Michelle Obama reveals why she’s ‘more vibrant than ever’, talks new style book: Exclusive

It’s like a scene from her past “Let’s Move!” CAMPAIGN EVENTS: Michelle Obama works out outside Washington, D.C. – snapping her fingers, shaking her hips, and twirling carefree. Just this afternoon, the former first lady won’t be surrounded by cute kids, fans, news cameras, or critics. No, the ship has been sailing for a long time and she feels safe not being on board. Instead, in the PEOPLE photoshoot, she wears a colorful Jason Wu top and moves to the beat of her own drum (and the uncensored sounds of Glorilla, Beyoncé, and Cardi B playing over the speakers).

“Fundamentally, I’m the same person,” Mrs. Obama, who prefers just Michelle these days, told this week’s issue of PEOPLE on the stand Friday. “But as each decade has gone by, I’ve gotten wiser. I think I’ve become more confident in who I am. Maybe this version of Michelle doesn’t care as much what other people think.”

Her journey to international attention is at the heart of her new coffee table book, The Look (out November 4th). Co-written with longtime stylist Meredith Koop, the title chronicles how the wife of America’s first black president meticulously dressed for the job, and all the celebration and relentless scrutiny that came with it.

“During my eight years in the White House, I intentionally didn’t talk about fashion or beauty,” she says. “I was worried it would swallow everything up.”

But now, at 61, nearly a decade after her husband Barack Obama, 64, left office and more than a few years since her daughters Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24, left the cabin and became empty nesters, “it’s time to talk about that journey,” she says.

Below, popular podcaster and avid tennis player Michelle 2.0 talks about her style, influences, and happy family life, often rocking crisp braids. “This is the first time that every decision I make is for me,” she says.

People: Let’s start with little Michelle Robinson from Chicago’s South Side. Where did she get her initial aesthetic and style?
Michelle Obama: Soul Train. It happened on a Saturday morning while I was watching at Robinson’s house. As a little girl, not only could I see the movement and my favorite artists, but I would just marvel at the women’s clothing: the color, the style, the flare. I thought, “This is what it means to be cool.”

You write about your early journey to self-confidence. How did you learn how to drown out the noise and love yourself?

You see, being a tall girl, I’m 5 feet 11 inches tall. And my father (Fraser Robinson) was very clear about standing up straight and making my height his own. “You don’t slouch. You’re tall and beautiful,” she said. I think it started from there. I still try to wake up every day, look in the mirror, and tell myself that I am smart, beautiful, kind, and worthy. I don’t think the work will ever stop for women, especially women of color. This is because you don’t necessarily get a reply back about your work. Women today, we are faced with a time when those in power seek to suppress the voices of those who disagree with them. And I think now, more than ever, is a time when we have to fight to remind ourselves that we matter and matter.

You met Barack when you were a high-powered lawyer. What kind of expression did you have at that time?
I’m sure it was some kind of 80’s powered suit. I had to wear a uniform to work at a corporate law firm. I wore suits with very low shoulders, feminine blouses, and pantyhose, which I hated. Come to think of it, I don’t know what he saw. (Laughs) I feel like that doesn’t sound very sexy. It was the 80’s.

When I entered the White House, there was still a sense that uniforms were necessary.
Add more pressure. How did you deal with that?
I understand the issue. It was a complex mission. The role of first lady is a kind of job, not a job. You know that you have to be both inspirational and relatable. You need to be unique, authentic and expressive at the same time. And as a Black woman, I felt like I had to let people see my feminine side. Especially in the early days of the campaign, when I was being attacked as angry, as a shrew, as degrading to my husband, all these labels were thrown at me that were essentially trying to strip me of my femininity. understood. And first of all, I didn’t find it difficult to do it because I respected the position. I took my role as First Lady very seriously. I was a celebrity, but not a star. That means clothes can never speak louder than what I say.

