Michelle Obama's Most Expensive Outfits Yet

Like the first ladies who came before and after her, Michelle Obama's fashion choices were a major focus for both the media and the public during her husband Barack Obama's presidential campaigns and subsequent two terms in office. Just a month before Barack was elected president for the first time, in 2008, her clothing was a hot topic during the "Becoming" author's "Tonight Show" appearance, with host Jay Leno asking if her silk blouse, cardigan, and skirt getup cost more than $50,000. But Michelle made it clear then that she would be a first lady who strove to champion affordable fashion. "J. Crew," she memorably quipped of her outfit at the time, per The New York Times, enthusiastically adding, "Ladies, we know J. Crew. You can get some good stuff online!"

True to her word, throughout Michelle's tenure as first lady, her wardrobe often included inexpensive pieces from stores like Target and Gap. However, this didn't mean she didn't wear designer items too. In fact, she liked to pair affordable clothing with pricier pieces from the likes of Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, Gucci, and Versace, among many others. "When it came to my choices, I tried to be somewhat unpredictable, to prevent anyone from ascribing any sort of message to what I wore. [...] 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," she explained in her memoir. 

Her style choices weren't always successful, with some Michelle Obama looks missing the mark while other outfits were deemed inappropriate. Several pieces were also considered outdated. Regardless of the differing opinions about her personal style, though, there's no denying that Michelle has rocked some seriously expensive outfits over the years.

Notably, one of Barack Obama's biggest scandals was fashion-related: Wearing a tan suit. While not quite as iconic as "Suitgate," his beloved wife Michelle Obama had her fair share of style controversies too, often due to the eye-watering price tags attached to her outfits. Back in December 2011, during a time when the Obamas were already receiving flak for a vacation in Hawaii that reportedly cost taxpayers about $4 million, the first lady was all but accused of outright hypocrisy when she was spotted wearing expensive items such as a nearly $2,000 Sophie Theallet sundress and a $950 Comme des Garcons skirt.

Four years later, Michelle once again raised eyebrows when she donned a $2,300 powder blue dress by Carolina Herrera and a pair of silver pumps as she, her husband, and their two daughters Malia Obama and Sasha Obama welcomed Pope Francis to Washington, D.C. While the design itself was perfectly suitable for the occasion, wearing designer might not have been the best choice for a meeting with the pope given that he publicly compared unfettered capitalism to the "dung of the devil" just months before his visit stateside, as the New York Times reported at the time. 

While it's unclear whether Pope Francis had any opinions about the "Light We Carry" author's fashion choice, Michelle revealed in her memoir that she and her stylist Meredith Koop did plan her ensembles very carefully. "Optics governed more or less everything in the political world, and I factored this into every outfit," the first lady confirmed. "It required time, thought, and money — more money than I'd spent on clothing ever before. It also required careful research by Meredith, particularly for foreign trips." 

During her last full year as first lady, Michelle Obama proved that her influence on fashion was stronger than ever when a yellow dress by designer Narciso Rodriguez sold out just 20 minutes after she was shown on television wearing it during her husband Barack Obama's final State of the Union address, in 2016. While it was far from the first time she'd caused a clothing item to sell like hotcakes, this feat was particularly impressive considering the dress retailed for a whopping $2,095. 

Though Michelle wore numerous high-end brands during Barack's tenure, Rodriguez's designs have a special place in her sartorial history. In addition to Barack's final SOTU address, Michelle also donned a black and red sleeveless dress by Rodriguez, an American fashion designer of Cuban descent, on the night her husband won the presidential election in 2008. And, in January 2017, she gave her last speech as first lady wearing a red dress by the same designer. In "Becoming," Michelle revealed that she had faced some pushback for her decision to highlight the work of homegrown fashion designers who weren't quite household names yet, but she had no regrets about doing so. 

"I wanted to draw attention to and celebrate American designers, especially those who were less established, even if it sometimes frustrated the old guard, including Oscar de la Renta, who was reportedly displeased that I wasn't wearing his creations," the bestselling author recalled. "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." 

In 2011, Michelle Obama made a surprising move by donning a stunning orange and red dress by Alexander McQueen to a White House state dinner with then-President Barack Obama for then-Chinese President Hu Jintao. One of Michelle's most daring outfits of all time, the petal-print silk organza ball gown showed off the former first lady's impressively toned arms and was estimated by Politico to have cost somewhere between $7,000 and $8,000. At the time, Michelle's decision to wear a British brand instead of an American one sparked backlash from designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Diane von Furstenberg. 

But plenty of other style experts were impressed by the first lady's unusual but fashion-forward choice. "This dress is very glamorous. Red is an obvious color because in the Chinese color it means good luck, but you expect an American or an American-based designer for an occasion like this. But she's always surprising, and that's why we're all riveted by her," Kate Betts, author of the book "Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style," remarked in an interview with NBC News. 

The first lady herself defended the decision to wear Alexander McQueen, whose iconic namesake founder had passed away just a year before the state dinner, by confidently stating in response to the growing criticism, "Look, women, wear what you love. That's all I can say. That's my motto. I wear what I like," per Politico.

Michelle Obama's final year as first lady was filled with fashion hits, and among the clear standouts was a custom Atelier Versace gown that reportedly cost a staggering $12,000. Described by Vogue editor Michelle Ruiz as "the best dress of Mrs. Obama's fashion administration," the shimmery gown featured an asymmetrical neckline and draped details, with its rose-gold chainmail fabric needing no additional jewelry beyond simple earrings and rings. 

The bestselling "Becoming" author fittingly chose a piece from the Italian designer to wear for the state dinner that she and Barack Obama hosted at the White House in honor of then-Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife Agnese Landini in October 2016 too. Two years earlier, Michelle went the opposite route, opting for an American label rather than a designer from their guest's nation when Former President François Hollande of France visited in 2014. For that state dinner, the first lady looked effortlessly regal in a custom-made Carolina Herrera gown featuring a black bodice and blue skirt, which was believed to have also come with a $12,000 price tag. 

While Michelle, whose stunning combined net worth with Barack is estimated to be around $70 million, could easily afford to buy the dresses, she likely didn't have to, clarifying in her memoir, "I paid for all my own clothes and accessories — with the exception of some items like the couture-level gowns I wore to formal events, which were lent to me by the designers and would later be donated to the National Archives, thus adhering to White House ethics guidelines."

Naeem Khan created over 20 looks for Michelle Obama when she was first lady, and though she didn't wear all of them publicly, the ones she did show off were easily among her most expensive outfits to date. The "Light We Carry" author stunned in a gold strapless column dress by the Indian-American designer, whose custom gowns range from anywhere from $8,000 to $15,000 in price, during her first state dinner as first lady back in November 2009. At the time, she and Barack Obama welcomed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur to the White House so it was an especially astute choice. 

Michelle once again went for a Khan creation two years later for another White House state dinner, this time in honor of then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Her delicate ivory gown featured silver beads, metallic thread, and white sequins all over, which Politico suggested bumped the cost of the dress up to a jaw-dropping $15,000. During a 2016 interview with Pop Sugar, Khan expressed his appreciation for Michelle putting the spotlight on less established American labels like his during her stint as first lady. 

"She goes not for the name itself. She goes for what she likes. And that was so important," the designer gushed. "Look at some of the brands she wore. Like my brand. Not a lot of people had heard of me before. For her to chose my brand and to put me on this world stage and today what has happened to the brand is just crazy. And that is because of her. It's important how she has actually cultivated and put the designers in front."