Michelle Obama Wore a Pair of Glittery Balenciaga Boots for the Last Stop on Her 'Becoming' Tour
On Wednesday night, Michelle Obama stepped on stage in a pair of thigh-high Balenciaga glitter boots during the final stop of her Becoming book tour.
Michelle Obama has traveled from city to city to talk about her memoir Becoming (our #ReadWithMC book club pick this month!), and her final leg in the States dropped her off in Brooklyn, New York. On Wednesday night, the former first lady stepped on stage to greet Sarah Jessica Parker, who served as the moderator for the evening. It was fitting, then, for Michelle to wear the brightest, sparkliest pair of boots while chatting with SJP whose alter ego, Carrie Bradshaw, has become the symbol of style in NYC.
For her grand entrance, Michelle strode on stage in a silky Balenciaga dress from the spring/summer 2019 collection. Underneath flashed those unmistakeable statement glitter boots from the fashion house. The dress is not yet available to the public, but the shoes are available to shop—if you have $3,900 to spare. She wore a pair of Jennifer Fisher hoop earrings.
This stunning outfit should come as no surprise to anyone who has studied Michelle's former first lady style and her iconic outfits. During her time at the White House, Michelle was a champion of emerging designers (she put Jason Wu on the map when she wore the young designer to the 2009 inaugural ball), and knew the public would, unfortunately, focus on her fashion choices as the first lady.
"I was supposed to stand out without overshadowing others, to blend in but not fade away. As a black woman, too, I knew I’d be criticized if I was perceived as being showy and high-end, and I’d also be criticized if I was too casual. So I mixed it up," Michelle wrote in Becoming. "I wore something from Target one day and Diane von Furstenberg the next. I wanted to draw attention to and celebrate American designers, especially those who were less established...For me, my choices were simply a way to use my curious relationship with the public gaze to boost a diverse set of up-and-comers."
On Wednesday night, however, during her chat with SJP, Michelle said that she chose the sparkly Balenciaga boots simply because she thought they were cute and that there were no secret messages in the boots. Twitter users agreed with her that the boots were amazing, writing, "She. Is. Wonder. Woman. On. Fire." and "Lawd... this is what my life needed and I didn’t even know." Michelle's close friend and senior advisor to Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett, even shared this tweet: "Well, I have never seen boots like this before. Have you?"
Take a moment to appreciate Michelle's sparkly boots (and her aura and her grace, while you're at it). If you're ready to make the splurge, shop the shoes below. They too can be yours in minutes.
For more celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
RELATED STORIES
Marina Liao is the former fashion news editor at Marie Claire, where she covered celebrity style (from Meghan Markle to Katie Holmes), fashion trends, and shopping advice, plus conducted original interviews with industry insiders. She's now the Senior Commerce Editor at House Beautiful, where she owns coverage on deals and sales across home decor and accessories, in-depth product reviews on furniture and appliances, as well as news around new product launches since 2023. With help from leading designers and tastemakers, Marina spotlights quality products while tracking current design trends, a skill she’s mastered over six years in fashion media. Marina holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Stony Brook University, beginning her career in narrative-driven commerce coverage as an editorial assistant at PopSugar.
-
Princess Kate's Sculpted Cheeks Could Be the Work of This Insider-Loved Treatment
The technique also has Meghan Markle's stamp of approval.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
32 Great TV Shows That Capture What We Love About Our Closest Friendships
Watch these with your bestie (or when you miss them).
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
Kaia Gerber Test-Drives Selena Gomez's Winter Shoe Styling Hack
There's still a way to wear those open-toe heels.
By Halie LeSavage Last updated
-
The Top Five 2025 Denim Trends Call Back to Basics
Far-from-fleeting styles like straight-leg jeans and denim maxis are here to stay.
By Lauren Tappan Published
-
8 Classics From Amal Clooney’s Capsule Wardrobe
From fitted blazers to delicate kitten heels.
By Lauren Tappan Published
-
10 Holiday Gifts Marie Claire Editors Are Giving and Getting
Use our guide to simplify your shopping experience.
By The Editors at Marie Claire Published
-
Fashionable Gift Ideas for Every Type of Personal Style
From the classic dresser to the eccentric trendsetter.
By Emma Childs Published
-
Strathberry's Black Friday Sale Majorly Discounts Meghan Markle and Jennifer Lopez's Favorite Bags
Strathberry's best styles are 25 percent off.
By Kelsey Stiegman Last updated
-
How Do You Find Your Personal Style?
From Gen Alpha to an almost-centenarian, we asked six stylish people to share how they discovered their formula for getting dressed.
By Emma Childs Published
-
The Loewe Bags Everyone's Manifesting Right Now
From modern styles to heritage classics, these are the most coveted styles of the moment.
By Lauren Tappan Published
-
7 Late Fall Essentials Marie Claire Editors Bought for November
Here are all the fashion and beauty must-haves to covet for the kickstart of the holiday season.
By Marie Claire Editors Published