Still, the style choices had a big impact. Products sell out within minutes. How did that feel?
I didn’t pay attention to it. For better or worse, I didn’t want to go down the rabbit hole of hearing other people’s comments about my body. But in hindsight, I like the fact that people were relating to what I was wearing. Because if I wear something, the possibility of it selling out means most women can afford it. And I thought that was a good thing. I wanted the American people, all people of all races and all political persuasions, to be able to connect with me.

What about when criticism gets to you, like criticism of bare hands?
I took it for what it was: complete hypocrisy. You could quickly search for photos of Jackie O and see this fashion icon as first lady in a sleeveless dress. So at some point you think, “Oh, this is politics. If you can’t beat them, just scare them.” That was the motto. If clothing wasn’t the cause, it was a “terrorist fist bump.” That was all we said. It was my husband’s tan suit.

Let’s go back to 2014, when tan suits were considered “un-presidential.”
I loved the tan suit! When he put it on, I thought, “Oh my god, that’s so cute.”[At that moment]I thought, “Wow, I got to compete in this. Welcome to my world.” It was nearing the end of his presidential term, so we were used to all the crazy issues that people brought us.

There were good times too. You write about treating state dinners like date nights.
Every black tie event like that was like our wedding. You felt like a belle at a ball. As the years went by, it became a little more risky, and my team and I tried different things. And you’re all dressed up for your man. There was an unspoken ritual, but he never found out until I walked out wearing what I was wearing. That’s romance, those little moments in this crazy world where you can look at each other and say, “You’re cute.” Then we went downstairs and there was a barrage of press, lights, cameras, and we were like, “Stay in the moment. It’s really just us. This is nice.”

What does your date night look like now?
We’ve been married for 32, 33 years…I always forget. Sorry, honey. When you’re both happy with your date night, stay home. We don’t have any clothes on. We just have a nice dinner, light some candles, enjoy some music and talk. We’re at home together all day, so we don’t talk all day, right? We are working from home. So when you’re trying to have a really special night, it’s like, “Don’t talk to me, save me for dinner.” He’ll say, “Did you talk to the girls?” “We talked about it, but we’re not going to talk about it until date night.” But sometimes we go out to dinner in Washington, D.C. or somewhere. I’m too old to enjoy dinner and movies. I fall asleep during the movie. So I was like, “Let’s pick one.”

You mention your daughters. How did he shape their image while giving them autonomy back in the White House?
So we made a deal. “You work with[my stylist]Meredith[Koop]when dressing for public events.” It’s unacceptable for a 13-year-old to be walking down the stairs of Air Force One. It was like, “When you’re with us, you’re just like me, you’re doing a job, so your choices can’t be in the driver’s seat, but you can be part of the process.” Meredith worked with them and had (fashion) fights with them. But in their own world, that was all there was to it. Barack would say, “Those shorts look really short.” So I said, “Don’t say anything, let them cook.”

Similarly, you’ve been exploring more of your style lately and are loving braids.
It’s free. With braids, you can do just that and it’s one less thing you have to think about. When I’m away from the public eye, I like to swim and play tennis, and braids represent that kind of freedom to me. (At the White House) I didn’t know if the country was ready for that. The CROWN Act (which protects employees and students from race-based hair discrimination) had not yet been passed, so just like fashion, we didn’t want hair to get in the way. However, I understood the importance of wearing braids for portrait presentations. I wanted to add to the discourse of Black women in positions of power and send a message that this is also an appropriate and beautiful way to wear your hair.

Finally, how is life in your 60s inside and out?
I’m not intimidated by my gray hair, I’m dyeing it! My mother (Marianne Robinson) was the same way. She continued to dye her hair until her death. It doesn’t do much else. Luckily, the black doesn’t crack. But my health has always been my priority. The food I eat, the exercise I do, the regular doctor’s appointments, everything is meant to help me enjoy this time. I am as vibrant as ever. My children are grown, departed, healthy and happy. My husband is fine. We’re former presidents and first ladies, so in this interview, in writing this book, it’s the first time in my life that when I say or do something, I feel like it’s my choice. That is liberation.

For more on Michelle Obama, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.