially the primaries. We kept waiting for him to become the "angry black man" but he persisted in taking the high road by behaving much like his wife. Hmmm. Maybe they are just good people.