Tuesday
Sep292009
Mrs. O Covers Prevention
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 10:14 AM 
Cover by Kwaku Alston / Prevention Magazine
Mrs. O is on the cover of the November issue of Prevention Magazine, wearing a fantastic beaded Jason Wu cocktail dress and Jimmy Choo Lantern heels. The dress hails from Jason Wu's Fall 2009 collection, seen here.
We have to say, this may be one of the best Mrs. O covers ever! We love the natural outdoor setting, and Mrs. O looks beyond fabulous. To read more about the interview, click here.
tagged Jason Wu
Jason Wu
Reader Comments (106)
She looks absolutely fabulous!
She is certified hot! She has taken a potent concoction of healthy eating, exercise, an undoubtedly healthy dose of loving from Mr. President and slashed about 15 years off her real age.
I am sooo in love with her figure she looks soo beautiful
Just FAB!!! Love, love, love this picture.
I have to be very honest with you all about something! I just read the article discussing some of the comments Mrs. Obama made in the "Prevention" interview. I am a gay man and even I feel uplifted reading some of her comments! I think that women and especially mothers are so incredibly hard on themselves...feeling that they have to sacrifice their own wants, needs, and dreams for the sake of their family. There has to be a balance and I think that mothers can achieve that balance. When you are happy (as Mrs. Obama mentions in the article) that energy flows all the way down to your children. I have the greatest admiration and respect for mothers and especially working mothers. I think that this article will touch on a lot of isses that working mothers struggle with on a daily basis. Of course what do I know...I am just a gay man...LOL!
Yay can't wait to get this issue...she looks FAB!
You look great!
LOVE THE DRESS SHE WEAR THIS SHOES BEFORE WITH A DEFFERNT DRESS.
@kennedynphilly you are so right, as a mother and a wife I can identify with Mrs.O, My husband and children have a different attitude when am happy . it's amazing how the house is so quite when am moody but it always full of life when am laughing a lot.
the dress looks 100 times better on Mrs.O than the model, Mrs.O is a healthy gorgeous woman with a figure that defies the "normal" weight standards the pop and fashion culture tries to impose.
I love her Jason Wu dresses, she looks phenomenal!
Love this cover! Mrs. O rocks this dress and I would love to see her in this shape/style more than the Mad-Men inspired full skirts, belted cardi look.
It is good to see her doing articles in Prevention and not just the typical "womens" mags as well. Hopefully her message will reach a wider audience.
the dress kooks ten times better on mrs O than it does on the model.i hope fashion designer take note.curvaceous women wear clothes better than coat-hanger models do.
i dig what she say about parenting.it a good lesson to live by.
greetings from dresden, germany
I am in love with those curves on Mrs O. the dress looks better on her than the model. Yes Women must take care of themselves when they are mothers. I had my son a year ago and didnt take care of any of my desires. I didnt even shop for shoes. I spent my time and energy on my home and son. to cut a long story short, I had a mental breakdown and now I am in therapy. But I did take a few days off and recently I am feeling and looking like my old self. I had my hair done for the first time in over a year and I used makeup. I used to be a fashionista before my son was born, but I became the kind of person that people in the office were looking at as the kind of person not to become when they become mothers. It was really disheartening for me. I also realized that my son sleeps better at night now. when I was miserable it seemed like my son never slept at night. Now he sleeps so well, I wake him up or feel his heart just to make sure he is asleep. Better mother= Better home and family.
Hi kennedyphilly thanks for summarizing the article. I think Michelle's words can be applied to everyone. If our lives are out of balance then we need to re prioritize. You can be single and neglect yourself. I'm on the road helping out my parents back home, I realize that I have neglected my health and need to put ME and my health back as an important priority. Can't wait to read the full article.
I just enlarged the photo and it looks like she's got blue nail polish on her toenails! Gorgeous dress---I love it when the dress is fitted so that she doesn't need a belt. Also, it appears that the shoulders of the dress were taken in for her, compared to the model.
Mrs O looks beyond fabulous and this dress is beyond flattering!
Marvelous! To me the best thing is the dress doesn't scream of designer (although it does look expensive) so the overall effect is showing a very beautiful, confident and happy woman.
WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!FANTABULOUS.........Mrs. O is absolutely beautiful....So confident and comfortable with herself.It is true she looks beyond fabulous. Love, love, love this dress......Breathtakingly beautiful.
The dress is perfect - color, fit - and her shoes pick up the sparkle details in the dress. She looks confident in her pose and surroundings.
Mrs. T,
I saw reference to this article last night, and hoped you'd highlight it here. I didn't see the dress, which is absolutely stunning on her, but I saw highlights from the article.
This is my favorite quote:
"Throughout my life, I've learned to make choices that make me happy and make sense for me. Even my husband is happier when I'm happy," Mrs. Obama said in her first interview with the women's health monthly. "So I have freed myself to put me on the priority list and say, yes, I can make choices that make me happy, and it will ripple and benefit my kids, my husband and my physical health."
