It goes without saying that growing up in the First Family means living under a microscope. You know this if you even occasionally read the newspaper (or have seen the sleeper hit movie, My Date with the President’s Daughter). But few people on earth can speak to that experience better than former First Daughter Malia Obama.
Under the gaze of the public eye for more than half of her life, the eldest Obama daughter is forging a path of her own outside of D.C., having traded our nation’s capital for L.A. The 27-year-old Harvard grad’s writing career is blossoming—thanks in part to Donald Glover, who welcomed her into the Swarm writers’ room—and she debuted her first short film, The Heart, at Sundance.(Obama also directed the project.)
Obama’s writing and filmmaking, however, isn’t the only thing we’ve taken note of over at Vogue: She’s also becoming something of a fashion star. Eschewing the idea that children of powerful figures are just mini politicians themselves, she’s leaned into a slouchy, bohemian sensibility—a far cry from the pantsuits of Capitol Hill.
The first Gen Z-er to occupy the White House, Obama is adopting the new generation’s sartorial tendencies, showing off a penchant for baggy separates, cropped shirts, bright colors, funky pattern mixing, and lug-sole stompers. (Plus, an adorable recurring feature: her Eeyore keychain!).
Recently, on a warm winter day in L.A., she paired an oversized button-up with denim cutoffs, calf-high boots, a brown suede bag, and rectangular sunnies. On another occasion, she juxtaposed a sweet floral midi skirt with a leather biker jacket. She’s also tried her hand at subverting traditional menswear, wearing a pair of brown trousers with a blue graphic cardigan. And while she may live in California these days, Obama hasn’t forgotten how to dress for a colder climate. Last winter, she battled dreary winter dressing with a colorful look: blue zebra-printed pants, which she contrasted with a multicolored plaid scarf.
We’ve also gotten a taste of how Obama’s eclectic sensibilities translate to the red carpet. At the 2024 Deauville Film Festival, she opted for a Vivienne Westwood off-the-shoulder corset and asymmetrical skirt, fashioned in mismatched plaids. “I don’t know as much about fashion, but I’m happy to be wearing it,” Obama told reporters at the time. It seems like she knows what she’s doing to us.
Today, in honor of Malia Obama’s 27th birthday, take a look back at some of our favorite ’fits from the former FDOTUS.
.jpg)
