The way professionals dress for their roles has become a mystery. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, workplace attire has become more casual, and the established guidelines for dressing professionally have shifted. This has led to considerable confusion, but former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama has offered her advice on appropriate work attire.
TL;DR
- Michelle Obama prioritizes feeling good and beautiful over following trends for her attire.
- Her style evolved throughout her career, adapting to different roles and book promotions.
- Obama's key advice is to get clothes tailored for a perfect fit, regardless of cost.
- Professionals are confused about workplace attire post-pandemic, with Gen Z seeking the most guidance.
“I do not pick something that doesn’t make me feel good,” Obama recently said in conversation with Tracee Ellis Ross about her new book, The Look. “I never wear something to follow a trend. I wear things that make me feel beautiful. That is probably the first criterion.”
Obama discussed the evolution of her style over her extensive career in law, education, and public service. A graduate of Harvard Law, she focused on entertainment law at the prestigious firm Sidley Austin, held a position as an assistant to Chicago's mayor, and was the associate dean of students at the University of Chicago.
In 2008, she went on to assumed the role of the 44th First Lady of the U.S. Alongside her husband, former President Barack Obama. Throughout those eight years in the public eye, she often wore “little lady dresses”—a fashion choice she shifted away from when promoting her earlier book, Becoming, in 2018. At that point, she traveled the nation in trousers and chic suits. Her fashion sense kept changing based on her activities. When presenting her book The Light We Carry in 2022, Obama mentioned arriving at gatherings in casual, city-inspired outfits with her hair in braids, suiting the more intimate feel of the smaller locations. She adapted her clothing to her needs—it's one less concern when accomplishing tasks.
“All of those iterations are me,” Obama continued. “I wear things that allow me to forget about what I’m wearing and do the work…I tend not to worry about that once I’m in a moment.”
Michelle Obama's top fashion tip: alterations
Obama's changing fashion sense demonstrates that there isn't a single approach to dressing appropriately for professional settings. However, she mentioned one universally applicable tip that everyone ought to adopt, regardless of whether they're arriving at the office in a high-end suit or more affordable attire.
“One of the things I learned is that it’s worth getting your stuff tailored,” Obama said. “If you’re looking for any kind of hack, that’s the biggest one. Rarely does anybody fit the dress size. We are all too diverse in our sizes…We did that with Target dresses and J.Crew. Everything was tailored so that it fit me the way it should.”
The author said the trick can make the most affordable clothes look “clean and sleek,” even if it means getting a t-shirt tucked in. She advised people to go to their local dry cleaners for tailoring: Seamstresses can cut off or add fabric, make sleeves the right lengths, make sure links work, and more. Getting her clothes fitted ensures she can step into any style and the clothes are perfectly aligned to her body type and aesthetic preferences.
“All of that stuff matters,” Obama explained. “All of that makes all [of] these different styles accessible to me, because they’re all parts of who I am.”
Employees are unsure about appropriate work attire.
Obama’s advice is welcome as many professionals struggle to make sense of what to wear to work. About 78% of staffers are seeking guidance on what to wear at work, according to a 2025 report from workplace solutions company IWG. And many younger employees have been left in the dark: Around 94% of Gen Z seek advice on their work outfits, compared to 84% of millennials, 70% of Gen Xers, and 61% of baby boomers.
According to experts speaking with Coins2Day, much of this stylistic ambiguity emerged after the pandemic. For over a year, employees worked from home, leading many to discover their preference for more relaxed clothing. When they returned to the office, they sought to incorporate their comfortable outfits, and this shift was successful, with casual fashion elements becoming standard. Staff members abandoned high heels, dresses, and ties in favor of premium sneakers and denim.
“Workwear is never going back to its suit-and-tie days, although that can be fun to dabble in,” Diana Tsui, a stylist and creative consultant partnering with IWG, told Coins2Day in July.
However, workplace and fashion experts note dress codes differ across industries, potentially leading to uncertainty regarding professional attire. While few universal office dress rules exist, experts suggest avoiding shorts, open-toed footwear, and revealing garments. Beyond these guidelines, most attire is acceptable. Professionals should align with their company's dress culture while also using accessories and distinctive items to showcase their personal style, according to experts.
“The main guideline that I’m teaching [in terms of] business etiquette to employees and companies, from startups to Coins2Day 100s, is that you dress for the environment of the company,” Myka Meier, the founder of Beaumont Etiquette, a professional etiquette company, told Coins2Day last year. “If you are working on a retail floor, you’re going to be dressing very differently than a marketing firm versus a bank. You have to dress for the company culture.”