Straight outta Michelle Obama’s stylebook

On their Latin American visit, US First Lady, Michelle Obama “wrote” a new style guidebook titled How to Steal the Thunder of Your Hostess.

And Michelle had to knock her hostesses off their feet, seeing as this was the first state visit a sitting US president was making to Cuba in 88 years.

Michelle graced the occasions mainly in floral gowns. But the coup de grâce was the glittery number, which she tangoed in. Granted, Michelle is no ordinary woman. Still, any First Lady can, with help, make picture-perfect dress choices.

Here are 12 pointers from Michelle’s guidebook ...

Keep it seminal:  A First Lady is an influential person. She’s VVIP. And then some. Which is why her style sense ought to be creative and ooze influence from every thread.

Keeping it seminal does not mean it should necessarily be haute couture. But it means that, anybody who checks it out should know this is the First Lady: not the lady who hawks fast food.

Keep it simple: There should never be too many details in a First Lady’s outfit. (For reference, check out Michelle’s ensembles). Fashion pundits concur that, before you leave the house, you should remove the last thing you wore.

Less is more: The reason fashionistas are raving about Michelle’s outfits is, they’re all we see. Period. She does not have, for instance, white powder marks on her face, making her look like she is an extra in a Riverwood horror flick.

Keep it scandal-free: There are tailors and designers. A First Lady is the designer-type. Still, even if your designer is Vera Wang, before you rock that outfit, go for a fitting. You want to make sure there will be no wardrobe malfunctions.

Otherwise, tabloids will have a field day, ribbing you with such monikers as, “The First Lewd”.

Keep it stately: Let me refresh your memory. In the last referendum, (the one for Okoa Kenyan Fashion), we unanimously passed that vitenge outfits are the preserve of weddings and funerals, while gaudy headdresses will be devolved only to Miss Orie Rogo Manduli.

Keep it shipshape: There are no two ways about it. A First Lady’s outfit must be neat and in good order. Anything less, and your hostess will gleefully think, “Aha. Mrs. Banana Republic”.

Keep it stylish: Trendy gowns can be bought in boutiques; style is intrinsic. But do not sweat it. If you do not have it, you can cultivate it by hiring a glam squad.

But still. Like Michelle, carve your own look. Never cut and paste. It will work like charm if you dress according to your body type.

Keep it smoking: For this intro, you will need to cue in Jeff Koinange, gushing that last word in the blurb above. Hell, yeah. Michelle was absolutely smoking, more than a Mafioso chomping on Cuban cigars. And every First Lady should do exactly that.

Keep it standout: After leaving Latin America, and stealing her hostesses’ you-know-what, Michelle turned that geographical location into, ahem, land without thunder.

Lesson? Every discerning First Lady should standout; in a fabulous way, though.

Keep it second-to-none: A First Lady’s gown should not be one of those numbers that has been, like a joint, passed around red carpets. Not unless you want to appear on that segment of Fashion Police called Who Wore It Better?

You know who does not dabble in secondhand numbers? First Ladies. I am sure designers of Michelle’s gowns are laughing all the way to the bank.

Keep it squeaky-clean: That is, that gown should be finished. First Ladies should not be seen dead in unfinished clothes.

Besides, a First Lady’s outfit should be almost unnaturally free from general human shortcomings. Again, this boils down to making time in your busy schedule for fittings ... even if your glam squad took your measurements nth times.

Keep it sophisticated:  You are the First Lady, not a bag lady. Leave roadside fundis for “wananchi wa kawaida”. Work with topnotch designers. A First Lady should never look like a panhandler, even if she is accompanying hubby on an international begging mission.

Knowledgeable and cultured are attributes of a First Lady. You saw how Michelle acknowledged the lady who tangoed with POTUS. She did not catch feelings or lose a strand of hair.

Keep it suspenseful: In other words, keep them guessing. Again, in a fab way.

Folks should not be like, “We know the First Lady will wear the polka dress she wore on ... which she previously wore on ...”

Wear it once, fame on you. Wear it twice, shame on you.