The Barack Obama Fashion Choice That Caused A Stir (No, Not The Tan Suit)

Although former president Barack Obama may not have the influence to lead to the downfall of a fashion company like Catherine, Princess of Wales, he once made a sartorial choice that caused a stir. Your mind may wander to Obama's 2014 tan suit controversy, but years after that, he donned a different outfit that had the internet talking — and this time, the response was more positive.

In Malaysia in December 2019, Obama rocked a pair of Stan Smith sneakers at an Obama Foundation event. The decade after their initial release in the 1960s, that style of Adidas shoe was given the Stan Smith moniker in honor of the eponymous tennis player. Like many well-known clothing items and accessories, the shoes' popularity fluctuated over time.

Obama's pair of the sneakers were mostly white with green on the heel, and he paired them with a white polo and dark green chinos with a cropped ankle. Per CNN, pictures from that event didn't go viral right away. Once they did in early 2020, fans online raved about Obama's stylish look. Smith himself even took to Instagram and said, "Nice to see @barackobama has great style."

While being interviewed by Vanity Fair in 2012, Barack Obama spoke about his approach to fashion. It was simple due to the then-president trying to avoid adding more mental energy to his day. "You'll see I wear only gray or blue suits," Obama told the outlet. "I'm trying to pare down decisions. I don't want to make decisions about what I'm eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make." Of course, the time Obama broke tradition and went with a tan suit, the media had a field day.

Post-administration, Obama has had other fashion hits besides his Stan Smith outfit. One was the Rag & Bone bomber jacket that he wore at a Duke vs. UNC basketball game in February 2019. A significant number was featured on the sleeve. In an interview with GQ, Rag & Bone co-founder Marcus Wainwright said, "The '44' on the sleeve just felt like a subtle touch. Not many people could have pulled it off that way. He's got style." (It was a nod to Obama being the 44th president of the U.S.)

For more, check out why Obama's InStyle photoshoot had people talking.