While her husband remains in Turkey for the final leg of his first presidential diplomatic visit abroad, First Lady Michelle Obama has returned home, after getting press that nearly anyone from foreign leaders to Hollywood starlets would covet.
Here's just a small sample of the headlines:
- "Michelle Wows in UK, Moves On To France"
- "Michelle Obama's Conquest of Europe"
- "A French Embrace for Mrs. Obama"
- "Michelle Obama: America's new style icon knows just what to pack"
- "Michelle Obama teaches London girls that brains are beautiful"
- "Michelle Obama's New Kind of Glamour"
- "Michelle Obama wows again!"
Of course, this is just the tip off the iceberg when it comes to glowing press of this visit. Not just anyone can semi-hug Queen Elizabeth II and plan to "keep in touch" with her.
While not all of her style choices have been without controversy, she's definitely left a quite an impression on admirers across the Atlantic. Although some of the headlines do mention her intellect and education, the vast majority focus on her appearance. There are multiple slideshows of her wardrobe, but not much mention of more substantive details.
Perhaps that lack of attention is primarily due to the fact that a school visit and official visits don't quite have the hard news heft of the substance of the G-20 or NATO meetings. Instead, they have much more glamorous and human interest elements than dry policy discussions.
Not all reporters have been thrilled with last week's political fashion coverage. The Guardian's Heather Stewart compares the treatment of the first wives to "brightly coloured news confetti to sprinkle around the serious bits." She definitely makes a point, but at the same time, there is something refreshing about having a global fashion role model who also has an academic pedigree from Princeton and Harvard, especially when so many young "role models" are photographed in compromising positions.
While some will never see anything beyond the "fashion face-offs," or consider her visits as anything more than window dressing, others will never see past her politics. But the role of the First Lady isn't to set the political agenda or hard policy. Instead it's more of an ambassadorial position.
You could make a case that school and hospital visits, or the opening of the White House garden have political undertones, but they just don't compare with complex international negotiations or differences with Congress.
Michelle Obama's tenure as First Lady has only begun, and it will be fascinating to see how it evolves. Will she be primarily remembered for her influence on the fashion industry, or her advisory influence on her husband? At this point, the fashion side seems to be dominating, but in the fickle worlds of fashion and politics, anything is possible.