I think this is Mrs. O's approach to her clothing choices as well. She wears what makes her happy, and pays no attention to the fashion police. Maybe instead of policing here, we could share our joy at Mrs. O's choices.
kennedynphilly, it's great to have you here.
exhiliration, I'm happy you're doing so much better. I think many of us have paid the price for not taking care of ourselves.
Mrs. O is such an inspiration to put ourselves first, because instead of it being a selfish thing, it's the best gift we can give others.
WOW WOW WOW... Yes and Thank you Mam! LOL... just beautiful!
Someone let Oprah know this is the way they should have photographed the FLOTUS!
Beautiful, beautiful dress....what a great fit. Her hair looks great!
Kennedynphilly you sure know what you are talking about!
When I first had Rebekkah.....I was sooo consumed with being a new Mom it showed. I mean, Bekks was good but I looked and felt like crap! Mrs. O is soooo right.
I know we all love this Prevention Cover. BUT, I have a very strong suspicion that Prevention photoshopped Mrs. O's figure, arms, legs, etc.
I called Prevention's Customer Service Dept. about it. They told me that they could not comment on Prevention's policy on photoshopping, and that their editing department would get back to me within three business days.
I also sent an email to Prevention in which I said:
"It appears to me that your cover featuring Michelle Obama has been photoshopped. Her arms and legs have been slightly sculpted, and her figure has been trimmed.
What is your policy regarding photo-shopping your covers? Can you confirm that you did, indeed, alter Mrs. Obama's shape on your cover?"
I've also written to Mrs. T about it. But I'm sure that she needs to be very careful before making any statements about this possibility.
The reason I'm posting this before hearing from Prevention is because if the media will pick up on this, we might have a better chance of forcing Prevention to admit what they did.
I feel strongly about this because I believe Mrs. O works to send a message of acceptance about what real women look like, as opposed to the unrealistic, photoshopped images we are bombarded with on magazine covers. I don't think she would feel good about being photoshopped.
For those interested, here is a wonderful article with photos and even videos of the photoshopping process which most of us don't even notice.
Most Blantant Use of Photoshop in Magazines and Ads
Ummm who really cares to be honest...I highly doubt it has been photoshopped anymore or less than any other cover and hardly see why it is an issue...sorry but I think this woman deserves a frickin break.
Full article at Prevention's website HERE
She does look wonderful. But, Willow, I am with you on the photoshopping possibility. It was the first thing that went thru my mind. The second was that FLOTUS would not be happy about it, for exactly the reasons you mention.
Now there is form-fitting dress that Mrs O looks great in. Let's assume no photo-tricks.
I also just sent this email to Mrs. O through the WhiteHouse.gov site:
Dear Mrs. Obama,
I am one of your millions of fans. You are simply terrific for our country. I appreciate the role model and inspiration you are for women and girls all over the world. I have believed that you have tried to counteract the unrealistic image of feminine beauty imposed on us by Magazine covers and the fashion industry. You send a strong message of acceptance of the womanly body, and joy in fashion.
I loved your message of putting ourselves and our happiness first in your Prevention Interview. It is so important to know that is the best gift we can give to our loved ones.
However, I was shocked at what appeared to be the photoshopped image of you on the Prevention cover. I doubt that you could have approved of this altered image which merely feeds the unrealistic image of women which I think you want to combat.
I've written to Prevention asking them to admit what they did. However, they may not do that for me. You, however, are in a position to either get them to admit it, or to issue your own statement saying that you, as the subject of the photo, recognize that it has been altered. You are in a position to counteract the negative image of perfection which I know you don't approve of.
Thank you so much for all you are doing for our country, and to help our President in his weighty role. And thank you for your consideration of my request.
Sincerely,
The picture didn't appear photoshopped to me. Or at least not blatantly.
Have you read the article? Please take a few minutes and read through: Mrs O answers are so on point and inspiring. This is a down-to-earth woman whom I can see myself befriending. But I guess that's what makes her so endearing to so many of us.
I love you Michelle O beyond your frocks and looks: you are a true inspiration to all women from all regions and religions! Watching you for the last 2 years helps me be more true to and accepting of myself. God bless and protect you and your family.
http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/michelle-obama-s-rules-for-staying-healthy-and-happy/70b480e703cd3210VgnVCM10000030281eac____/health/healthy.lifestyle/creating.healthy.habits/0/0/1
I hope my English is clear for it's not my first tongue or even a 2nd for that matter :)
Here's a picture of her from the many pictures she took with diplomats at the UN.
I don't see a difference with her legs, etc. between that picture and the Prevention cover.
http://mrs-o.org/newdata/2009/9/24/ushering-in-the-new-season.html
Sorry for my multiple posts. I just realized how poorly written my note to Mrs. O is. Hopefully you, and she, will be able to overlook that.
