Michelle Obama's slitted white dress captures the breezy essence of summer perfectly

Michelle Obama surprised fans alongside Barack Obama during an appearance in Martha's Vineyard

Michelle Obama
(Image credit: Arturo Holmes / Staff)

Always ahead of the fashion game, former United States of America First Lady Michelle Obama made a surprise appearance at the opening night of the 2022 Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) alongside husband and former President Barack Obama to introduce a screening of their new Netflix documentary Descendant.

Michelle, who recently opened up about what it's like to hang out with daughters Malia and Sasha, wore a floaty white V-neck dress at the event, embodying the very essence of summer. 

The casual-but-appropriate look featured a thigh-high slit, a ruffled hem and loose sleeves that showcased the 58-year-old's choice of gold and white jewelry. Her makeup was natural and she wore her hair half up.


Dippin Daisy Alexandria Dress, $48 | PacSun 

Dippin Daisy Alexandria Dress, $48 | PacSun 

The airy wrap dress features an elastic waist, a high-low hemline and a high slit.

Although moving out of the White House back in 2017, Michelle and her family have been subject of many media reports throughout the years. Michelle, specifically, has gone on the record multiple times about her relationship with her 24-year-old and 21-year-old daughters, even revealing how anxious and uncertain 9/11 made her feel for them, and celebrating Barack's 60th birthday with hilarious family photo after cancelling party plans.

Obamas

(Image credit: Arturo Holmes / Staff)

In this latest appearance, the author of the memoir Becoming joined Barack to commemorate the premiere of Descendant, which was picked up by the couple's own production company Higher Ground Productions after initially premiering at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. 

According to Netflix, "Descendant follows members of Africatown, a small community in Alabama, who are descendants of the humans transported illegally on the last-known slave ship from Africa to the U.S." The documentary is scheduled to drop on the streaming giant some time this year.

The former First Lady gave a speech at the screening event, dissecting the importance of the production and more. "What Descendant reminds us is, we have to tell our stories to our younger folks," she said to a rapt audience. "We have to be the ones. We cannot follow that tradition of keeping our pain silent. Because what this film shows us is that our stories are the power that makes us seen."

Anna Rahmanan

Anna Rahmanan is a New York-based writer and editor who covers culture, entertainment, food, fashion and travel news. Anna’s words have appeared on Time Out New York, the Huffington Post, Fortune, Forbes, Us Weekly, Bon Appetit and Brooklyn Magazine, among other outlets.