Sorry
Please please, let's not make the topic of this comment thread about Photoshopping. What I meant to say in something I posted a couple of minutes ago was that, for the purposes of this forum, let's ignore the Photoshop issue. Why? Because just about every Art Director now uses it. Let's stick to the essential which is that Mrs O looks great in this picture. While, you can erase wrinkles and get rid of some fat with photoshop, you can't create such a radiant smile and sense of well-being.
IVA,
If you will open two screens, one with the above image, and one with this image Red Hot, I think you will see that her arms, legs, and figure have been slightly trimmed, as shown in the photoshop article I linked to above.
kbarch I agree. and writing the White House over this?? you all just KNOW the press will have a field day with this BS and use it to demonize Michelle, why even bring this up in the first place. She looks GREAT point blank, why must everything be nitpicked and discussed to death. Whenever we get a positive post it must be spoiled.
The Other Mimi,
It is not Mrs. O's fault if the photo was altered. Magazines do it to people without their permission.
I don't believe previous covers did this to Mrs. O. I remember a cover photo of her in a rose-colored lace dress, with bare arms. (Don't recall the magazine.) It didn't look photoshopped.
I think all the magazines until now have respected the First Lady enough to print a true photo of her. I would not like to see this become a precedent, and I doubt Mrs. O would either.
how did this become about photoshopping? You've turned a wonderful picture and article into something negative.
Willow, it does not look photoshopped to me and if it is it's probably minimal. I don't derive my self esteem from images on magazines, nor do I feel pressured to live up to anything...She looks great end of story. But if you must create a fuss and add more Republican nitpicking...It is NO BIG DEAL!
@ Willow,
the red hot pic is a close-up while the Prevention cover as well as the pic IVA linked to are taken from a farther angle. I'm sure the State Dept has more urgent things to do than photo-shop the FLOTUS (and POTUS) pics.
I have never met Mrs O but friends of mine met her during the campaign and told me she's far more slimmer and prettier in person than what we see on TV or in photos.
Great article! Like my wonderful husband used to say when my kids were little, if Mama isn't happy, nobody is happy!
@ Willow - I disagree. I think she looks slightly slimmer because she's standing straight in this picture, with her legs in front of each other, her arms outstretched with her hands resting on her hips, so her upper arms look slimmer since they're stretched out rather than just hanging down, relaxed, by her sides, as they are in the red dress picture.
I don't know, I think her poses are very different in the 2 pictures, and as you see in the link I posted from the UN, Mrs. O looks quite svelte, just like in this picture. So as with most pictures, your body can look better or worse, depending on one's pose, lighting, outfit, etc.
I just don't see it, and if it's photoshopped, it's subtle and that's par for the course with magazine covers. I'm not finding the big deal here. Sometimes we all have a tendency to be too sensitive, and to look for something to be wrong when we don't have to. I think this is one of those times. I don't think this cover shows any kind of disrespect of her, at all. This is simply a lovely photo and cover shot, IMO. And if it's been touched up, I think it was tastefuly done.
IVA,
I feel real outrage that someone would show this kind of disrespect to our beautiful First Lady.
I appreciate knowing that you and others have quite a different feeling about it.
@ Willow - it's all good. The other thing to remember is most of the pictures we view of Mrs. O are candid shots, while she's walking, or just standing, or sitting...not looking "ready for the shot."
This one is a professional, posed shot. It's hard to compare a candid shot with a professionally taken picture.
Lovely,
Willow, not to defend the way many magazines over-Photoshop their images of women, but I don't think this is a case of over-Photoshop (or disrespect) here. Believe me, if she were a regular "celebrity," they would've decreased her lovely hips & pumped up her bosom!
She's standing in a not completely natural model's pose here, which is slimming and why model's do it. (see how she's holding her shoulders)
Photoshop was obviously done here to outline Mrs. O & "bring her forward" in the picture. Also, the background has been de-focused & blurred/smudged, which makes a cleaner surface for the text. Pre-digital, this type of photo manipulation would've been done in the darkroom. It's very standard.
IVA,
I don't think the difference is between a candid and a posed shot, but that one was photoshopped. I appreciate knowing that you and others seem to be OK with it, even if it was.
I hope the conversation can get back to Mrs. O's fabulous message now, of helping her husband and family by keeping herself happy. She lifts and helps all of us by being her happy, humorous, playful self. I love her spirit.
I agree WIllow - It has been photoshopped. She looks thin in this picture and she is not (please trust me that is not an insult, I think she looks great). There is no need to make her look thin.
I agree. This is much ado about nothing, and the focus shouldn't be on the issue of photoshopping, instead it should be about what a lovely and inspiration person Mrs. O is - inside and out.
EVER magazine cover goes thru major retouching & photoshopping. Every single one. I used to be a professional model; sometimes I didn't even recognize myself. This cover is no more re-touched than most. She looks like the stunning MO we know & love.